The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Sibusiso Moyo on Tuesday dismissed a joint statement by Western diplomats accredited to Harare condemning the government’s brutal clampdown on protestors on August 16.
Moyo was speaking during a post-cabinet media briefing in Harare where he also called for the lifting of sanctions imposed by the West. He said:
Yes I have just heard about those comments by several capitals but that is their right; that is their independent positions. Our positions are that sanctions are outdated.
To try and bring the issue of police reaction, it (police) is an independent organ of the State which makes its assessment and deals with situations as they assess.
Moyo insisted that supporters of the MDC broke the law when they staged a demonstration in Harare after Police had issued a prohibitive order which was then upheld by the High Court. He added:
They made a legal position. It (decision) was challenged (in court) and unfortunately, it was not successful.
Thereafter, they proceeded with the demonstration which was now fundamentally illegal in terms of the law.
We always as government desire that the police should use commensurate force in response to demonstrators.