Opposition UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema says his party is greatly concern on how Police is killing citizens through the use of lethal force as a crowd control mechanism, reports Asa Manda.
Hichilema or HH as he is commonly referred to says the excuses being given by relevant government ministers to justify extrajudicial slaughter of unarmed civilians by heavily armed police, is horrifying and dreadful.
He adds that this does not meet the barest minimum of acceptable conduct in a democratic dispensation.
This is contained in a message below posted on his Facebook page:
Goodmorning fellow Zambians,
Circumstances in which the police deprive life to citizens through the use of lethal force as a crowd control mechanism, continues to be a matter of utmost gravity and a source of great concern to the UPND. We have lost precious lives in the past because of such reckless conduct, and this shouldn’t be allowed to continue.
The rules of engagement and the principle of proportionality on the use of force by the heavily militarized police on demonstrating citizens, have been totally abused to achieve goals, that are not tantamount to the respect of the right to life, and therefore brings to question the real motive behind such aggravated action. This is unacceptable and should never be the norm by the police in their quest to exercise public order, which in our view has been politically selective.
The excuses being given by relevant government ministers to justify extrajudicial slaughter of unarmed civilians by heavily armed police, is horrifying and dreadful and does not meet the barest minimum of acceptable conduct in a democratic dispensation.
A so called stray bullet that hits a human target in a sea of unarmed people is not accidental, it is purposefully intentional and will always have consequences that are lethal. The suggestion by Ministers that the killing of unarmed civilians is justifiable as collateral damage, is callous, thoughtless and irresponsible and must never be accepted. This must be condemned by all peace loving citizens and must never be allowed to happen again.
Have a wonderful day and a happy Sabbath.
HH