MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Zimbabwe
12.2.2019 - (2019/2563(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure
Catherine Bearder, Nedzhmi Ali, Petras Auštrevičius, Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Dita Charanzová, Gérard Deprez, Marian Harkin, Filiz Hyusmenova, Ivan Jakovčić, Petr Ježek, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Louis Michel, Javier Nart, Urmas Paet, Maite Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz, Carolina Punset, Frédérique Ries, Robert Rochefort, Marietje Schaake, Jasenko Selimovic, Pavel Telička, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Ivo Vajgl, Johannes Cornelis van Baalen, Hilde Vautmans, Mirja Vehkaperä, Cecilia Wikström, Valentinas Mazuronis on behalf of the ALDE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0110/2019
The European Parliament,
-having regard to its previous resolutions on Zimbabwe;
-having regard to the Local EU Statement on Local Governance of 30 June 2016;
-having regard Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Statement on Army's Response to August 1 Protests (following demonstrations by the MDC Alliance);
-having regard to the conclusions adopted on 22 January 2018 by the Council of the European Union;
-having regard to the Statement on 17 January 2019 by the Spokesperson on the situation in Zimbabwe;
-having regard to the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the 1 august 2018 post-election violence;
-having regard to Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) statement on the 2018 harmonised elections and the post – election environment in Zimbabwe;
-having regard to the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe;
-having regard to the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights of June 1981, which Zimbabwe has ratified;
-having regard to the Cotonou Agreement;
-having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas the people of Zimbabwe have for two decades suffered serious economic and financial crisis under the authoritarian regime of Robert Mugabe; whereas his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has since promised to revive the economy, but so far its economy continues to sink and his regime to harden;
B. whereas Zimbabwean people and human rights defenders continued to suffer attacks, hate speech, smear campaigns, acts of intimidation and harassment, and acts of torture have been regularly reported according to the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH);
C. whereas the collapse of the economy, lack of access to social services, and the rise in the price of the most basic of commodities pushed people to anger;
D.whereas the Zimbabwean President's decision announced on Saturday 12 January 2019 to double fuel prices angered the population including in Harare and Bulawayo, the two main cities of Zimbabwe, whereas on Monday 14 January 2019, the population starteda general strike to protest at the government's rising fuel prices;
E. whereas faced with this protest movement, the government on Monday 14 January denounced a “deliberate plan to undermine the constitutional order” and assured that it “will respond appropriately ... to those who conspire to sabotage peace”;
F.whereas activists and human rights defenders continued to mobilise to hold the government to account through protests on the streets and via social media; whereas interruptions to telecommunications has become a tool used by the regime to block the coordination of demonstrations coordinated on social networks;
G.whereas access to the Internet was "scrambled" in the country on Tuesday 15 January 2019, but denied by Vice President Chiwenga, although the operator ECONET issued a statement confirming it was forced "by order of the Minister of State to the presidency” to shut down the internet; whereas many internet users complain that they also no longer have access to social networks;
H. whereas the prominent anti-corruption activist Pastor Mawarire, who led 2016’s #ThisFlag protests encouraging Zimbabweans to denounce the corruption and economic crisis which prevailed under the regime of Robert Mugabe, was arrested over his call to support peaceful nationwide protests over fuel prices; wheareas he was charged with “subverting a constitutional government” (section 22 of the Criminal Law Act) on January 17, 2019 ; whereas the charges are still pending against him and if convicted, he faces up to 20 years in jail;
I. whereas Okay Machisa, National Director of ZimRights, his family and several other members of ZimRights have been subject to acts of intimidation and of harassment;
J. whereas the state continues to use oppression to crack down on dissenting voices; whereas according to FIDH, ZimRights and civil society organisations have documented the escalation of the repression with at least 12 people killed, 78 injured from gunshots, more than 240 suffered from assault, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, and more than 700 were arbitrarily arrested or detained;
K. whereas neighboring countries such as South Africa have become a hub for Zimbabweans fleeing political oppression and economic hardship;
L. whereas the authorities continue with forced evictions despite constitutional provisions prohibiting the practice; whereas the independence of the judiciary remained under threat following amendments to the Constitution; (maybe add something about the economy and crashing the value of money here?
1. Condemns, in the strongest sense, the use of live ammunition and excessive force on protesters by the army; expects the Zimbabwean authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the deaths and abuses;
2. Condemns the recent statements made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government threatening the civil and human rights defenders
3. welcomes the release on bail of Pastor Mawarire but recalls that he should never have been arrested in the first place;
4. condemns the acts of intimidation against Mr. Okay Machisa, his family and other members of ZimRights, as they seem to be aimed only at punishing them for their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities;
5. urges the Zimbabwean authorities to immediately end any act of intimidation and harassment against all human rights defenders in the country, guarantee in all circumstances their physical and psychological integrity and ensure that they are able to carry out their activities without hindrance;
6. asks the Zimbabwean government to conform to the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially Articles 1 and 12, and ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international human rights instruments ratified by Zimbabwe;
7. requires the Zimbabwean authorities to urgently implement the recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry on post-election violence
8. urges the Government of Zimbabwe to put in place the legal mechanisms for the establishment of the long awaited Independent Complaints Mechanism which must be set up in terms of section 210 of the Constitution to allow citizens to lodge their complaints against members of the security services, especially in situations where their rights would have been violated;
9. calls on the Zimbabwean Government to set up a consultation framework for a peaceful, democratic and participatory national debate, a multi-stakeholder national dialogue that must include, among others, national authorities, civil society organisations and human rights defenders, economic, social and religious leaders, labor representatives, students, academics and political parties to address the national crisis;
10. urges the international community, notably the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) to actively assist Zimbabwe to find a sustainable solution to the current crisis,
11. Instructs its President to forward this Resolution to the Commission, the Council, and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EEAS, the Government and the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the governments of the South African Development Community and the African Union.