- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: UN human rights expert Manfred Nowak is deported from Zimbabwe
- Date: 30th October 2009
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (OCTOBER 29, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT MANFRED NOWAK AT ARRIVAL TERMINAL OF O. R TAMBO AIRPORT/TALKING ON A MOBILE TELEPHONE NOWAK TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT, MANFRED NOWAK, SAYING: "I was taken aside by the immigration department, and they told me that they had an order to keep me at the airport, because there was no clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for my meeting with the Prime Minister. I showed them the written invitation by the Prime MInister to meet him today at 10 o'clock, I also showed them what is the telephone number of the protocol officer of Foreign Affairs, and they just said we had to get out here." CLOSE OF JOURNALIST TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT, MANFRED NOWAK, SAYING: "There was no way of actually for us to change the situation, I was still hoping that the government would change it's mind and clearance would come during the night, but it didn't, so we were finally brought to the same South African Airways Aircraft that brought us to Harare, was sent back this morning and now we are arriving at Johannesburg airport." MORE OF NOWAK TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT, MANFRED NOWAK, SAYING: "I think I have never been treated by any government in such a rude manner, than by the government of Zimbabwe, whoever now is responsible, it is the government as such, of the unity government and that's the end of the mission. I am speaking to the media now and I am flying back and that's it. And I will not come back definitely, the government can come up with it's own kind of proposal for other dates. This was the chance the government had for me, I co-operated as much as I could, I postponed for a day, I said that I am willing to adjust the schedule to the wishes of the government, I even then went to Harare. If the government is not allowing me entry, that's they way, I have never been treated by any other government and that means the mission has failed, and I am still concerned about serious and credible allegations of torture, ill treatment, and in-human prison conditions in the country. I would have liked very much to be available to the government to assess objectively this situation, all those allegations by speaking to all sides; to the government, to non-governmental organisations, to victims, witnesses, whoever wishes to provide me with information in order then to come up with an objective report aimed also to assist government to improve the situation with the help of international donors." NOWAK ADDRESSING MEDIA
- Embargoed: 14th November 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVAEFX6IFE90UOTW1RAGP7S8LJ44
- Story Text: United Nations torture expert Manfred Nowak was deported from Zimbabwe on Thursday (October 29) after being detained by security officials on arrival overnight, a U.N. official said.
On Wednesday night a Reuters reporter saw Nowak being approached by four security officials at Harare airport after he had cleared immigration.
His passport was taken by the officials, who later led him and two colleagues back to a VIP lounge where they were detained overnight.
Nowak, the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment told reporters, he had been invited to Zimbabwe by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai after arriving in South Africa.
"I was taken aside by the immigration department, and they told me that they had an order to keep me at the airport, because there was no clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for my meeting with the Prime Minister. I showed them the written invitation by the Prime MInister to meet him today at 10 o'clock, I also showed them what is the telephone number of the protocol officer of Foreign Affairs, and they just said we had to get out here," he said.
Zimbabwe's state-owned Herald newspaper accused Nowak of trying to "gatecrash into the country".
The newspaper said Nowak had been informed by the government that he could not visit because the country was hosting foreign ministers from regional body the Southern African Development Community's organ on politics, defence and security.
The SADC delegation will be reviewing the power-sharing agreement.
"There was no way of actually for us to change the situation, I was still hoping that the government would change it's mind and clearance would come during the night, but it didn't, so we were finally brought to the same South African Airways Aircraft that brought us to Harare, was sent back this morning and now we are arriving at Johannesburg airport," said Nowak.
Renewed tensions have emerged between Mugabe and Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which has stopped cooperation with Mugabe's ZANU-PF in the unity government.
Mugabe, who has led Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, formed a power-sharing government with Tsvangirai to end months of feuding in the impoverished country.
But Tsvangirai said two weeks ago he was boycotting the arrangement until sticking points had been resolved.
Nowak's invitation marked the first time Zimbabwe had offered to open up to an expert working for the UNHRC.
"This was the chance the government had for me, I co-operated as much as I could, I postponed for a day, I said that I am willing to adjust the schedule to the wishes of the government, I even then went to Harare. If the government is not allowing me entry, that's they way, I have never been treated by any other government and that means the mission has failed, and I am still concerned about serious and credible allegations of torture, ill treatment, and in-human prison conditions in the country, " said Nowak to reporters.
"I would have liked very much to be available to the government to assess objectively this situation, all those allegations by speaking to all sides; to the government, to non-governmental organisations, to victims, witnesses, whoever wishes to provide me with information in order then to come up with an objective report aimed also to assist government to improve the situation with the help of international donors," he continued.
Nowak said he remained concerned about torture in Zimbabwe and would recommend that the UNHRC take action against the country.
Nowak did not say what action the council might take against Zimbabwe.
The urgency of an objective fact-finding mission by an independent U.N. expert was highlighted by allegations of the arrest, intimidation and harassment of MDC supporters and of human rights defenders in the past few days, the U.N. said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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