Leaders of both civil society and major opposition political parties have gathered in Johannesburg to reaffirm their joint commitment to multiparty democracy in Zambia and to publicly urge the Commonwealth to appoint an envoy to undertake an independent investigation.
The opposition and civil society representatives are endorsing a petition filed on January 25th, 2013 before the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat for referral to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).
The 40-page report, http://tinyurl.com/CommonwealthZambia , prepared on behalf of victims of human and civil rights abuses by the Coalition for the Defence of Democratic Rights (CDDR), presents evidence showing “serious and persistent” violations of the principles of the Commonwealth’s Harare Declaration by the Patriotic Front government of President Michael Sata.
- Victims call for provisional suspension of Zambia from Commonwealth pending investigation
- President Michael Sata accused of inciting ethnic violence, abusing law enforcement bodies to persecute opponents, and judicial interference
- Report cites wide-ranging violations of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and attacks on civil society
“We may be diverse in our interests, agenda, and political positions, however we are here today united in the belief that Zambia must respect basic rights and freedoms according to the law,” said Robert Amsterdam, an international lawyer who assisted the CDDR in the preparation of the Commonwealth filing.
“It is our position that the current government has repeatedly broken the law and violated the rights of both civil society and opposition political parties. We are asking to the Commonwealth to fulfill their commitment to expanding the role of the CMAG as stated in October 2011, and appoint an envoy to conduct an independent investigation into these violations.”
The participants endorsing the Commonwealth petition gathered in Johannesburg include Dr. Nevers Mumba, President of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Hakainde Hichilema, President of the United Party for National Development (UPND), Edwin Sakala, President of the Zambia Direct Democracy Movement (ZDDM), Sakwiba Sikota, President of the United Liberal Party (ULP), and Former Republican President Rupiah Banda.
The document presented to the Commonwealth presents detailed information on the unlawful nature of detentions of leaders like Dr. Mumba, who was arrested and jailed three times in just two months.
It also highlights the police brutality and use of violence against Hichilema and other UPND members. Citing statements made by President Sata ordering the army to fire upon Zambian citizens in the breakaway region of Barotseland, the report raises urgent concerns over incitement of ethnic violence by the current Zambian government.
“This is a government that has behaved in a criminal fashion, and average Zambian citizens are suffering greatly from their destructive and selfish policies,” said Dr. Mumba.
“If you objectively look at the pattern of abuses committed by this government, not just against opposition parties but also civil societies and business competitors of their allies, it is difficult not to conclude that we are on the road back towards the one-party state,” said Hichilema.
The opposition and civil society representatives have agreed to explore legal coordination to ensure that the Zambian government’s attack on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are brought to the attention of the international community before further damage is caused. The parties gathered here see the accelerated pace of repression in Zambia as tied to the brutal fight for succession going on within the ruling Patriotic front Government.
am not sure suspending from the commonwealth would be good for zambia,… but i agree that PF government should be knocked into their senses, goverance is zambia has gone to the dogs,,, how can GBM who is defence minister anounce the investor of mulungushi textile, where is the minister in charge? How can a president stand on national TV and say he is only one untouchable,,, never been heard of anywhere,,insane!
This development is not surprising to most zambians, but sends a terrible dent on Zambia’s democratic record under Sata’s rule. Be further warned that Zambia is not an island and all schemes hatched by PF govt will be known as the very PF cadres are not happy and inform us outside PF circles. As of today we know that Sata wants to transfer Zambia’s ambassador to UK to Nigeria and be replaced by Sata’s relation.
Nothing is dented. It is expected for opposition leaders to cry foul and oppose the incumbent government. It is also expected for opposition parties to paint a bad image for the ruling party. It is also expected for the opposition parties to say they are victimised and harassed. It is also expected for the opposition to discredit the ruling party. Just as it is expected for the opposition to hate the ruling party with a passion. So in essence, this is all expected and the international community know this too well they cannot be fooled. Just because the opposition will it does not mean it will happen. It is only sad that they want to blacklist the country they want to rule. Quite ironic actually. Sad. Eh. What can you do when you have people without morals in opposition? Really, what?
Ba Ndobo,
In case you did not know Mulungushi Textiles is owned by the Ministry of Defence. Get it from me a former employee. In as much as i agree that we have governance issues i think the best approach is dialogue not to stand on ones roof top and denounce a lovely wedded wife!
Mulungushi Textiles is under THE mINISTRY OF dEFENCE if you did not know.
Mulungushi Textiles fall under Ministry of Defence!Criticising for the sake of it!
IGNORANCE is dangerous!
Suspension is actually quite unlikely – however the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group may be eager to prove its worth by at least sending an investigator, which would be enormously positive.
What Zambia needs is an objective assessment of these arrests and actions by the courts and police – only then can we see who is right and who is wrong.
I saw the clip on BBC!THOSE CHAPS LOOKED PATHETIC! UNCONVINCING AND TRULLY DESPERATE!
I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY MMD HAS COLLAPSED!THEIR PRESIDENT IS………
THE ENTIRE REPORT IS A GARBAGE TRASH OF ‘AMSTERDAM’. HE IS IN HIGH GEAR NOW THAT RB HAS BEEN CORNERED?
I agree with u. How can a lawyer to the person facing corruption charges be the petitioner? Not to mention all petitioners are facing criminal charges and they are their lawyers too, even a fool can read beyond the line, that its not going no where. Let them just fight it in court. If I remember very well it was RB who ordered the shooting in western province
I AGREE!
NEVERS LOOKED PATHETIC IN THAT INTERVIEW BY BBC!
HOW MANY OPPOSITION RALLIES DID MMD ALLOW DURING THEIR 20 YEARS IN POWER?
The Zambia Mafia are in charge!
nchimunya… ko amba! kolì?
very good move though we don’t benefit anything form Commonwealth since we still get Visas to go to their countries..
This is embarrassing, especially to the opposition in Zambia. Why let a foreigner who has no interest for the well being of the country lead you in damaging the country’s reputation? This Amsterdam guy is just a shady character who tries to claim to have powerful connections when he is just a street lawyer chasing plunder cases and defending corrupt individuals. The opposition leaders should ask him what happened to his last 2 clients in Russia and Indonesia. The immunity for RB should be removed so that all the dots can connected from top going down. The opposition leaders in Zambia at the moment are pathetic, their appetite for power is going out of control and if we are not careful these guys can sell the country to mercenaries for a few mining concessions, they are too greedy!
What embarassement are you talking about? Have you forgotten that Cobra used to sleep in some western Embassies whilst in Opposition.
Zambia is not an island to be brutalised while the progressive world is watching. It will be more embarrasing if Sata is left to rule like Mugabe his mentor. This is only the beginning. Next we want AU to be involved and make a stand on this disgraceful regime that has brought shame to Zambia.
Ba Mbambande, which shame? Following up a suspected plunderer is not shame. It shows courage and will to make things better for your and your grand children
zambia shall be rebased
sata and pf shaould bow, this is not Zimbabwe.
Zambia needs serious prayers.
just a look at the list of complainants says it all. ma rubbish yeke yeka.
no credible civil society listed as one of the complainants.
why cant these good for nothing loosers engage the govt. and let the church abitrate.
otherwise, they are further decampaining themselves.
now that rb’s immunity is in danger, they are panicking.
Nevers mumbwe failed pastor nd cursed.
Hakaivotela hyena bitter nd senior tribalist.
Sakwiba sikabolala hardcore criminal nd busy defendin fellow criminals.
son of a witch!
its not the opposition & civil society naimwe….its this disgruntled lawyer & RB…bayopa manta! who is going to entertain such crap? Zambia is a sovereign nation….when we get fed-up of PF, we shall vote them out and NAREP in, simple!….NOT upnd or ulp or mmd….anso teti….
Oh dear someone is afraid that the taxpayers money he is surviving on is slowly slipping away! Moochers your Christmas party is about to end soon!
How many Zambians are guilty of the so-called abuse of rights that you want to dent our image?
I hope you have an exit plan to leave Zambia and do your human rights advocacy from another country, which will also be made to leave the commonwealth on account of your “excellent” work.
AND, Oh,
what about the United Nations and African Union? Report us there too so that we leave them organisations also.
@HH Vula Nsapato. Sovereignty is not an excuse to abuses of human rights. In the pastoral letter early last year, the catholic bishops highlighted tribalism and nepotism in government. In another one this year, the bishops warned on the rising tension caused by rights abuses and called on government to stop abductions, torture, repression especially in the western province of Zambia and also allow freedom of association and speech. So there s nothing untrue about what the gathering in Johasburg have said. We re headed for trouble actually.
WHO KILLED PEOPLE IN WESTERN ZAMBIA?
CLIPPING UNLAWFULNESS IS NOT BRUTALITY!
Amsterdam the new president of the tribal UPND-sponsored coalition! Banda has already started to skip borders! Game is hot. Commonwealth cannot waste their time and resources debating issues designed by maverick and new UPND president Amsterdam.
Feeling the pressure!You’re even foaming at your mouth like a rabid dog. The only way is down for you ba kolwe!
FEELING WHAT PRESSURE! A FEW *****S GO TO RSA TO TELL LIES AND YOU KO THAT PRESSURE!MARABISH!
Yangweee elyo lwanya. Ba nashalaneka Sikota, Abusi Mumba and Thousandaire Hichilema. First of all, are you authentic Zambians? If you are then stop this nonsense and don’t be used by these foreigners claiming to be top international lawyers yet they are just schemers. Your day will come when you will come and face the zambians at the ballot. Your prostitutional attitude will be laid to bare. Nanaka nemwe.
Shut up Tribalist!
Bitter people’s assembly in Joburg will yield nothing. An exercise in futility and a complete waste of time. As usual a solution must be found for us by others. We seem to suffer from a failure to solve our own problems and giving that responsibility to others. First bitter people and group approached EU ambassadors with the hope that the european union will support their scheme. It didn’t work and now they think toothless commonwealth will help them.
Then why are you foaming at your mouth?
As much as i agree with the opposition on the governance issue in Zambia, i don’t agree or support their stupid of being used by this ajax amsterdam to discredit my mother Zambia. Zambia is for Zambians and i will defend it from all intruders. Amsterdam is trying to bring disunity in Zambia through these failed politicians who cant wait for to convince zambians what they will do for them.
AS MUCH AS I AM A PF SUPPORTER, I AGREE THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY IN ZAMBIA. THE PF LEADS BY INTIMIDATION (KAPONYA STYLE WHICH EDUCATED PEOPLE MAY NOT STOOP TO – A KAPONYA TAKES YOU TO HIS LEVEL AND BEATS U BY EXPERIENCE)
KAPONYA BRAIN MUSCLES ARE NOT STRETCHED ENOUGH TO ARGUE RATIONALLY – TRY IT AT ANY STATION AND U WILL FIND OUT.
THIS MOVE IS GOOD THOUGH IT HATES ZAMBIA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY AS FOREIGN NATIONS THAT SUPPORT US MAY START SACTIONING US DIRECTLY OR SECRETLY.
WE SHOULD NOT BE ANOTHER BETTER ZIMBABWE.
A thief is a thief
This report is not going anywahere and it has just dented the image of the same opposition leaders who are wiling and ready to be led by a mercenary lawyers Amsterdam!!!!
Very few Zambians can now give them any benefit of a doubt to run national issues!!!
Under PF more prisoners have been released in the spirit of reform,including women in an unprecedented move.For the first time cooperating partners or donors have been working side by side in support of govt.There has been unprecedented infra-structure development,pick any paper and see the many tenders been floated,serious people are busy making money while lazy ones sit in their armchairs criticising unconstructively,they have lamentably failed to convince Zambians and think the commonwealth will do anything.Well Nigeria was once suspended,it never died.
We Zambians have not rebelled against our leaders who are they to suggest on our behalf they have to face the law period.RAMCOZ scandal is still fresh
RAMCOZ scandal? ganja hallucinations at work!
First of all does this Commonwealth exxpulsion thingy work? Zimbabwe expelled itself from the commonwealth citing neo imperialism and I haven’t seen any effect on harare The Nigerians were expelled over Saro wiwa but again there was no effect Maybe HH and Nevers should ask for expulsion from the UN-lol. HH don’t connect with Nevers- his corruption Case isn’t exactly the battle u r fighting. Mudala Sata let the opposition hold their rallies
First of all does this Commonwealth exxpulsion thingy work? Zimbabwe expelled itself from the commonwealth citing neo imperialism and I haven’t seen any effect on harare The Nigerians were expelled over Saro wiwa but again there was no effect Maybe HH and Nevers should ask for expulsion from the UN-lol. HH don’t connect with Nevers- his corruption Case isn’t exactly the battle u r fighting. Mudala Sata let the opposition hold their rallies but the war on corruption should continue
First of all does this Commonwealth exxpulsion thingy work? Zimbabwe expelled itself from the commonwealth citing neo imperialism and I haven’t seen any effect on harare The Nigerians were expelled over Saro wiwa but again there was no effect Maybe HH and Nevers should ask for expulsion from the UN-lol. HH don’t connect with Nevers- his corruption Case isn’t exactly the battle u r fighting. Mudala Sata let the opposition hold their rallies. But don’t be cowed into stopping the battle against corruption
Expose the pathetic fools! The emperor is not only clueless but is now completely naked!
This is all RB’s desperate attempt to frustrate the looming lifting of immunity. Yes there is room for improvement in Zambia’s democratic process but it does’nt warrant any such action. The commonweath has bigger problems to look at eg Kenya and Zimbabwe. It is shameful that a former Head of state can use a foreign lawyer to destroy the same country he swore to defend. Sadly the biggest loser here is HH because he has been co opted into a team that has no interest in developing him or his UPND or indeed Zambia. HH’s interest to rule Zambia at all cost is his own demise. All these parties have never attempted serious dialogue with govt and are rushing to the international community hoping for solutions. This is not leadership.
Yes,investigate and put sanctions on these illeducated masters of misrule and impunity.Sata belongs in the same class as Al Bashir, Kim Jong Il ,Bashir Asad and other pariah leaders unto darkness.
this one of the reasons why i will NEVER vote for HH or Mumba. these guys are too desparate, HH is on record talking about how corrupt and abusive Rupia was but today the same HH is protecting Rupia. Mumba shouldnt even be called a pastor, the same guy acknowledges that there was corruption during MMD’s rule but he doesnt want to who were involved to be prosecuted. i think chipimo is better man and level headed.
I saw this coming just when evil Dictator Sata started discriminating against other christians only favoring his Roman Catholic Organisation which has also been implicated before in genocides in Rwanda & Germany & Child abuse
If Dictator Sata & PF democracy killer squad thugs still thinks that the complaints from the Civil & opposition are things they should ignore they are in for a rude shock!
Things for PF will only get worse for them. No Zambians like these evil criminals who have made life difficult for Zambians from Mealie Meal shortages to everything
If Dictator Sata is not careful, he will be killed the way late Libyan Dictator Gaddaffi & Romanian Communist Dictator Nicolae Ceau?escu were killed by angry soldiers & people in their respectively countries
If only Dictator Sata can face the fate of former Congo Republic communist Dictator Laurent Kabila who was killed by his gallant body guard, that will be the best thing to happen because Zambian Democracy will continue developing instead of stalling again!
Zambians suffered under communist UNIP Dictator Kaunda who vandalised & mismanaged public companies which were run down by his UNIP stooges!
It took Chiluba time to fix the mess of KK.
Zambia posterity do not want to suffer again the way they suffered under Kaunda! Sata must go!
So if Zambia is suspended who is going to suffer? its Zambians who are supposed to be voters who would vote for the opposition.
Good one. Low thinking capacity by opposition.
Zambia has seen abuse from Chiluba before,are these politicians presenting their own interest or for Zambians? How do you call for your country to be suspended from an organization….politicians have gone to far…we need military rule in this country.
To people outside Zambia, please dont listen to these failures. Zambia is fine SATA is ruling much better than RB did in his short period. Civil servants and all quasi-government institution even get their salaries on time unlike in RB. He even introduced transport and housing allowance for workers. The country is peaceful and everyone is going about their lives as normal. Only criminally inclined minds like HH, NEVERS, RB who are under investigation are afraid. LET THE LAW TAKE ITS COURSE PERIOD.
Is it all about salaries paid in time, see it right please
Its funny that the likes of HH, Mumba, Saki can team up with a mercenary in the name of armsterdam to call on the commonwealth to condemn the people of Zambia to perpetual poverty just to ensure RB keeps his loot. The corruption allegations against RB and Mumba are real and there is no need for them to try to launder themselves as innocent. RB sold Zamtel thru his son henry, procured undeliverd oil from nigeria, RB also pludered money from NAPSA to finance the election, furthermore the multi trillion formula one road project, the thousands of bicycles and vitenges which even dogs wore, the purchase on meanwood land for billions from his friend. what more do people want
And ZAMTEL was making profit & no loss & there was no nepotism like the way Sata’s political stooge & Kabimba has destroyed ZAMTEL has done now!
Well said no 36. You are a right thinking person
Wa bepa iwe!!! Zamtel is now performing even better and employing even more Zambians.
Nevers Mumba and team are hopeless,they dont even seem to know what they are talking about.Do they think that by getting zambia suspended they will win our sympathy???? just look at the combinationation of these guys: HH-Tribalist,Saki-failure as a lawyer,Nevers Mumba- corrupt,disgruntled,fallen out of grace pastor
Remind me guys when did the current president order to shoot in WESTERN PROVINCE?
NEVER HE HAS NEVER DONE THAT!THE PRESIDENT WHO WAS IN POWER AT THAT TIME EVEN HAS THE CHEEK TO TALK ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS!ATASE!
I thought we were an Independent country. Why do our esteemed Opposition leaders need Robert Amsterdam to champion their cause? Shame on us
LT! you have this irritating habit of withholding pipo’s comments.
These desperate leaders should only be listened to by fellow desperate losers. Nevers failed to run a church , his party and now he thinks he is a better candidate to rule Zambia. Even his own fellow MMD members detaste him. What a shame, if he is a genuine pastor he should be praying and asking God for guidance but alas he has abandoned God and thinks he can do it alone, wanya tizakuona. HH ichikonko mudala this is politics not what you think. You are just wasting your time cause zambians will never allow you to rule this country. Try fishing mudala.
THE APPROACH BY THE OPPOSITION IS VERY IMMATURE. YES THERE ARE SOME ISSUES IN THE COUNTRY THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. BUT YOU DONT GO ON ROOF TOPS ANOUNSCING YOUR PROBLEMS IF ANY. EVN IN THE USA THERE ARE ISSUES. BUT THEY DONT RUN TO CANADA TO ADDRESS THEIR ISSUES. THEY ARE BEHAVING LIKE COWARDS. THE COMMONWEALTH KNOWS MORE ABOUT ZAMBIA THAN THE OPPOSITION DOES. SO THERE IS NOTHING YOU ARE GOING TO TELL THEM. SATA IS AN OLD MANY WITH FEW YEARS TO HIS ACCOUNT. WHY CANT YOU JUST WAIT? THIS BITTERNESS WILL KILL YOU. NOW THE MAN HAS EVEN STARTED POACHING YOUR MPS. YOU WILL GNASH YOUR TEETH.
Waiting for zwd to confirm the story – LT is ahead – membe has done so already – – too bad for the opposition diging their own graves