Namibian petition against arms transfers to Zimbabwe

We, Namibian civil society actors, congratulate and credit you on your role in not allowing and or preventing the Chinese ship, the "An Yue Jiang", from delivering its lethal cargo intended for Zimbabwe via Namibian territory. This is a significant achievement. Had this transfer gone ahead, it risked exacerbating an already volatile situation in that SADC country.

NAMIBIAN PETITION AGAINST ARMS TRANSFERS TO ZIMBABWE

Windhoek, Namibia, June 5 2008

Your Excellency President Lucas Hifikepunye Pohamba:

SUBJ: PETITION AGAINST ARMS TRANSFERS TO ZIMBABWE

We, Namibian civil society actors, congratulate and credit you on your role in not allowing and or preventing the Chinese ship, the "An Yue Jiang", from delivering its lethal cargo intended for Zimbabwe via Namibian territory. This is a significant achievement. Had this transfer gone ahead, it risked exacerbating an already volatile situation in that SADC country.

Although there are conflicting statements about whether or not the lethal cargo had eventually reached Zimbabwe, we are also told and hence we sincerely hope that the ship has now turned back.
Nevertheless, politically motivated violence is escalating in Zimbabwe under the shadow of armed force and there is still a real danger that any further arms shipments to Zimbabwe will only aggravate the human security situation there. We therefore urge you to build on your achievement and go a step further by declaring an immediate moratorium on the transfer of any and all military, paramilitary, police and security equipment destined for Zimbabwe that can be used in internal repression. Over 110,000 people worldwide, including over 150 Namibian citizens, have signed the petition in support of a moratorium. A sample of that petition, containing 9 486 signatures, is enclosed. The full version of the petition will be available at www.avaaz.org
or www.iansa.org .

The facts concerning systematic and widespread political violence show that the government of Zimbabwe is prepared to use weapons it receives against its citizens and that since the election in March2008 the armed forces in that country are becoming increasingly involved with the militia and youth gangs in organising and perpetrating gross human rights violations. Very disturbing reports-- about evictions, abductions, arbitrary arrests, assaults, torture, looting and general intimidation against those who are perceived to opposed the government--are widespread in Zimbabwe.

Under international law, weapons and munitions should not be authorized by governments to reach Zimbabwe, whether by air, sea, rail or road, while there is a clear risk that such arms will be used for the current wave of systematic human rights violations and state-sponsored violence in that country. SADC countries should closely and vigorously monitor their airspace and other transport links to prevent attempts to deliver weapons or munitions to Zimbabwe. Several legal and political instruments are already in place on arms transfers in the SADC region.

The SADC Firearms Protocol, which entered into force in 2004, explicitly recognises the harmful effects of poorly regulated arms transfers and the dangers they pose to the well being of people in the sub-region, including their social and economic development and their rights to live in peace. The Firearms Protocol commits the community "to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of, excessive and destabilising use and accumulation of, trafficking in, possession and use of, firearms, ammunition and other related materials" and to promote and facilitate regional cooperation to this end. Also, the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security says that "State Parties shall manage and seek to resolve any dispute between two or more of them by peaceful means” and "shall seek to manage and resolve inter- and intra-state conflict by peaceful means." Furthermore, SADC states have obligations under international human rights law and standards.

The risks that arms transfers pose to the human rights of the people of Zimbabwe also highlights the urgent need for a robust, legally-binding global Arms Trade Treaty, based on international human rights and humanitarian law. A strong treaty would prevent arms sales, which are likely to be used to abuse people's rights and fuel conflict. It is clear that this treaty is needed urgently.

The African campaign to stop the "An Yue Jiang" reaching Zimbabwe has been lead by citizens and civil society organizations, backed by their counterparts worldwide. In particular, the Durban dockworkers who refused to unload the Chinese ship and religious and civil society organisations all over southern Africa have taken a moral stand. Several regional leaders have supported them.

We therefore call upon you, President Pohamba, to act immediately to freeze arms supplies to Zimbabwe and encourage respect for human rights in that country.

On behalf of the national and international signatories to this
Petition,

Yours faithfully

1. National Society for Human Rights

2. Legal Assistance Centre

3. Breaking the Wall of Silence

4. International Action Network on Small Arms

5. Gun Free Namibia