Zim escapes scrutiny on rights

2003-04-17 11:26

Geneva - Zimbabwe escaped international scrutiny of its human rights record on Wednesday when the UN Human Rights Commission voted to throw out an EU resolution criticising the government's human rights record.

Twenty-eight mainly African and Asian countries in the 53 member body rallied around a South African proposal for a "no action" motion, warding off a debate on Zimbabwe's human rights record and a vote on the resolution.

Twenty-four countries, including European, Latin American states and the US, had wanted to pursue the effort, while Brazil abstained.

The United States said last month that it would lead a campaign to condemn Zimbabwe for what it called flagrant and ruinous human rights abuses at the Commission's annual meeting, which ends next week.

A state department official said the US wanted at least to stir a vigorous debate on human rights violations committed under President Robert Mugabe's regime.

The EU's draft resolution had expressed deep concern at continuing abuse by the government, including assaults, torture, cases of rape, arbitrary arrests, and attempts to clamp down on the judiciary.

It also said there was "apparent political bias in the distribution of food through government channels" and criticised "politically motivated violence by both parties".

The text had urged Zimbabwe's government to "support independent civil society and to allow it to operate without fear of harrassment or intimidation", and to allow missions inside the country by UN rights experts.

Zimbabwe's justice minister Patrick Chinamasa last month accused western countries of double standards in their attempts to censor the country.

South Africa has favoured a policy of "quiet diplomacy" toward Zimbabwe and along with Nigeria has called for lifting Harare's suspension from the Commonwealth.

A UN human rights expert sharply criticised "governmental lawlessness" in the southern African state in February, noting a pattern of arrests of judges and lawyers ordered by Zimbabwe's authorities. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA