Pressure is mounting on the government to expedite investigations into the misdirected shooting of two women in the coal mining town of Hwange by the police over the past weekend with the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), an advocacy group promoting good governance of natural resources adding its voice for justice to the victims.
The two victims, Zulani Mudenda and Twabona Nyathi who are currently hospitalized were shot in the abdomen and chest respectively, by stray bullets fired by police officers who were scaring away coke traders in the town.
CNRG expressed shock and concern over the use of maximum force by the police when dealing with unarmed informal traders and said this reflected gross human rights violations and lack of respect for life by law enforcement officers.
“CNRG condemns use of GUNS to scare away unarmed informal coke extractors and this incidence shows the intensification of human rights violations in the extractive sector and lack of respect for human life by our security officers. The conduct of the police is deplorable and is contrary to the rhetoric of the Government of Zimbabwe on promoting and protecting human rights” said CNRG
The lobby group called on the Government to investigate the incident and bring to book those accountable for the shootings.
“We call on the Government of Zimbabwe to uphold the Constitution by promoting and protecting the rights of communities affected by destructive mining. Artisanal coke extractors and traders are forced by the economic crisis to engage in informal trading in order to sustain their families.
“CNRG calls on the Government to: Thoroughly investigate the case and hold those responsible to account. Compensate victims of torture and police brutality. The Zimbabwe Gender Commission to investigate abuse of women in the mining affected communities and develop concrete recommendations that will address the vulnerability of women in mining communities.
“Listen to the voice of women who have been disproportionately affected by mining, and facilitate implementation of meaningful, women-driven interventions that address the plight of women.” noted CNRG
CNRG added that the thoughtless and indiscriminate shooting of civilians witnessed in Hwange revokes traumatic memories of killings which happened in Marange and called on the Government to uphold the Constitution by promoting and protecting the rights of communities affected by destructive mining.
Artisanal coke extractors and traders are forced by the economic situation to engage in informal trading in order to sustain their families.
