Amnesty International hails Tsvangirai
Amnesty International has described late Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as a courageous politician who also stood up for human rights for the people of Zimbabwe, often at personal cost.
Tsvangirai died on Wednesday in a South African hospital after a long battle with colon cancer.
Amnesty International Regional Director for Southern AfricaDeprose Muchena said Tsvangirai was a robust human rights defender.
“As a political leader Morgan Tsvangirai inspired hopes of millions of Zimbabweans at times when human rights were under threat,” said Muchena in a statement on Thursday.
“His death will be felt as a serious blow by those who continue to struggle for human rights, rule of law and social justice in Zimbabwe.”
Tsvangirai, a trade unionist, rose to the centre of Zimbabwean politics in the late 1990s when he founded the Movement for Democratic Change. He served as prime minister in President Robert Mugabe’s government between 2009 and 2013.
As a trade unionist he championed workers’ rights and led the struggle for social and economic rights of millions of Zimbabweans.
As an opposition politician he repeatedly challenged human rights violations and injustices, including the arrests and intimidation of activists, journalists and political opposition figures.
Tsvangirai himself was beaten and arrested several times by the Zimbabwean security forces for his political activities and for championing the human rights of others, including during elections.
During the 2008 Presidential election he and his supporters were targeted for their political views, suffering violence at the hands of state agents.
Tsvangirai was born on March 10, 1952 in Gutu, Masvingo Province in the south of Zimbabwe.
He was deeply rooted in labour activism in his early political career, leading the Associated Mine Workers Union.
Tsivangirai was elected Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, the primary trade union federation in Zimbabwe, in 1988.
