The Petition to the President
During it’s Council meeting on the 31st July
2000, the Law Society decided to present a petition to Government calling upon
it to restore law and order, and uphold the rule of law. It was decided that the
petition would be presented on the 15th August 2000. Sternford Moyo,
the President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, said in a letter
The Law Society remains apolitical. However, the rule of
law lies at the centre of our relevance as lawyers. A few, if any, will need
persuasion to appreciate the fact that lawyers are irrelevant in a society in
which court orders are not obeyed.
Petition from the Law Society of Zimbabwe
To
His Excellency Comrade Robert Mugabe
President of Zimbabwe and Commander in Chief
Of the
Defence Forces of Zimbabwe
We
the undersigned members of the law Society of Zimbabwe, express our grave
concern and disquiet at the breakdown of law and order, and the on-going
violations of the rule of law in the high density suburbs, commercial farming
and rural areas of Zimbabwe.
We
are particularly concerned that your Government has :-
- condoned this unlawfulness;
- allowed and encouraged some former members of the
liberation movements and other militants and militia to commit unlawful
acts;
- refused to comply with orders issued by the High
Court of Zimbabwe and thus failed
to uphold the rule of law;
- used the Zimbabwe National Army to carry out duties
which should be carried out by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, which has militarized
police services
We
call upon you and your colleagues in Government to respect the fundamental
rights and freedoms to which all the peoples of Zimbabwe are entitled, and to also
uphold the constitution of Zimbabwe and ensure that it’s provisions, and the
provisions of all other laws in this country, are faithfully executed. This is
your bounden duty.
