Biased Amnesty told off
IT IS sad that Amnesty International has turned itself into a tool to be used by a cartel aimed at destabilising the governance system in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region but we shall not tolerate its sinister activities in Zambia, the New Congress Party (NCP) has warned.
Two days ago, Amnesty International Southern Africa deputy director Muleya Mwananyanda issued a statement in which he said Zambian musician Fumba Chama, commonly known as Pilato had fled the country due to “the brazen determination by some people in Zambia to silence dissenting views”
Mr. Mwananyanda demanded that Zambian authorities immediately take steps to guarantee right to freedom of expression for artists, describing Pilato’s case as a crackdown on dissenting voices.
But speaking to the Daily Nation yesterday, NCP party president Peter Chanda it was evident that Amnesty International was up to something sinister as it had purposefully tuned a blind eye to countries with serious human rights abuses but concentrated on Zambia, which was a beacon of peace on the continent.
Pastor Chanda said without regard for Zambia’s sovereignty, Amnesty International and its allies had continued speaking ill of the Government over alleged human rights abuses without realising that all freedoms came responsibilities which some individuals had purposefully abused yet the same institution was quick to condemn Government when the law visited such people.
“Amnesty International should not operate like a vuvuzela tool for the cartel. We know that there is a cartel which has ganged up with several organisations aimed at destabilising the governance system in the SADC region and Africa in general. This cartel is responsible for the issues which happened in Kenya.
“We are disappointed with unprofessional and myopic tendency of Amnesty international. Last time its envoy came here and spoke nonsense but the Zambian Government tolerated it.
“The human rights concept does not in any way inept the concept of the rule of law and every Government has its own constitution upon which its citizens must abide,” Pastor Chanda said.
He advised the international body to stay away from the affairs of Zambia saying there was no justification for the freedom of expression in Pilato’s song as it was only aimed at ridiculing President Edgar Lungu and his Government.
“Pilato’s message content in the song had nothing to do with promoting good values but aimed at insulting the president and thereby compromising the moral standard of the people, including children.
“Amnesty International is operating in a very unprofessional manner and does not do its research of particular states but issues statements based on its drive to undermine and promote their own agenda in Africa and therefore, we take great exception to its machi nations to undermine this Government.