United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema says the invitation of Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al Bashir to Zambia for Lusaka summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) shows that President Rupiah Banda has no respect for human rights.
Mr. Hichilema says it is shocking that president Banda has invited a wanted person to Zambia.
Mr. Hichilema in an interview with QFM this afternoon says it should not come as a shock to Zambians that president Banda embraces human rights abuses.
He adds that reports that the MMD has its own militia are a clear conformation that the Zambian president embraces human rights abuses.
He explains that president Banda found it fit to invite president Al-Bashir to Zambia because he sees nothing wrong with the Sudanese president.
Mr. Hichilema says president Banda should respect the values of the International Criminal Court which has issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese leader for genocide committed in Darfur.
Mr. Hichilema has since called on the Zambian people to vote for change in the 2011 election and put in place a government that will respect human rights.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed concern that President Rupiah Banda has invited indicted Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir to participate in a regional conference scheduled for 15th December.
QFM
Good points, HH!!!
nice one HH and i hope you can sort out the mess with the pact so that pipo dont split the vote.RB does not give a damn about laws that is why he is acquitting pipo who have stolen a lot of wealth from zambia and chasing opposition leaders.By the way does it mean whatever MMD cadres say DEC should jump.what nonsense
What our president has to bear in mind is that, the international community is taking keen interest in what he is doing and I can see him facing the same charges if it’s true that MMD has Malitia or hit squards within its circles. Maybe MMD wants to learn from Sudan how to terrorise its own citizens. Sturboness by Mr Banda will have deadly outcome for him and those surrounding him.However, they will say it was Ruphia who was the boss. The international community can ban Mr Banda to travel around the world and those surround him that leaves him with no where to go.There are alot of pay back moves that the International community can rush out on this govt to feel its weight.
I am definitely not an RB sympathiser BUT as Chairman of this commission, President Banda is obligated to invite all stakeholders to participate in this regional summit, Al-Bashir included. He (RB) can decide to be smart about it and tell Bashir that since Zambia is a signatory to the ICC convention, he would be obligated to arrest him (Bashir) upon his arrival and it would be up to the Sudanese leader to make a decision about what he will do. I am not, in any way, supporting Al-Bashir but I can understand the diplomatic dilemma that RB has found himself in because at the end of the day, arrest or no arrest, Zambia has to maintain harmonic relations with its fellow African countries.
The African Union has made it clear that they will not arrest Al Bashir. Zambia is African first. RB is obligated to invite Al Bashir – it is not by choice Mr Hichilema. We do not like Al Bashir but let’s not be selective in the way we comment just for political mileage to paint RB in the wrong light to the International community.
Laws and agreements must be adhered to if we are to be respected by those around us. People who are not able to comply must be punished and not just ignored.
RB knows he will soon be a fugitive with his band of planderous so he needs all the friends he can get
Banda was born and bred in Zimbabwe.
Sudan and Zimbabwe are being shielded by China,an emerging influence in Africa to desperate countries.
Thy shall not judge! Who is RB to judge as to whether Al Bashir is right or wrong? Has Bashir been proved guilty? And if so by which court?
#5 Adviser- It doesnt matter what the AU says. We know that each African Presdent wants to be protected by fellowv dictators and the sole function of the AU is to do just that. This AU has no respect for ordinary Africans. How can you allow a fellow human being to be treated the way the Dafurians are being treated by Arabs in Sudan? Dont just support RB because may be you are employed at an Embassy. No, First you are a human being, the secondary MMD or what ever. You were there before MMD and you will be there long after MMD has become extinct. This is what matters. Bashir is an an enemy of Black Africans and must be treated as such.
#10 Deja Vu…………………….If you are a Christian, who did Jesus Christ come for? the elect or the wicked? ………….how do you define sin and is there sin that is bigger than the other in the site of God? what ever answer you have, how holy are you? have you not committed any sin in the last 1 year? have you ever asked God to forgive you? if so would you not love God to forgive bashir? Pray for him and embrace him while you correct him. further, what do you have to say about Bush & Blair acts?
If Paul a murderer was forgiven by God, why not bashir if you pray for him. by the way, have you ever prayed for him?????
sudan is an independent state with its own head of state. we cant allow abasungu to determine how we rule ourselves bcos thats neocolonialism. george bush and tony blair for the thousands they have killed in iraq iran afghanistan serbia twin towers israel and palestine. all the deaths in these countries have been caused by bush and his chidodoma tony blair. these two should go to the hague not the sudanese president
HH is the real man. Thank you Mr President. You are one of the few upright men Pa ZED ripe for presidency. Unlike bashikulu baSata who is ever in courts.
HH will never be president, he should just retire before his money finishes!!!
only a tonga should replace mazoka!!!
#11 Real Shange- Dont cloud your mind with confusing explanations. Jesus condemned the Phareeses and Saducees who were suppressing the powerless. Yes he came to save sinners, but he attacked those sinners who were misusing their postions to exploit others. He call Herod a fox because Herod was living in sin.
#12 Lady Gaga- Where is your history? Sudan is not an Arab country,it is in Africa. On one hand you say whites are not Africans on the other you call Arabs Africans. Those invaders have been torturing our brothers for years and that is why they are having a refrendum in January 2011 in order to seperate themselves from the Arab Slave Traders.If to day RB condemns El Bashir, Iam sure you 2 will follow suit.
#15 dejavu who says an african country cannot be arabic, look at egypt, algeria moroco etc aint they arabic but in africa. dont call arabs invaders bcos africa is for everyone be it white black colored or mwenye. dejave who deserves to be in the hague between bush and al bashir
#16 THANKS FOR HELPING ME ANSWER DE JA VU. YES IM MMD AND WILL GO BY WHAT RB THINKS NOT YOUR SATA OF HH. I SUPPORT MMD WHILE DEJAVU SUPPORTS A SUNKEN BOAT. ANSWER THE QUESTION DEJAVU WHO HAS MORE BLOOD ON HIS HABDS GEORGE, BLAIR, ALBASHIR GONDOLEEZA RICE OR GEN SHWASHKOFUR
if this man comes to zed pliz dont arrest him tukayiletela these pipo are dangerous napapata
This was a political dilemma for RB because he is mandated to invite everyone regardless of the country they come from. Not inviting Sudan would have sparked diplomatic row and would not have been perceived positively by some African states. However, like suggested. Al Bashir should send a representative otherwise, we may arrest him coz we don’t also want to be seen to be abrogating the convention which we ratified and part of. This is a diplomatic dilemma indeed
#18, You are have a point.This issue is sensitive.If this president comes to Zambia coz of the Mistake RB has made, we should not arrest him.Doing so will put Zambia on a list of targets for terrorists.Osama bin laden lived in Sudan for four years from 1992 to 1996.He then moved to Alghanstan via a chartered flight,meaning he was not thrown out of the country and may still have some connections.This RBe will put us in problems.
#15..Ba Dejavu…..pls answer the question! have you ever prayed for Bashir?? Dont confuse yourself..Jesus does not segregate He saves anyone who repents. Therefore, pray for bashir just as you have to pray for Bush and Blair who you have embraced despite stinking a lot of blood in their hands, which is good as long as you pray for them.
Also answer me.! how holy and righteous are you?????? it seems to me that you are so holy that you have never sinned. We need many of your type in the govt. then we know that it shall be a holy & righteous govt.
#4 Olympia Extension, Your views make a hell lot of sense and I support you 100%. I hope our president will take this line of action.
Most Zambians are *****s, why should Zambia arrest the Sudanese president, the UN is calling for elections in Sudan with the current president as a candidate meaning they view him as being legitimate. On top of that the AU has said he did not commit any proven crimes, HH is politicking and just wants to go to State House, he should concentrate on telling zambians how he will bring jobs and make money available for investment at a lower interest rate other than just yapping at every opportunity. This is annoying considering he says he is a smart man. Dont just condemn RB for the sake of, bring up tangible points. Has the world said anything about Haliburton corruption?? they have been fined thats it. I oppose what is happening in Sudan but to arrest their elected president is not our place.
Its different if he was called for a state visit, have you seen how much FDI is flowing into Sudan? by the western nations? why not suspend investing in Sudan if they really oppose his rule, they have done it to Zimbabwe at the citizens expense. Lets criticise accordingly and in a fair way. there are many things we can criticise but this one is offside.
23 Chintofwa, Please, please moderate your language, How can you say bluntly that ‘most Zambians are *****s’. Unbelievable! There is nowhere where a citizen has ever uttered such an insult to the vast majority of the population.
#25 i take it back if it is considered an insult. I meant to say most of us Zambians lack a sense of reasoning as in the Athenian democracy and not the ***** of lack of sense or mental incapitation. In Athens “*****s” were seen as having bad judgment in public and political matters.
Distant Drums, no harm intended as myself are a Zambian and revere our traditional norms. On this same forum I ask for retractment of the use of the word as it may be miscontrued. But i stress again lets analyze issues as opposed to just speaking without studying the issue.
@@@ NO…14;;;;; iwe ka john phiri WABE TOLE,MANI LEARN TO CONTRIBUTE LIKE A GROWN UP PERSON WHAT HAS HH AND TONGAS DONE TO YOU TO WARRANT SO MUCH HATE AGAINST THEM….. KANSWE KAKO
I Think in all fairness Al Bashir shud just send a represantative coz poor Zambia has no room to start risking terror attacks or unnecessary sunctions,we love him as our african brother but him coming to zambia will be costly to zambia in more ways than one.RB do what is best for Zambia and listen to the concerns of your pipo who after all are your bosses since they put you in power in the first place and not al bashir
# 16pf jealousy – Can an Arabic country become African? At least in the Western Hemisphere we have Africans who are ruling like Haiti, Jamaca, Barbadoes etc. Not in your life time will an African hold a portifolio in an Arab World
#21 Real Shange – I cannot judge my self and neither can I judge another person. But this does not mean that Iam devoid of making opinions of what is going on around me. Mwana from time immomerial Arabs have had no respect for the Kaffir Race Yes you can pray for some one, but can he change? That is the big question. Even when the Muslims go for their Hajji, it is not for Arabs to mingle with their fellow Musilims whobn are black.
#12 Shame on you, Lady Gaga who can comment on things you do not understand. Al Bashir is Arab and Muslim who is killing people from Southern sudan just because they are blacks and are Christians. What Al Bashir is doing is earthnic cleansing and racism at it’s best. Those people he is killing are blacks like me and for me to see a black person dying just because he or she is Christian is the worste.
whatever Al bashir is doing is wrong. if he comes for one day and goes back that ok. the bigger problem will be us getting involved with Sudan’s problems. we should avoid being used by the west to kick their opponents and we should not perpetuate the underhand methods of the west. AU has decided for now not to honour ICC request and we’ll should agree with AU. so when HH come out like that it reminds me of a typical presidential candidate how knows nothing about being a President.