EU urged to delay lifting Zim sanctions
2013-02-07 21:58
Special Report
Zimbabwe's Zanu-PF party is mulling over a special congress at which top vacant positions will be filled and the succession of President Robert Mugabe would be decided, according to a report.
Harare - Global rights monitor Human Rights Watch on
Thursday urged the European Union to insist on tangible human rights reforms
and free and fair elections as a precondition for lifting targeted sanctions on
Zimbabwe.
"It would be premature for the EU to lift targeted
sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and members of his inner circle simply for
holding a referendum on a new constitution," Tiseke Kasambala, Africa
advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
The EU imposed sanctions including a travel ban and asset
freeze on Mugabe and his close allies following elections in 2002 which the
bloc said were rigged to hand the veteran ruler victory.
The EU is expected to review its policy toward Zimbabwe in
the coming two weeks.
Kasambala said that lifting or suspending the sanctions
before Zimbabwe carries out comprehensive rights reforms will give Mugabe and
his party free rein to continue repression ahead of elections expected later
this year.
HRW said if the EU wants to encourage respect for human
rights in Zimbabwe, it should postpone lifting or suspending targeted sanctions
until after the country holds credible, free and fair elections.
"Such action would reaffirm the EU's commitment to
Zimbabwe's political and economic well-being," Kasambala said.
Key reforms
An EU Council decision last year indicated that sanctions
could be lifted if Zimbabwe held a peaceful and credible constitutional
referendum.
That vote is expected to pave the way for elections that would
choose a successor to the power-sharing government formed three years ago by
Mugabe and long-time rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
In late January 2013, Mugabe and Tsvangirai endorsed a draft
constitution that is likely to be presented for a referendum in March.
HRW said the power sharing government has not carried out
reforms key reforms to guarantee credible elections.
"Oppressive laws remain on the statute books, and
Zimbabwe's highly partisan police force harasses and arbitrarily arrests civil
society activists," the rights watchdog.
"Some government-owned companies subject to EU
sanctions, like the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), are mining
diamonds in eastern Zimbabwe and providing unaccountable support to Zanu-PF."
- AFP
