via UN urged to refer Mugabe to International Criminal Court | SW Radio Africa. By Alex Bell
The United Nations (UN) is once again facing pressure to take the lead in confronting Robert Mugabe and the crimes against humanity he is responsible for, by referring the matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
New York based advocacy group AIDS-Free World this week called on the UN Security Council to step in, warning that if there is no international intervention in Zimbabwe, more violence and human rights abuses could be seen there.
The warning comes two weeks after the highly disputed elections that saw Mugabe re-elected as President. The opposition MDC-T is challenging this outcome, saying the electoral process was clearly rigged and manipulated in ZANU PF’s favour.
AIDS-Free World co-director, Stephen Lewis, said Tuesday that this election outcome means Mugabe and his ZANU PF party has resumed “absolute control” of Zimbabwe.
“What has happened is that because ZANU PF now has an absolute majority which allows them to revise the constitution, and Mugabe has erected around him an impenetrable wall of impunity, and one never knows what he will unleash over the coming weeks, we felt the time has come for the international community to intervene. And there’s only one way to do that and that is through the International Criminal Court,” Lewis told SW Radio Africa.
He said there is deep concern of a return to violence in the coming weeks, with the election outcome being challenged.
“The challenge from Morgan Tsvangirai is strong, and Mugabe feels like such a victor in this manipulated election that he may well unleash something pretty horrific,” Lewis warned.
He said that such a return to violence would not be unprecedented, explaining that the same man and his party has unleashed horrific violence repeatedly in the past. He referred to the Gukurahundi genocide in the 1980s, the Murambatsvina ‘cleansing’ operation in 2005, and the rape campaign that followed Zimbabwe last elections in 2008.
“This all amounts to crimes against humanity,” Lewis emphasised
In 2009 AIDS-Free World released a shock report detailing the horrific rape campaign against Zimbabwe’s women, as part of ZANU PF’s violent strategy to hold on to power. The report, ‘Electing to Rape: Sexual Terror in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe’, documents 380 rapes committed by 241 perpetrators, who all identified themselves to their victims as ZANU PF members. The report also detailed that the figures are just the tip of the iceberg, as many other rape victims are too fearful to come forward. Any kind of justice for the crimes has been nonexistent, and there has been no condemnation or action from either the African Union or the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The report states that the ZANU PF government was well aware of the rape campaign that, along with the election violence, was masterminded by the Joint Operations Command (JOC). The report goes on to detail Mugabe’s own complicity in the rapes, explaining how he not only knew about the campaign, but also refused to prevent it or punish those responsible.
The report has formed the basis of an investigation set to be undertaken by the South African police, where AIDS-Free World was forced to turn for justice for the rape victims because justice in Zimbabwe was not possible. Lewis explained that every other avenue, apart from action from the UN Security Council, could be a dead end.
“Everything about the reign of Mugabe and ZANU PF has been extreme, authoritarian and episodically deranged. And it demands international notice,” Lewis said.
COMMENTS
I think this lewis guy has a problem. Who was running Zimbabwe since 1980 until 2002 and wasn’t the economy growing in leaps and bounds, wasn’t the Zim dollar stronger than most african countries if not asian as well, was it no Mugabe who was president. the economy went down in 2002 when the loser in these elections called for sanctions trying to remove Mugabe from power. If Mugabe goes to ICC so should tony blair, bush and obama. Obama was instrumental in the death of Gaddaffi, bush and blair in the death of Saddam.
Head buried in sand comes to mind in this instance. Firstly, gadaffi and saddam were both murdering dictators just as mugabe is. The Zim economy went into free fall when mugabe started taking over the farms and the Zim dollar does not exist. Hells teeth, the latter alone speaks volumes. But fear not, the bunch of whimps called the UN will do nothing, unfortunately.
Rubbish. The economy didn’t go down in 2002 and it has nothing to do with “sanctions”. The economy tanked as a result of
1. expensive adventures in the Congo: the budget had to pay for the army’s deployment, leaving a big hole in the treasury, while army and ZANU-PF big shots enriched themselves with minerals from that country
2. unfunded payouts to war vets as a result of pressure from the likes of Rex Jesus and Hitler Hunzvi
3. plundering of Zimbabwe’s farming sector
All this was consistently “funded” by printing more and more zim dollars that were increasingly worthless. Until the total collapse of the currency.
Please do look up official GDP figures that back up my argument. The economic recovery of the last few years coincides…. bizarrely… with the MDC’s participation in government. Once again, the figures speak for themselves. “Sanctions” remained unchanged, yet the economy started to grow. Funny, no?
I wouldn’t be too surprised if the trend were once again reversed as a result of the recent “elections”. Watch this space, but don’t hold your breath..
wafa wanaka
Stephen Lewis is spot-on,we have people living in mountains in muzarabani in fear,as we speak.Obama and Blair never did that to their opponents.Do you guys have a conscious or your hearts made of stone.
What rubbish – the EU, UK and USA sanctions are ‘trageted’ against Mugabe and Cronies. Zimbabweans have no sanctions, read the Official UN reports before talking hog-wash.
Also Gadhaffi and Saddam were known killers of their opposition like Mugabe is. Bush, Blair and Obama aren’t killing off their opposition party members are they.
You need to educate yourself before making a complete fool of yourself in public.
I hope the ICC nab his old arse!
no no no peter isaacs, thats not the case. whilst the economy grew from 1980 as you say, still there was genocide in matebeleland. i fail to see how other zimbabweans get so ignorant. the issue between blair, bush, obama, versus gadaffi, saddam is not a problem for zimbabweans. blair, bush, obama do not go around killing their nationals. what he is saying is: a head of the state of zimbabwe killing HIS OWN PEOPLE. for goodness sake.wake up. man
Peter Issacs
Zanu PF has never been able to run the country since 1980. The Rodhesian government, the Anglo American companies,the USA. Canada. Australia and the UK gave loads of money to Zanu PF. We could afford free education. Free health care etc…
With the African mind in control mismanagement, corruption and lack of integrity took over the rank and file hence the state of affairs in Zimbabwe
Come to think of it. .. WHAT IS IT THAT ZIMBABWE HAD FROM 1980 THAT IT HASN’T GOT NOW…. MONEY
What is with you guys supporting calls for sanctions? Don’t you want your revolutionary leaders to live a little. All they just want to do is spend a few million dollars playing the high-roller slot machines in Las Vegas, enjoy the nightlife in Miami’s upscale clubs, buy some discount Armani, Versache and Jimmy Choo fashionware in Paris, buy some authentic Italian mozzarella cheese (made from buffalo milk, not cow’s milk), buy a hillside palace in Norway, visit the world-renouned Swiss watchmakers, and still have enough pocket change left over to build that dream 20-bedroom, 15-bath home in Helensvale, complete with a piano hall, bar, and gourmet restaurant. Why do you find that so wrong? Now our leaders have to make do with going to Dubai, Hong Kong, Beijing and Bangkok just to do all these things. All because you want more sanctions from the British, Americans, Illuminati, and the Rothschilds.
Curse you, sellouts!
These idiots know nothing about investment, hence their clinging onto power since, they all by now would have retired 30yrs ago, basa rekuvhima tumhandara
Well said – but you forget the ‘private’ jets loaned free by the Chinese, Russians, North Koreans and DRC. What about the diamonds that line their pockets from illegal sales in India, Dubai and Honk Kong and and the private schools and hospitals they use OUTSIDE Zimbabwe – can’t deny them those perks, can we?
THIS OLD MAN CALLED BOB IS CREATING A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND HATE FOR HIS YOUNG FAMILY. HE HAS LIVED KILLED PEOPLE, STOLE AND DESTROYED OUR ECONOMY DOES HE EVER IMAGINE THAT ANYONE WITH FULL SENSES CAN FORGIVE HIM OR HIS FAMILY. WHATEVER THE WEALTH HE IS AMASSING NOW WILL BE TAKEN AWAY BY INNOCENT ZIMBABWEANS WHETHER HE DIES OR NOT. HE NEEDS TO BE REMINDED THAT WE MAY BE QUIET BECAUSE HE CAN MURDER US BUT HE MUST NEVER ASSUME THAT WE WILL FORGET OR FORGIVE HIS FAMILY FOR SINS HE COMMITED. I WILL REFER HIM TO FIND OUT FROM THE DICTATORS LIKE MOBHUTU SESEKO, KAMUZU BANDA, NORIEGAR, CHARLES TAILOR,HITLER,SADAM HUSSEIN,GADDAFI ETC THEY ALL DIED RUNNING AWAY FROM THEIR OWN PEOPLE.
It is a racial issue if Mugabe was white international court would not apply.what a shame!
I agree that they are many physical abuse cases in Zimbabwe, this has been happening since 1980 and even before Mugabe’s time. BUT For a leader of a country to be taken to International Criminal Court the country from which he is from has to be a signatory of that Court. Zimbabwe and many countries like USA are not signatories to that court even though they recognize its existence and purpose. So the court will not take the case of Mugabe. He can only be tried in Zimbabwe under Zimbabwean Law.
Lol…you rhodies need to really face reality…its over, done,, you will never have the upperhand in zimbabwe. .the icc doesnt have the ballz to bring charges..the west has murdered millions in the middle east..
I fill sorry and shame for you guys.don’t forget that if you want Americans and their best friends bomb Zimbabwe they are also bombing all neighbor countries.and those who talk about president Robert Mugabe to be arrested they are mentally corrupted they must go to hell with their kids.don’t forget that we voted for him to be our president.watch out your own business with your friends killers like George bush,Barack Obama,Tony Blair and France president.you little Lewis you know nothing far much better zip your biggest mouth.if there is someone want president Mugabe to be arrested let us see Tony Blair,George bush and Barack Obama being arrested first and they must be killed for their crimes.you so Barack Obama cerebrating that they killed Osama bin laden how many people died there?so Lewis don’t think if you love tsvangirai the whole Zimbabwe loves him.he is like used condom by western.his friends and united nations is a bunch of looters,those Americans British and France the real thugs in the world
iwe brian pachako. people dont want mugabe now coz of brutality against his own people. bin laden and americans know each other as he was an american student. bush and blair dont kill their own. if one does that then icc is the answer. tsvangirai is the most populat and he was rigged at the ballot. whole world knows mugabe couldnt win without nikuv and he knew it. the most popular man in town now is tsvangison