ZRP does not deserve UN peace keeping

By Morgen Kulare

It is ridiculous that the United Nations (UN) in its wisdom or lack of it continues to entrust its faith in the much discredited Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for international peacekeeping duties despite the fact that it has been brutal, corrupt, incompetent and partisan in its discharge of duties at home. 

One of the key duties of the international peacekeeping force in war torn countries is to protect innocent civilians against warring parties in an impartial manner and make sure all parties abide by the ceasefire agreement.  The ZRP has never been anywhere equal to this task.

The Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri has been excellently leading his force by example in disregarding the rule of law.  Addressing a parade of Police Officers going for UN Peace keeping force on 09 February 2009 Chihuri took the opportunity to threaten accomplished journalist and publisher of the Zimbabwean Mr. Wilf Mbanga for publishing falsehoods.

These unfortunate statements come at a time when the nation is expecting Chihuri to uphold press freedom as agreed to in the GPA.

The perpetrators of the violence against MDC supporters to run up leading to the June 2008 Presidential run-off elections are Scot free and still roaming the villages and streets of Zimbabwe even though the majority of them have been named and evidence given to the Police.

The ZRP has continued to play a pivotal role in the abuse of human rights especially against perceived opponents of the former ruling Zanu (PF) Party despite the formation of the inclusive government over a year ago. 

The ZRP has of late scored major successes in arbitrary arrests and torture of innocent WOZA women, students, MDC officials and supporters, lawyers, human rights activists and farmers against greater crime such as poaching of rhino, and looting of diamonds which is rampant in Marange district in Manicaland Province.

Recently the Parliamentary select committee on the Constitution (COPAC) requested the security services of the ZRP during its forthcoming outreach programmes.  The premise of the request was that they needed security in case opponents of constitutional reforms would pounce on them.  Surprisingly Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri demand US$ 3 million upfront before he could release his incompetent Police Officers to accompany the commissioners. 

This is despite the fact that it is the police’s constitutional duties to protect and support state organs and institutions.  Chihuri has never in the past demanded cash upfront to arrest demonstrating students or women.  He is quick to mobilize his force to crush any peaceful religious gathering every Sunday convened by the Anglican Church in Harare.

In the run up to the sham June 27 2008 Presidential run-off election ZRP Officers either actively participated in torture, murder and displacement of Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s supporters or they simply watched as ZNA soldiers or Zanu (PF) youths do the same.  Some police officers confessed that they were powerless to act saying they were political matters. 

This is despite the fact that all Police Officers are well acquitted to the fact that they are constitutionally obliged to carry their duties in non-partisan manner and are expected to arrest all perpetrators of violence regardless of political affiliation. 

Now what boggles the mind is why the UN continues to entrust such great responsibility to men and women who have openly displayed gross incompetence and partisanship in handling political violence cases.  Worse off, in their UN peacekeeping duties, they will be dealing with Political violence cases.

Besides incompetence the ZRP has been riddled with corruption among its rank and file, the Police Commissioner General recently publicly admitted in the Herald (16 February 2010) that corruption was rife in force and threatening to tarnish its image.  Police Officers are also implicated in the costing of the Marange diamonds and other murky deals which involve release of diamond dealers upon receiving a bribe.

Recently a police officer manning a roadblock was arrested after he was  found in possession of diamonds  in Mutare (Herald 16 Fed 2010)  What assurance does the world body have that such on force will not engage in those murky deals abroad?

Article 13.2(a) of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed between the former ruling party Zanu (PF) party and the two MDC formations states that, “that there be inclusion in the training curriculum of members of the uniformed forms of the subjects on human rights, international humanitarian law and statute law so that there is greater understanding and full appreciation of their roles and duties in a multi-party democratic system.” 

The wisdom of this section arose from the fact that all three parties signatory to the GPA acknowledged that the uniformed forces were previously discharging their duties in a partisan manner and disregard basic human rights.

Now the former ruling Zanu (PF) party has flatly rejected my moves to reform the security sector till the MDC removes the so called ‘sanctions.’  This is nothing but a ploy to keep its stranglehold on the uniformed forces which it has annexed to its campaign machinery.  The UN is aware of this abuse of the Police force and the security sector reforms as required by the GPA yet they continue to cast a blind eye on these human right abuses by the ZRP.

Although the UN is a world body born out of universal suffrage and constitutes rogue and undemocratic states such as China, Iran and North Korea which has no regard for democracy.  We sincerely appeal to civilized countries in the world body such as the US, France, Britain and other EU countries to seriously reconsider ZRP’s future role in peacekeeping missions.  The manner in which the ZRP has conducted itself at home is disgraceful to say the feast.

The UN cannot afford to continue legitimizing arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, murder and corruption of the ZRP by giving it “peacekeeping missions when they have clearly failed to maintain peace at home the UN must first insist on security sector reform as agreed to by the GPA before assigning them to any future role in the world body peacekeeping. 

Furthermore if the UN wants anyone to take it and its programs seriously, they must also insist on evidence of these reforms before undertaking to engage the ZRP in any future peacekeeping role.

Morgen Kulare is the National Research and Advocacy Officer for Youth of Zimbabwe for Transparency and Progress (YZTP.)

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