Human Rights Abuses to Dominate Commonwealth Agenda
http://www.gbmnews.com/articles/2027/1/Human-Rights-Abuses-to-Dominate-Commonwealth-Agenda/Page1.html
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Published on 11/21/2007
By Tichaona Sibanda
The regime of Robert Mugabe appears to be in no rush to end its self-imposed exile from the Commonwealth, as 52 heads of state prepare to meet in Kampala, Uganda this week.
The three-day meeting, which starts on Friday, will be held under a substantial campaign to pressure delegates on issues relating to abuses of human rights. The summit is held every two years and will also discuss the political and economic development of its members.
Political commentator Glen Mpani told Newsreel that contrary to government reports, Zimbabwe has lost a lot of investment opportunities since it opted out of the grouping. He said the country also lost many partnerships within the Commonwealth and would certainly have survived an economic downfall had it kept its place in the group.
The regime of Robert Mugabe appears to be in no rush to end its self-imposed exile from the Commonwealth, as 52 heads of state prepare to meet in Kampala, Uganda this week.
The three-day meeting, which starts on Friday, will be held under a substantial campaign to pressure delegates on issues relating to abuses of human rights. The summit is held every two years and will also discuss the political and economic development of its members.
Political commentator Glen Mpani told Newsreel that contrary to government reports, Zimbabwe has lost a lot of investment opportunities since it opted out of the grouping. He said the country also lost many partnerships within the Commonwealth and would certainly have survived an economic downfall had it kept its place in the group.
Human Rights Abuses to Dominate Commonwealth Agenda
By Tichaona Sibanda
The regime of Robert Mugabe appears to be in no rush to end its self-imposed exile from the Commonwealth, as 52 heads of state prepare to meet in Kampala, Uganda this week.
The three-day meeting, which starts on Friday, will be held under a substantial campaign to pressure delegates on issues relating to abuses of human rights. The summit is held every two years and will also discuss the political and economic development of its members.
Political commentator Glen Mpani told Newsreel that contrary to government reports, Zimbabwe has lost a lot of investment opportunities since it opted out of the grouping. He said the country also lost many partnerships within the Commonwealth and would certainly have survived an economic downfall had it kept its place in the group.
'They would be lying if they say they've lost nothing by pulling out of the Commonwealth. They would be more worried rejoining the Commonwealth because it would force them to observe rules and norms governing human rights and elections. They would rather choose not to observe human rights than lose their foundations that have seen them rig elections in Zimbabwe,' Mpani said.
Zimbabwe was suspended in 2002 over concerns with the electoral and land reform policies of Mugabe's Zanu-PF government. But the government withdrew from the organisation in 2003, when Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Abuja refused to lift the country's suspension on the grounds of human rights violations and deliberate misgovernance.
The British government has announced it will engage SADC leaders on the country's deepening political and economic crisis on the sidelines of the Commonwealth meeting in Kampala.
In a question and answer session in the UK parliament on Monday, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon said the meeting with the regional leaders would revolve on the political situation in Zimbabwe, with particular regard to democratic freedoms and human rights.
But as Zimbabwe is no longer a member of the Commonwealth such matters will not be on the formal agenda of the upcoming meeting. They will be discussed on the margins of the meeting.
Before 2002, the country had previously been suspended from the Commonwealth when the unilateral declaration of independence was stated in 1965, and it became Rhodesia. It was readmitted in 1980 after independence.
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The regime of Robert Mugabe appears to be in no rush to end its self-imposed exile from the Commonwealth, as 52 heads of state prepare to meet in Kampala, Uganda this week.
The three-day meeting, which starts on Friday, will be held under a substantial campaign to pressure delegates on issues relating to abuses of human rights. The summit is held every two years and will also discuss the political and economic development of its members.
Political commentator Glen Mpani told Newsreel that contrary to government reports, Zimbabwe has lost a lot of investment opportunities since it opted out of the grouping. He said the country also lost many partnerships within the Commonwealth and would certainly have survived an economic downfall had it kept its place in the group.
'They would be lying if they say they've lost nothing by pulling out of the Commonwealth. They would be more worried rejoining the Commonwealth because it would force them to observe rules and norms governing human rights and elections. They would rather choose not to observe human rights than lose their foundations that have seen them rig elections in Zimbabwe,' Mpani said.
Zimbabwe was suspended in 2002 over concerns with the electoral and land reform policies of Mugabe's Zanu-PF government. But the government withdrew from the organisation in 2003, when Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Abuja refused to lift the country's suspension on the grounds of human rights violations and deliberate misgovernance.
The British government has announced it will engage SADC leaders on the country's deepening political and economic crisis on the sidelines of the Commonwealth meeting in Kampala.
In a question and answer session in the UK parliament on Monday, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon said the meeting with the regional leaders would revolve on the political situation in Zimbabwe, with particular regard to democratic freedoms and human rights.
But as Zimbabwe is no longer a member of the Commonwealth such matters will not be on the formal agenda of the upcoming meeting. They will be discussed on the margins of the meeting.
Before 2002, the country had previously been suspended from the Commonwealth when the unilateral declaration of independence was stated in 1965, and it became Rhodesia. It was readmitted in 1980 after independence.
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