The Zambian government on Monday banned a civic organisation critical of President Levy Mwanawasa for allegedly ”endangering the country’s security”.
The Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (Saccord), a regional organisation based in Lusaka, has been openly critical of Mwanawasa and has put pressure on him to adopt a new democratic Constitution before the next presidential election in 2006.
”I have noticed with displeasure that your organisation has engaged itself in activities which are… a danger to the state security,” interior minister Ronnie Shikapwasha said in statement.
”I have decided to deregister your organisation with immediate effect,” he said.
Saccord executive director Lee Habasonda said the decision had come as a shock but the organisation intended to challenge the matter in court.
Justice Minister George Kunda has threatened to charge the leaders of civic organisations with treason if they continued to advocate for a new Constitution to be passed by 2006.
The banning of Saccord came a few weeks after Mwanawasa said his government was considering to enact a law regulating the funding of non-governmental organisations by international donors. – Sapa-AFP