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Maseneta wa Marekani wamemuandikia barua Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje wa nchi hiyo, Mike Pompeo wakiishutumu Serikali ya Tanzania. Wasema tangu 2015 inaongozwa kwa sera za ajabu
- Wadai Serikali inaminya haki za watu na demokrasia. Waongeza kuwa tangu mwaka 2016 nchi hiyo haina Balozi rasmi nchini Tanzania hivyo ni lazima Balozi ateuliwe.
- Wasema kuwa Ubalozi wao uanze kufanya juhudi za kuhakisha kunakuwa na uchaguzi huru na wa haki mwaka 2020.
- Wataka Marekani ihakikishe hakuna fedha zinatolewa na taasisi yoyote ya kimataifa kufadhili sera zinazoonekana kuwa kinyume na haki za binadamu
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December 12, 2018
The Honorable Mike Pompeo Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Secretary Pompeo:
We write with strong concern about closing political space in Tanzania, and urge the Administration to increase engagement to help forestall the further erosion of civil liberties and democratic freedoms in that country.
From its inception in 2015, President John Magufuli’s administration has been characterized by hostile policies, and acts of violence and intimidation aimed at civil society, the media and political opposition. Female students are given mandatory pregnancy tests; those who are pregnant are expelled and prevented from completing their education. President Magafuli has suspended U.S. funded HIV/AIDS programs which provided outreach and health care to men who have sex with men, a key population to be targeted in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Additionally, President Magufuli is quoted as saying that “even cows” should condemn homosexuality, and threatened to deport or arrest activists in the country, stoking fears among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex population. Newspapers have faced sanctions, such as fines or suspension, for coverage deemed critical of the government. And laws undercutting media independence and restricting online content have been signed into law, all under Magufuli’s tenure. Opposition members of parliament have been shot after criticizing the President, arrested and harassed by police, and some are being tried for sedition.
Partners in the diplomatic community have taken action to address democratic backsliding and discrimination. The European Union has recalled its Ambassador to Tanzania after what it termed his ‘forced departure’ from Tanzania, and its financial support and policies toward Tanzania are under review. Another key donor, Denmark, said it would withhold $10 million worth of aid money, citing concerns over human rights abuses and "unacceptable homophobic comments" made by a government official.
The World Bank had suspended missions to Tanzania, lifting that ban only after accepting the government’s assurance that it would refrain from harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation, and it threatened to scrap a plan to loan Tanzania $300 million after the country reaffirmed its policy of banning pregnant girls from school and made it a criminal offense to publicly “question official statistics.”
The United States too must act to address these challenges. First, the Administration should appoint an Ambassador to Tanzania to lead our strategies, programs and diplomatic outreach on the ground. The post has been vacant since late 2016. Second, we should begin undertaking actions that support fair and credible elections in 2020. The U.S. embassy and USAID mission in Tanzania should immediately be allocated resources to facilitate and implement a full array of democracy, rights, and governance programs — including on-the-ground independent election planners and long-term observers who can monitor and report on the pre-election environment, electoral processes, and eventual election outcomes.
Finally, we must develop a strategy with likeminded diplomatic partners in Tanzania and multilateral fora to speak out against President Magufuli’s war on democratic freedoms and civil liberties, and urge the Tanzanian government to take concerted action to ensure that all political and civic rights guaranteed under the Tanzanian constitution are fully respected. This should include using our voice and vote in International Financial Institutions to ensure no funding is provided that supports intolerant, unfair or inequitable public policies.
Mr. Secretary, Tanzania’s current political trajectory is deeply troubling. The progress that Tanzania has made in the last decade and a half in the areas of democracy and respect for civil liberties is undergoing a reversal before our very eyes. We can and should take immediate steps to help halt this backsliding. We stand ready to support the Administration’s efforts to stem the growing tide of repression and ensure adherence to internationally recognized civil liberties and human rights norms and standards in Tanzania.
Sincerely,
