The World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS) has expresses serious concerns on the escalating campaign to silence independent dissent in Zambia.
In a statement from Johannesburg, South Africa, the alliance has called upon the Michael Sata led Patrotic Front (PF) government to take immediate steps to protect media and civil society freedoms.
World Alliance for Citizen Participation or Civicus is a global movement of civil society dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society across the world.
“A number of civil society organizations advocating for greater civic engagement in Zambia’s ongoing constitution-making process have recently been threatened with deregistration. Moreover, in an apparent attempt to suppress voices critical of President Michael Sata and the ruling Patriotic Front, several journalists and political activists have been arrested on various charges including defamation of the President and operating unsanctioned media outlets, reads part of the media release that has been snubbed by the Zambian public media.
Civicus had observed that civil society organizations such as FODEP had been targeted for persecution because of their critical stance against the government.
The statement quotes that on 26 December 2012, the Office of Registrar of Societies under Clement Andeleki informed the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), a non-governmental organization established in 1992 to promote and strengthen democratic governance in Zambia, that their registration would be discontinued in 28 days.
“The letter, which was sent without prior notification, reportedly makes several unfounded allegations of organisational misconduct including “pursuing objectives contrary to the objectives for which (FODEP) was formed” and “failing to furnish the Office of Registrar of Societies of such duly audited accounts”, reads another part of the statement.
Contrary to the allegations by the office of the Registrar of Societies, FODEP has since issued an exhaustive response questioning the validity of the Office of Registrar of Societies’ assertions.
“The involuntarily dissolution of a civil society organization should only be considered as a measure of last resort and subject to independent judicial oversight” said
In the media statement, Tor Hodenfield, Policy and Advocacy Officer at CIVICUS said the voluntary dissolution of a civil society organization should only be considered as a measure of last resort and subject to independent judicial oversight.
“We urge the Zambian government to reconsider its decision to deregister FODEP and hope the Patriotic Front government will make good on its campaign promise to guarantee an enabling environment for civil society”, reads another part of the media statement.
Civicus has observed that among the major civil society concerns in Zambia was the existence of the restrictive NGO law whose application had been sporadic. The Civicus said that the 2009 NGO Act required all NGOs to register and empowers the government to refuse registration on broad grounds.
“The law also empowers government officials to dictate geographic and thematic areas of operation for NGOs and direct the harmonisation of NGO activities with officially dictated priorities, which impact upon the independence of the civil society sector. Moreover, intensified incursions on the freedoms of association and expression are raising the spectre of democratic backsliding in Zambia. Several independent journalists and political activists have recently been detained for reporting on sensitive topics,” reads a part of the statement.
On 9 January 2013, Civicus said that freelance journalist Chanda Chimba III, who is the producer of “Stand Up for Zambia,” a 2011 documentary series critical of President Michael Sata, was arrested on charges of unlawful printing and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
“Prior to his arrest, Chimba had published a series of articles questioning the government’s democratic trajectory. Two members of the opposition MMD, former Information Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha and former Permanent Secretary Samson Phiri, have been charged with defamation for instructing the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast the documentary, reads the statement.
CIVICUS has said the government of Zambia must respect freedom of the press and ensure an enabling environment for civil society to thrive in line with recommendations adopted during the country’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council on 30 October 2012.
“At a minimum conditions such as freedom of association, freedom of expression, the right to operate free from unwarranted state interference, and the right to communicate and cooperate, the right to seek and secure funding and the state’s duty to protect must be assured for all civil society actors,” reads the statement.
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