But we note without comment Mr. Speaker, the UN’s criticism of the British Government’s continuing failure to meet obligations in the UN Convention against Torture. We note also without comment, the UK’s reversal of its previous promise to establish an independent inquiry into allegations of complicity, torture and ill-treatment of detainees held by other countries in counter-terrorism operations.
Finally Mr. Speaker, we note without comment, the fact that the UK has yet to conduct a human rights compliant inquiry or to introduce other accountability measures for alleged abuses perpetrated by the British Armed Forces in Iraq between 2003 and 2009. So, who is the worst human rights violator between Zimbabwe and the UK?
Mr. Speaker, the British Government continually criticises our Government on issues to do with media freedoms and so on. Not a single word was heard from the local embassy or indeed from London when AIPPA was repealed and replaced with the Freedom of Information Act yet the Honourable Lords have always had a lot to say about media freedom in Zimbabwe.
We note without comment, the recent formal warning issued by the Council of Europe to the British Government for threatening press freedom, “after it blacklisted a group of investigative journalists and denied them access to information”.
We note also that the UK has slipped to 35th place in the World Press Freedom Index down 2 places since 2019 and below countries such as Ghana, South Africa and Costa Rica. Zimbabwe comes in 125th position up one place since 2019.
What we are saying is that whilst the UK is wallowing in its own problems to do with Brexit, their Covid-19 response, economic decline and so on, their Lordships might well be advised to direct their attention and opinions to their own internal problems and to keep out of our affairs in Zimbabwe. Simply put, Zimbabwe will never be a colony again. This Rhodesian era nostalgia must now come to an end. This is now Zimbabwe, a sovereign state. The British can only visit us either as investors or tourists, not as colonisers.
We have no problem with criticism but let it be constructive and not destructive in nature. Let it be evidence based and factual, not based on social-media hype and fabrication. Let it be conveyed on the basis of mutual respect and courtesy, not in the form of prescription and dictation, from a master to an underling.
Sadly for their Lordships and their Rule Britannia or Great Britain mind-set, that ship not only sailed long long ago, but it has completely vanished from view and will never return to these shores. I thank you
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Zimbabwe will never be a colony again