A sad day for Human Rights - by Justice Sibanda

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s signing of the Anti-Homosexuality bill into law is a deeply worrying infringement on the human rights of all Ugandans. The law, signed by Museveni in Kampala on February 24, 2014, increases penalties for some forms of consensual same-sex conduct between adults; curtails constitutionally protected rights to privacy, family life, and equality; and violates internationally protected rights to freedom of association and expression.

And then there is outpouring of ignorance on a massive scale;

At a public ceremony in a packed room at the State House in Entebbe, Yoweri Museveni formally initialled the anti-homosexuality act, which also outlaws the promotion of homosexuality and requires citizens to denounce to the police anyone suspected of being gay.

"No study has shown you can be homosexual by nature. That's why I have agreed to sign the bill," Museveni said in a speech at the presidential palace near the capital, Kampala.

"Outsiders cannot dictate to us. This is our country. I advise friends from the west not to make this an issue, because if they make it an issue the more they will lose. If the west does not want to work with us because of homosexuals, then we have enough space to ourselves here."

Supporters clapped and laughed during the press conference. One MP sitting at a white table in the front row, said: "I hope the Obamas are receiving it live, Desmond Tutu, Cameron … [Museveni] has resisted them."

The ethics and integrity minister, Simon Lokodo, said: "I feel very fulfilled, very elated, because at last my head of state has pronounced it on behalf of the entire nation, Uganda, that this is a bill that was worth putting in place."

David Bahati, the MP who introduced the bill, added: "This is a victory for the family of Uganda, a victory for the future of our children, and a triumph of sovereignty of our country."

Never one to shy away from expressing HIS own homophobic views;
ZIMBABWE’S President Robert Mugabe, celebrating his 90th birthday before thousands of people at a soccer stadium, said “We don't accept homosexuality here. God made men and women so they can bear children,”

 Quoting from the universal declaration of human rights; "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world." We take a stand against Tyranny and we will continue to speak up for the opressed and hold oppressors accountable for their crimes.

Justice Melusi Sibanda 
Organising Secretary – ROHR Zimbabwe/Bradford Branch

To Robert Mugabe & ZANU PF – It’s time to accept failure! (by Melusi Sibanda)

Feeling that maybe I was being over emotional and counter-productive by ranting on what should be a pro-human rights opinion blog I decided to take a hiatus to sit back and observe the happenings in the home country.

It’s been emotionally draining and utterly depressing to watch everything go downhill at an ever-decreasing pace.

To mention a few headlines doing the rounds;

-       Tail between your legs and begging your ‘mortal enemy’ to pay to fix your mess (http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_zimbabwe-asks-britain-for-funds-to-educate-a-million-children/)

-       The diamonds running out and losing value (www.newzimbabwe.com/business-14333-Marange+diamonds+lose+global+shine/business.aspx)

-       The shocking and almost laughable currency situation (http://allafrica.com/stories/201401300780.html)

-       The of archaic and almost barbaric trial of GALZ  leader Martha Tholanah (http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_zim-authorities-under-spotlight-as-galz-trial-commences/)

After reaching boiling point each time I follow these stories and others like them, I have somehow managed to regain control of my emotions and provide what could be observed by some as a more ‘mature’ opinion. It may be down to the ‘less wine, more herbal tea resolution’.

BTW – I cannot promise nor guarantee that this phase will last all...

Anyway, here goes:

So let’s start by agreeing none of us like to fail, it’s just a genetic thing, however there’s a great possibility that your (Mr President) relationship with failure is stopping you and your team (ZANU PF) dealing with some of the biggest problems of our time and causing harm to us all!

You see, in mine and other ‘normal people’s personal experiences, failing is a good sign that you’re trying something new therefore we can go on to speak and discuss the benefits of our failures in order to help us move forward.

Not in your case Mr President! At the risk of this sounding like another rant, all I can say is your level of failure is probably the worst in the ‘history of failure’! In your case the problems you have failed to resolve are mere symptoms of other problems, which were also symptoms of problems which developed from symptoms that you created – you dig!! You haven’t tried anything new to resolve these symptoms – in the words of Albert Einstein, ‘Insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result!’

 In the end the problems are so inter-connected that it is impossible to pull them apart, hence FAILURE!!

What to do now - I’m afraid to say there is no longer a solution to our problem – however I strongly believe there is a chance to begin searching for what could only be an improvement to our situation.

The ONLY step to this is for you Mr President to accept failure step down and dismantle your entire ZANU PF machine.

So my message to you Mr President is simple – It’s time to consider failure as a viable option, so grow up and move on!!!

Melusi Sibanda – Information & Publicity Secretary – ROHRZIM Bradford Branch

A new year, the same struggle for Human Rights continues - by Justice Sibanda

Zimbabwean authorities’ homophobic attitude towards gays and lesbians was on the spotlight yesterday when Martha Tholanah, the chairperson of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) went on trial at Harare Magistrates Court for allegedly running an “unregistered” organisation.  The papers served on the GALZ chairperson, summonsing her to attend court are vague as they do not state the exact Act which GALZ represented by Tholanah allegedly violated. The police claim that Tholanah knowing that GALZ was not registered “unlawfully took part in the management of the organisation by gathering its members and continued to carry activities while engaging in gays and lesbians in contravention of the country’s laws.

Meanwhile, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police have blocked requests by some students to access medical treatment after they sustained injuries when the police broke up a demonstration staged at Harare Polytechnic on Monday 27 January 2014. The demonstration was in protest against the decline in education standards in the country and against the Ministry of Higher Education over tertiary fees. Police arrested 12 members of the Zimbabwe National Students Union including the union’s leader Gilbert Mutubuki and have detained them at Harare Central Police Station.

According to the students’ lawyer, Gift Mtisi of Musendekwa and Mtisi Legal Practitioners, a member of ZLHR, the police were still working out charges to prefer against the students with an indication that they would charge them for committing public violence.

In case they have forgotten here is a reminder -  the main purpose of the Government is to govern, manage and protect the individual rights for ALL its citizens.

Justice Melusi Sibanda 
Organising Secretary – ROHR Zimbabwe/Bradford Branch