Govt abandonment of disaster victims is violation of human rights - LHRC
DART officials went to issue the single day ultimatum yesterday at the Jangwani area along Morogoro road where they told the hundreds of Internally Displaced Person (IDP) they have until to today evening to leave voluntarily.
“The stations are not meant to act as houses,” Dart Chief Executive Asteria Mlambo told The Guardian when reached for comments.
“The stay of the victims is destroying infrastructures at the station...our officials went to the station today (yesterday) and advised the victims to vacate by tomorrow (today) evening,” she confirmed.
The Dart Chief Executive maintained that Dart has so far been very lenient in acknowledgement of the emergency situation but said the illegal occupation of the stations can be ignored and must be addressed promptly.Mlambo however fell short of offering a decisive cause of action should the displaced persons fail to adhere to the order.
Victims of the floods in the Jangwani valley of Dar’s Ilala Municipality are in there hundreds. A spot check of the bus station revealed an estimated 200 households representing over 400 men, women and children.
Earlier this week, one of the victims, Ester John, mother of an eight months old infant pleaded for assistance from Good Samaritans requesting food and shelter.
“I can only breast feed my baby...I don’t have any food,” she lamented.
Speaking on behalf of other victims who suffer a similar plight she said “...we and our children are starving...the children cannot sleep because they are hungry, please help us.”
Echoing the plea for help, Aisha Ramadhan, another victim and mother to a one year old boy said; “I have nowhere else to turn for aid...” and she too appealed for government intervention.
However, the government they are turning to has repeatedly made it clear that it has no intention of coming to their rescue.
Quoted only last week, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Meck Sadiki maintained that, the government would not extend assistance to the displaced people from the flood prone areas because; “...they have been repeatedly reminded to relocate but they stubbornly refuse to heed advice.”
Legal and human Rights Centre Executive Director Helen Kijo-Bisimba has condemned government’s stance not to help the natural disaster victim’s as a violation of human rights.
“Yes they contravened government orders to vacate but this is now an emergency situation...there are women and little children, these are victims of a natural disaster and must be helped,” she said.
The human rights activists Executive Director pointed out that the country has a disaster management department under the Prime Minister’s office and it should be tasked with responding to this natural disaster as per its operating protocol.
Meanwhile, Tanzania National Road Agency (Tanroads) Public is carrying out President Kikwete’s order to clean the Jangwani area of Msimbazi River under the Morogoro Road Bridge.
“We have to immediately respond to President Kikwete’s order without any delay,” she said.
During his Tuesday visit, Kikwete also ordered Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) to construct a temporary bridge to connect Mbagala Kuu and Kijichi area in Temeke District where the previous bridge has been washed away by the floods.
The President visited Mbagala in Temeke and Jangwani areas adjacent to Msimbazi River in Ilala District where he witnessed firsthand, the effects of the floods.
Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander, Suleiman Kova said on Monday that death toll from ongoing floods in Dar es Salaam had reached twelve from the previously recorded eight.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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