Mugabe bid to ban rights charities

The Sunday Times ^ | August 22, 2004 | Tom Walker

[MadIvan]

ZIMBABWEAN authorities want to ban foreign human rights organisations and to restrict local charities in an intensification of President Robert Mugabe’s campaign against “foreign meddling”.

The government has published a proposed law that would require foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to apply for a licence. Groups whose “sole or principal objects involve or include issues of governance” — seen as “the promotion and protection of human rights and political governance issues” — would not get a licence.

Local groups would be banned from receiving foreign funds to finance work in such areas. The charitable activities of churches would require government approval, although they would not have to register to do religious work. Breaches of the law would mean up to six months in jail and the closure of the organisation involved.

Human rights campaigners say the law could have devastating effects, if it is enacted as expected in October, by criminalising those who help the most vulnerable in Zimbabwe, where more than 70% of the 12.5m people live in poverty, a quarter have HIV and 1m children are orphans.

Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly pressure group, said the government was determined to oppose anyone who criticised it.

The proposed restrictions come ahead of parliamentary elections in March. Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, wants to consolidate his position after narrowly winning re-election in 2002 in a poll that observers say was marred by intimidation and vote rigging.

Mugabe has repeatedly castigated church leaders, charities and human rights groups for criticising his increasingly autocratic government, accusing them of fomenting opposition to his rule.

“Many organisations will be hindered until after the next elections,” said the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, “including those providing food, medical assistance and services to Aids sufferers.”

The proposed bill is likened to media laws passed two years ago giving the government the power to close newspapers, stifle criticism of policies and arrest journalists.

[MadIvan]

Someone really needs to put Comrade Bob 6 feet under.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!