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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
UNITED Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur Dr Alena Douhan has said the treatment of Zimbabwe by the United States and its allies violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, hence the illegal sanctions imposed on the country should be removed.
In her preliminary findings on the impact of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe released yesterday, Dr Douhan said due to the illegal embargo, the country’s risk perception was too high and interest on credit was as high as seven percent while in other countries it is around 0,5 percent.
Her report shows that the illegal sanctions have impoverished Zimbabweans and has contributed to low salaries, unemployment and rising crime levels.
Dr Douhan said women, youth and children are among the worst affected by the embargo.
She said sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe raise serious concerns with regards to compliance with international legal standards.
Dr Douhan was in the country to get first hand information on the impact of sanctions on Zimbabwe.
During her visit, she met senior Government officials, the business sector, academia and civil society organisations.
Zimbabwe has been under illegal sanctions for two decades after itembarked on a land reform excersise.
She however observed that she could not engage with some civil society organisations as there was an alleged fear that they could lose foreign donations.
Some non-government organisations are sponsored by the West to pursue the regime change agenda in the country.
“The Special Rapporteur urges the US Government to cease the state of national emergency regarding Zimbabwe that is not in accordance with the norms of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to bring national legislation into accordance with international law, including human rights law, refugee law and the law of international responsibility,” read the report.
In her report, she called on member states to observe UN Charter principles and norms of international law, including principles of sovereign equality, political independence, non-intervention in the domestic affairs of states, and peaceful settlement of international disputes
Dr Douhan called on banks and private companies to behave in accordance with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to avoid over-compliance and the consequent violation of rights of nationals and residents of Zimbabwe.
“The Special Rapporteur also reminds on the obligation of all states and regional organisations to comply with the principle of due diligence and to take all necessary measures to guarantee that activity under their jurisdiction and control won’t affect the human rights of people in the country and beyond national borders,” read the report.
Dr Douhan said while humanitarian aid was important for Zimbabwe, the country needs to operate in an environment which enables it to restore essential infrastructure and eliminating poverty and hunger.
“The Special Rapporteur calls on UN agencies and organisations, in cooperation with relevant humanitarian organisations, to organise monitoring of the negative humanitarian impact of unilateral sanctions within their respective spheres of interest,” reads her report.
“While recognising the devastating consolidated effect of unilateral sanctions and over-compliance on the right to development of the Zimbabwean people and also on the rights to food, to health, to education and labour rights, the Special Rapporteur calls on the Government of Zimbabwe in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Country Team to implement fully the cooperation agreement signed between them and to organise visits of relevant Special Procedures to the country.” – @nqotshili
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