Tue, 17 Oct 2017 13:59:07 +0000
By Annie Zulu
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has given Amnesty International secretary general Salil Shetty who is in the country a go ahead to visit any part of the country and investigate any allegation of human rights abuses.
Special assistant to the President for press and public relations Amos Chanda told Journalists yesterday that the President was committed to upholding human rights and protecting the poor in the country.
Mr Chanda said this shortly after President Lungu held a closed door meeting with Mr Shetty who was accompanied by Amnesty International regional director Deprose Muchena and her deputy in charge of campaigns Muleya Mwananyanda.
“The President held a meeting with Amnesty International. Three issues were discussed, namely, death penalty, land acquisition and how the poor can be protected from displacement on land and human rights generally,” Mr Chanda said.
On death penalty, Mr Chanda said the Head of State did not support it as a deterrence.
Mr Chanda said President Lungu further told Mr Shetty and his delegation to work in conjunction with the Human Rights Commission while in Zambia and examine allegations of abuses.
“The Head of State told Amnesty International that they were free to go anywhere and come back with evidence of human rights abuses. He also asked to provide input in the amendment of the Public Order Act,” he said.
He said President Lungu told Mr Shetty that Zambia was an open society that respects human rights. On land, Mr Chanda said the President believed in protecting the poor from displacement by the rich.
“The President will always side with the poor and the disempowered. No investor must displace people without taking care of communal graving land and so on,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Shetty said Amnesty International was a non-governmental organisation which was people driven and therefore gets no funding from any government.
Mr Shetty is expected to meet lawyers, civil society leaders and members of various communities.
