Sadc mulling measures to take against Zim
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
Friday, 13 May 2011 08:28
By Paidamoyo Muzulu
SOUTH African President Jacob Zuma has revealed that Sadc leaders would
consider what measures to take against Zimbabwe at its summit in Namibia
next week after the government refused to comply with the regional bloc’s
Tribunal ruling on land reforms in 2008.
Zimbabwe snubbed the Tribunal’s ruling which found that Mike Campbell and 78
other farmers had been denied access to justice and that the country’s land
reform programme was discriminatory against white people.
In September 2009, Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa said: “We hereby
advise that, henceforth, we will not appear before the Tribunal and neither
will we respond to any action or suit instituted or be pending against the
Republic of Zimbabwe before the Tribunal. For the same reasons, any
decisions that the Tribunal may have or may make in future against the
Republic of Zimbabwe are null and void.”
Zuma said on Monday that a report commissioned by Sadc to review roles and
responsibilities of the Tribunal with a view to strengthening it and
improving its terms of reference was now ready.
The report also deals with the recognition and enforcement of decisions by
the Tribunal.
“A report containing recommendations regarding these matters will be
presented by the committee of ministers of justice and attorney-generals to
a special Sadc Heads of State and Government Summit on May 19-20 in
Windhoek,” Zuma said in the South African parliament.
He was responding to a written question from Democratic Alliance MP James
Selfe on what steps justice ministers and attorney-generals of Sadc states
would take against President Robert Mugabe for snubbing the Tribunal’s
ruling.
Commercial Farmers Union president Deon Theron welcomed the Sadc initiative
to look at ways of strengthening the Tribunal and its commitment to the rule
of law.
“We welcome Sadc support of the Tribunal otherwise it would become a
mockery. It’s important that the Tribunal should be supported and
strengthened for it to enforce its rulings,” said Theron.
Theron said his union believed in the rule of law and would always use such
channels to seek redress issues.
“We have always said we would accept the Tribunal rulings even if they went
against us. Courts should be respected because they are neutral arbiters in
disputes.”