Zambia to face SADC on Barotseland issue,ACHPR communicate to Barotseland on why the matter wasnt looked at the last meeting held in Angola BNFA appeals to SADC to pay attention to Zambia’s violation of Barotse Rights — As the ACHPRs seeks more time to consider Barotselands petition The Barotse National Freedom Alliance has sent a communication to the Heads of State and Government of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), beseeching the leadership of the regional body to pay attention to Zambia’s violation of human rights in Barotseland. In a n open letter addressed to both the Heads of State of the fifteen member regional organization and its Secretary General and hand delivered to the Secretariat at the just ended summit held at Victoria Falls Town in Zimbabwe on Monday 18th August 2014 . Honourable Clement Wainyae Sinyinda, in his capacity as Chairman General of the Barotse National Freedom Alliance (BNFA), has tabulated the major concerns of the people of Barotseland and SADC’s primary responsibility in ensuring a peaceful resolution of the Barotseland impasse. Honourable Sinyinda stressed his organisation’s peaceful approach to the issue while pointing out the need for the Zambian government to observe the right of the people of Barotseland to organize themselves into formations that will facilitate transformation of Barotseland into a free state following the Zambian government’s unilateral termination of the unity treaty between Barotseland and the rest of Zambia. He has formally informed the SADC leadership of Barotseland’s petition to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPRs ) in which the Ngambela of Barotseland, in tandem with civic society groupings of Barotseland, are seeking a declaration that Zambia’s continued administration of Barotseland is illegal in the light of the termination of the independence unity treaty. The letter to SADC was delivered by a three - person delegation led by Honourable Mutungulu Wanga, Deputy Chairman - General responsible for Strategy and Diaspora Liaison. The other members of the delegation were Honourable Situmbeko Musialela, Head of the Publicity wing of the BNFA and Honourable Maswabi Maswabi, a member of the Livingstone District Committee. The letter was received on behalf of the SADC secretariat by Comrade Nyati, Regional Coordinator (Governor) of Matebeleland - North who, as Host of the Summit on behalf of the Zimbabwe government, stood in for the SADC Secretary General because the latter was seized with the proceedings of the summit at the time of the delivery. Comrade Nyati undertook to ensure that an acknowledgementnote of receipt of the letter was returned t o the BNFA by the SADC Secretariat. During the course of receiving the letter, Comrade Nyati had a forty minute s discussion with the Barotse delegation during which he expressed delight with their peaceful approach to the issue of Barotseland. Mean while, the African Commission on Human and Peoples ’ Rights says it was unable to delve into the Barotseland Petition at its last session held in the Rwandan capital of Kigali last month due to time constraints, and deferred the matter to the next session. In a letter dated 13th August 2014 addressed to the Office of the Ngambela and made available via email to the Barotse National Freedom Alliance , the Secretary of the Commission has undertaken to inform the petitioners of the Commission ’ s decision once it is made. Indications so far are that the Respondent to this petition, the Zambian government, has found the evidence and arguments submitted by the Petitioners so overwhelming and embarrassing for them to put up a sensible defence. As a consequence government has chosen to remain silent and the Commission is likely to proceed to a verdict on the basis of an uncontested petition -
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 01:31:36 +0000
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