‘SADC should speak out’: Zimbabwe activists face crackdown ahead of summit
Al JazeeraPolice flood Harare’s streets in anticipation of protests on the eve of the Southern African Development Community meeting. “South Africa’s silence … appears paradoxical,” said Tinashe Sithole, a political science lecturer at the University of Johannesburg. But “prioritising regional stability and diplomatic ties … risks validating claims of ANC complicity and undermining South Africa’s moral authority on human rights,” Sithole pointed out. “President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s upcoming SADC Chairmanship is testament to the continued failure of regional leaders to hold these political thugs to account.” Sithole said that rather than staying silent and risk being seen as “tacitly endorsing or tolerating” Harare’s actions, SADC leaders could use the chairmanship as a teachable moment. “By applying diplomatic pressure, monitoring progress and supporting reforms, member states might guide Zimbabwe to align more closely with SADC’s principles,” he said.
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