THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) notes with profound disturbance the eviction of workers from residences at Arcturus Mine by owners.
The development has left whole families, including children, stranded and sleeping in the open, exposing them to harsh weather and social conditions in the on-going rainy season.
The grave human rights concern has reportedly been sparked by the change of ownership of the Arcturus mine from Mettalon Gold Zimbabwe, whom the workers had taken to court over outstanding wages.
Apart from the outstanding labour settlement between the workers and the former mine workers, the present situation violates the human rights to shelter, human dignity, and food for the victims, and could lead to loss of property of the families.
ZimRights urges the government as the primary guarantor of social security for citizens and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) as a constitutional body established under Section 242 of the Constitution to look into the situation and recommend ways to avert deeper human rights violations.
Meanwhile, ZimRights urges the incoming and outgoing mine owners to come up with a model of handling the workers’ grievances that does not infringe their fundamental human rights.
ZimRights Hotlines: 0773789874, 0733606797, 0718928611
Source: ZimRights