The Oasis Forum says attempts by the Patriotic Front (PF) Government and State House officials to demonise and try to isolate the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) are in bad taste.
In a signed statement to QFM News, Oasis Forum conveners namely Zambia Episcopal Conference Secretary General Fr Cleophas Lungu, Council of Churches in Zambia General Secretary Reverend Suzanne Matale and NGOCC Chairperson Beatrice Grillo say they are dismayed by statements aimed at LAZ as an organisation and in particular its president, James Banda.
They say the President of LAZ, James Banda, speaks on behalf of the association and usually after wide consultation and deliberation by the various committees of LAZ.
They state that to vilify him in his individual capacity is therefore grossly unfair and highly divisive.
They say as the Oasis Forum, they stand solidly with LAZ and fully support the stance taken by the association on several issues that are of concern to all well-meaning Zambians.
They state that they support wholeheartedly the position of LAZ on the Public Order Act and commend them for taking, to the High Court of Zambia, the matter of the Public Order Act and Statutory Instrument No.33.
They add that they agree with LAZ that the way the PF Government is going about implementing the Public Order Act is both high-handed and “unreasonable”.
They accuse the PF Government of abusing the Zambia Police and infringing, with impunity, the freedoms of citizens.
They cite the recent arrest of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) leadership, on the Copperbelt, as one such case in point.
The Oasis Forum further endorsed other positions taken by the LAZ such as the need to protect the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) from being intimidated as the Republican President attempted to do when he recently insisted that the ACC inform him when investigating senior Government officials.
They say that they expected the Republican President to reprimand Justice Minister, Wynter Kabimba, for his conduct at the ACC offices.
They further echoed LAZ’s condemnation of the unprecedented spate of deportations and revocations to remain in Zambia by the Government.
They describe the deportations as illegal and an abuse of the deportation Act by the current Minister of Home Affairs.
They further state that they are alarmed at the speed with which the PF Government is reversing the many hard-won democratic gains of the Zambian people.
The Oasis Forum conveners have vowed that they will not watch as the PF Government attempts to re-introduce a de-facto one party state in the country either through costly and unnecessary bye %u2013elections or through intimidation of critics.
They have since called for an end to detentions, arbitrary arrests, harassment and intimidation of all those critical of Government and of the PF.
They also reminded president Sata that he swore to God protect and defend the republican constitution, and soon after taking office he went on to proclaim that he would rule the nation on Christian principles.