Zanzibar:Report on Human Rights ,1997
From
The islands of Zanzibar are integrated into the United Republic's governmental
and party structure; however, the Zanzibar Government, which has its own
president and parliament, exercises considerable autonomy. Elections for
the president and parliament of Zanzibar were also held in 1995. International
observers noted serious discrepancies during the vote-counting process,
calling into question the reelection of CCM incumbent Dr. Salmin Amour Juma
as Zanzibar's President. In the period since that election, calls for new
elections by opposition parties were met with reprisals by the authorities.
In response, most donors halted economic aid to Zanzibar. The judiciary
is formally independent but suffers from corruption, inefficiency, and executive
influence.
The Government's human rights record did not improve
appreciably, and problems persisted. Although the 1995 multiparty elections
represented an important development, citizens' right to change their government
in Zanzibar is severely circumscribed. While new opposition parties on the
mainland and Zanzibar were competitive in many races in 1995 and in by-elections
since that time, winning in various constituencies, police often harassed
and intimidated members and supporters of the political opposition. Other
human rights problems included police beatings and mistreatment of suspects
that sometimes resulted in death. Soldiers attacked civilians, and police
in Zanzibar used torture, including beatings and floggings.
There
were no developments in the 1993 police killing of a member of the opposition
party Civic United Front (CUF) on the island of Pemba. After a lengthy investigation,
authorities charged the policeman who fired the shots with involuntary manslaughter;
the officer remains free on bail. CUF leaders complained that in 1996 the
President and Attorney General of Zanzibar blocked the prosecution of the
police officer. Nearly 5 years after the event, a trial is still pending.
Repeated reports from credible sources indicate that the
police use torture, including beatings and floggings in Zanzibar, notably
on Pemba Island. The Zanzibar and Union Governments have both denied these
charges. In September the Zanzibar prisons commissioner confirmed the death
of a remand prisoner who reportedly died of illness en route to a hospital;
the family alleged that the prisoner was taken to the prison after being
severely beaten at a police station.
Since the 1995 election,
police in Zanzibar, particularly on Pemba, have regularly detained, arrested,
or harassed CUF members and suspected supporters. In September police detained
a prominent opposition politician for 6 days before releasing her. Despite
orders from the Union Government's Inspector General of Police, officers
in Zanzibar continued these activities.
Zanzibar's court
system generally parallels the mainland's legal system but retains Islamic
courts to adjudicate Muslim family cases such as divorce, child custody,
and inheritance. Cases concerning Zanzibar constitutional issues are heard
only in Zanzibar's courts. All other cases may be appealed to the national
Court of Appeal.
The Constitution provides for freedom of
speech and of the press; however, the Government limited these rights in
practice. The Government pressures journalists to practice self-censorship
and denied unrestricted access to political opponents. In September police
interrogated a journalist for the Majira newspaper for writing articles
about problems along the border with Burundi. Except in Zanzibar, citizens
generally enjoyed the right to discuss freely political alternatives. Opposition
political party members and others openly criticize the Government and ruling
party in public forums. However, persons using "abusive language"
against the country's leadership may be subject to arrest, and the Government
used this provision to detain some opposition figures. In July a former
presidential candidate was arrested in Zanzibar and charged with making
seditious comments about the chairman of the electoral commission. Earlier
in the year, President Mkapa intimated publicly that government officials
who support the opposition could lose their jobs.
On Zanzibar,
radio and television are controlled by the Government, which also practices
a restrictive policy with regard to print media. Private mainland newspapers
are widely available, and many residents can receive mainland television.
The press on the mainland is, on the whole, lively and outspoken, and even
the government-owned newspaper occasionally reports events that may portray
the Government in an unflattering light. There are 9 daily newspapers and
15 other newspapers in English and Kiswahili, along with another dozen periodicals
some of which are owned or influenced by political parties, both the CCM
and the opposition. The rising cost of newsprint resulted in the closure
of 15 newspapers in 1996. There is no official censorship, but throughout
the year the Government continued to pressure newspapers to suppress or
change articles unfavorable to it.
In 1996 the Government
of Zanzibar banned from the islands the privately owned Kiswahili Language
newspaper Majira. A member of an opposition party central committee was
arrested in June for entering Zanzibar with four copies of the newspaper.
In July that newspaper was charged with sedition for having published a
speech made by a presidential candidate in 1995.
Private
radio and television stations broadcast in Dar es Salaam and in a few other
urban areas, although their activities may be circumscribed. The Government
reportedly does not censor news reports, but attempts to influence their
content. Some journalists, such as those in Zanzibar, exercise self-censorship
on sensitive issues. Authorities prevented television cameramen from filming
the swearing in of an opposition member of Parliament. Journalists who report
arrests can be charged with obstructing police activity under the 1964 Police
Act. In March a journalist was sentenced to 1 year in prison for possessing
a supposedly secret document, which was in fact a personal letter. The arrest
and conviction were widely publicized, and, in an example of judicial independence,
a court later overturned the conviction.
The Union Government
sought to maintain some control over the private media with the establishment
of a code of conduct for journalists and a Media Council. With the leadership
of the local chapter of the Media Council for Southern Africa and the Association
of Journalists and Media Workers, journalists forced the Government to agree
to a voluntary code of ethics and establishment of a media council intended
to preserve and expand media freedom. The council was formally inaugurated
on August 16, although it came into existence in 1996. Thus far, it has
proved ineffectual.
Academic freedom is largely respected
in practice. Academics, increasingly outspoken in their criticism of the
Government, stepped up their calls for reform.
Opposition
parties, other than in Zanzibar, are able to hold rallies. Zanzibar government
officials prohibited the assembly of CUF supporters and use of CUF slogans
for the 10 months following the 1995 election. They continue to ban CUF
meetings, although they occasionally lift the ban. Police continue to break
up meetings attended by persons thought to be opposed to the Zanzibar Government.
In Pemba security forces broke up gatherings and intimidated officials.
On the mainland, by-elections that were held 6 times during
the year were on occasion marred by violence. Tight security was employed
at polling places. Opposition candidates won some of these elections. However,
in late 1996, following its loss in a by-election, the Government issued
new directives limiting political activity and fund raising on the grounds
of maintaining order. In advance of a Zanzibar by-election in November,
government officials harassed opposition supporters, and some violent incidents
took place in connection with voter registration.
Police
arrested 7 CUF officials including two Parliamentarians on the eve of the
November 30 Mkunazini by-election in Zanzibar, which was won by the CUF.
After the election, police arrested an additional 7 party officials, eventually
charging each of the 14 persons with treason for having attempted to overthrow
the Zanzibar Government.
The Constitution provides for freedom
of association; however, the Government limits this right in practice. The
Registrar of Political Parties has sole authority to approve or deny the
registration of any political party and is responsible for enforcing strict
regulations on registered or provisionally registered parties. The Constitution
and other legal acts and stipulate that citizens cannot establish new political
parties; candidates must be members of 1 of the 13 registered political
parties. The electoral law prohibits independent candidates; requires all
standing Members of Parliament to resign if they join another party; requires
all political parties to support the union with Zanzibar; and forbids parties
based on ethnic, regional, or religious affiliation. Parties granted provisional
registration may hold public meetings and recruit members. They have 6 months
to submit lists of at least 200 members in 10 of the country's 25 regions,
including 2 regions in Zanzibar, in order to secure full registration and
to be eligible to field candidates for election. Nonregistered parties are
prohibited from holding meetings, recruiting members, or fielding candidates.
Although the Registrar of Political Parties called the registration provisions
too restrictive, no remedial action has been taken. Moreover, the registrar
announced plans to deregister parties that failed to win 3 percent of the
vote in the last election.
- E-mail from whom knows Zanzibar condition well.Oct.29.'95
- E-mail from Tanzanian overseas Oct.30.'95
- E-mail from Anonymous Oct.31-Nov.3
- E-mail from Tanzanian overseas Nov.16.'95
- E-mail from Tanzanian overseas Nov.19.'95
- E-mail from Anonymous Nov.25
- E-mail from Anonymous Nov.26
- E-mail from Anonymous Dec.22
- E-mail from Anonymous Jan.16,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous Jan.29,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous Feb.1,1996(in Swahili)
- E-mail from Anonymous Feb.2,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous Feb.9,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous Feb.12,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous March.27,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous May.2,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous May.26,1996
- E-mail from AnonymousJUNE.1,1996
- E-mail from AnonymousJUNE.19,1996
- E-mail from AnonymousAug.22,1996
Zanzibar election Diary Oct.19-27,1995
- U.S.Zanzibar:Report on Human Rights ,1996
- back to Arai's Zanzibar Home page
