RENOPS: Civil Society organizations across the Great Lakes & Horn of Africa condems the Riverside Terrorist attack (17.01.2019)

Kenya: DPP’s Press Statement on Arrests and intended Prosecution of Suspects involved in Dusit Hotel Complex Riverside Terror Incident (18.01.2019)

Brexit: Prime Minister Theresa May letter to Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn (17.01.2019)

Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Press Statement – On the Days of Darkness in Zimbabwe (18.01.2019)

 

South Sudan: National Salvation Front/Army – Official Statement (18.01.2019)

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani on Zimbabwe (18.01.2019)

Reports suggest that protesters burned tyres, used rocks to barricade roads, and blocked buses from taking passengers to work.

GENEVA, Switzerland, January 18, 2019 – We are deeply troubled by the socio-economic crisis that is unfolding in Zimbabwe and the repression of large scale protests in the country, following the Government’s decision to increase fuel prices. We call on the Government to find ways of engaging with the population about their legitimate grievances and to stop the crackdown against protestors.

We are concerned about reports of the excessive use of force, including live ammunition, by Zimbabwean security forces during protests which started on Monday this week. People took to the streets to protest against economic austerity measures and the rise of fuel prices, which affect their already impoverished households and businesses, and limit access to basic goods and services.

Reports suggest that protesters burned tyres, used rocks to barricade roads, and blocked buses from taking passengers to work. A number of buildings were also set on fire and there were reports of looting. Police responded with force, apparently including the use of live ammunition.There are credible reports of a number of deaths – including of a police officer – and many more injured, as well as hundreds of arrests in relation to the protests.

There are also worrying allegations of generalised intimidation and harassment by security forces carrying out door-to-door searches. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has also received allegations of police beatings. According to official figures presented by the Minister of National Security, more than 600 people have been arrested countrywide. Among those detained are opposition leaders and prominent civil activists. We are also concerned that Internet services have been severely disrupted in the last few days.

We support the call of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission for the Government to set up a national dialogue, with wide participation of all sectors, to find solutions to the economic challenges the country is facing. We urge the Government to work with the support of the international community to ease the current crisis.

We call on the Government ensure that security forces handle protests and exercise their power – especially the use of firearms and live ammunition – strictly in accordance with the country’s international human rights obligations and the relevant principles, including legality, necessity, proportionality, precaution and accountability.* State authorities have a duty to ensure people’s rights to freedom of expression, and to facilitate and protect the right to peaceful assembly. It is essential that all sides, including the protestors, refrain from the use of violence and seek to resolve the situation peacefully.

We call on the Government to carry out investigations into all reports of violence, including the alleged excessive use of force by security forces in a prompt, thorough and transparent manner, with a view to accountability.

All those detained for the exercise of their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression should be promptly released.

Communiqué of the High-Level Consultative Meeting of Heads of State and Government on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (17.01.2019)

Following consultations between the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) and President of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E. Paul Kagame, and leaders of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a high-level consultative meeting of Heads of State and Government took place today, 17 January 2019, at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, to exchange views on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the wake of the presidential, national and provincial legislative elections of 30 December 2018 and agree on a way forward.

This initiative is part of the African-led efforts, in the spirit of continental solidarity, to assist the DRC political stakeholders and people to successfully conclude the electoral process and preserve peace and stability in their country.

The meeting was chaired by the Chairperson of the AU, and attended by a number of Heads of State and Government or their representatives from SADC, the ICGLR, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD, EAC, the African members of the UN Security Council, the AU troika, as well as by the Chairperson of the AU Commission.

The meeting was briefed on the electoral process in the DRC and subsequent developments by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DRC.

The meeting also received updates from the Chairpersons of the ICGLR, SADC and the AU Commission, and had in-depth exchanges of views thereafter.

The Heads of State and Government attending the meeting concluded that there were serious doubts on the conformity of the provisional results, as proclaimed by the National Independent Electoral Commission, with the votes cast.

Accordingly, the Heads of State and Government called for the suspension of the proclamation of the final results of the elections.

The Heads of State and Government agreed to urgently dispatch to the DRC a high-level delegation comprising the Chairperson of the Union and other Heads of State and Government, as well as the Chairperson of the AU Commission, to interact with all Congolese stakeholders, with the view to reaching a consensus on a way out of the post-electoral crisis in the country. The meeting urged all concerned actors in the DRC to interact positively with the high-level African delegation in the interest of their country and its people.

The Heads of State and Government reiterated the AU’s determination to continue to accompany the People of the DRC in this process.

The Heads of State and Government expressed their appreciation to the Chairperson of the Union for having taken the initiative of this consultative meeting. They also thanked the AU Commission and the Ethiopian authorities for the practical steps taken to ensure the successful holding of the meeting.

The Heads of State and Government agreed to remain seized of this matter.

Uganda Police Force: Release on National Jumaa Special prayers (18.01.2019)

Zimbabwe: The Republic is burning…

We should certainly know by now that it is one thing to overthrow a dictator or repel an invader and quite another thing really to achieve a revolution. Time and time and time again, the people discover that they have merely betrayed themselves into the hands of yet another Pharaoh who, since he was necessary to put the broken country together, will not let them go.”James Baldwin

Today, yet another where the Internet is blocked. Social Media is blocked. This is done after orders from above high. However, that isn’t the worse, that the state has put its tech savvy citizens on VPN. No, what is worse is the state of affairs in Zimbabwe.

The former Henchmen of Robert Mugabe is now acting all out. While President Emmerson Mnangagwa just opened the internet up for a few hours yesterday, because he couldn’t leave Russia without paying the company flying his luxury private yet. That is why the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe was ordered to open the internet for that transaction alone. While, the same state, had no issues shutting it down again when the transaction was done.

This just show how sinister and without any concern they are. There are already reports of several hundred arrested up to 600. Many of the high ranking in Movement for Democratic Change – Alliance has been apprehended. Several activists have been put behind bars. The leaders of Unions has been taken and not been since in the last few days. After the announcement of the Shutdown. Like there is no sign of ZCTU President Peter Mutesa.

Today, it has further escalated, as the activist and This Flag Movement Head Pastor Evans Mawarire, was at Rotten Row in Harare charged with treason, as the state are looking into discovery to finalize the investigation into him. As they took him from his home yesterday without any warning, as they first charging him with inciting violence. However, he was just spreading messages of peaceful protest against unfair pricing of fuel and destruction of the livelihood of the people, because of it. By 16th January, the ZADHR reported that there was 172 people in severe condition and 68 cases with gun-shot wounds.

Just to make the situation worse, Povo News reported: “police are raiding medical facilities looking for victms of their own brutality so that they can arrest them. Significant number of victims now fearing to get treatment for injuries because of possibility of being arrested” (Povo News, 17.01.2019).

This is the fourth day, there are some reports of soldiers going door to door in some townships and beating people up. Hard to verify, but wouldn’t be surprising, as the levels of people hurt and wounded. Also, the need for lawyers and medical personnel all over the country to the people in need. Therefore, the full picture of these few days atrocities will surface sooner or later. The sadness is for all the fallen, all the innocent people touched by the authorities that is supposed to guard them, not hurt them.

They have lost their sense of care and governance, as they have retaliated and attacked them. Instead of governing them, they are detaining them as prisoners to their rule. A fully transparent military dictatorship with no mercy for the civilians nor civic duties.

Operation Restore Legacy and the November Coup d’etat in 2017 didn’t bring any significant changes. As Mnangagwa and Gen. Constantino Chiwenga is doing the same thing as before. Even more brazen and more harsher. As they are enforcing no tolerance and no mercy on their citizens. As they are not accepting the Stay Away or Shutdown protests. They are going violent and assaulted for standing up for their rights and the new insane prices on fuel, which will destroy livelihood of the citizens and the businesses. However, the ZANU-PF promised to be Republic open for business, but this actions are showing there are closed. The ZANU-PF is showing that they are not keen on transparent or a just society for all people. They are willing to arrest, detain, hurt and kill the ones who are in their pathway. That is what has been reported, we just don’t know to what extent.

The Zimbabweans got rid of Mugabe, but they got a incarnated and younger version of him. Who has no care for them either. He will use the same methods and destruction,

The ones fighting to lift the sanctions against Zimbabwe before and during this is foolish. As long as the state is killing civilians, silencing protesters, arresting activists, union leaders and opposition leaders. The International Community will not be interesting to lift anything, as they see the same rouge state as before. Just with another head and PR Machine, but no intent of making changes. The Mnangagwa Presidency has been marred with economic difficulties and no utter atrocities, which is not sending signals of hope, but instead despair.

Mnangagwa was another Pharaoh, he wasn’t the great hope. Instead, more Mugabeisms. Peace.

Zimbabwe: Rebuild Hope, Trust, Confidence and Stability in Zimbabwe – Pastoral Letter of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference on current affairs in the country (17.01.2019)