ZIMBABWE AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES

Early day motion 1855, tabled 1 November 2004 by Baroness Hoey (Labour). Signed by 67 members.

That this House deplores as an insult to the international trade union movement and an affront to the principle of free association the recent deportation from Zimbabwe of a COSATU delegation; condemns the sentencing by the Zimbabwean Parliament of Roy Bennett, Member of Parliament for Chimanimani to 15 months imprisonment with hard labour; regards the penalty as grossly disproportionate and the culmination of a sustained campaign of hate and personal abuse waged by Zanu PF ministers and the state-controlled propaganda machine against a culturally-sensitive and progressive elected representative of the people; and calls upon the governments and parliamentarians of member states to uphold Southern African Development Community Treaty principles of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Zimbabwe.

Signatures by party: Labour 47, Liberal Democrat 7, Conservative 5, DUP 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, UUP 2, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1.