2013-10-03 Letter from a Tanzanian inmate in a Hong Kong prison
(Comments welcome here) Previous letters in Tanzania File
Let’s use our Proxy Votes
I refer to the report (“You’re on your own, JK tells drug Mules seized abroad – By The Citizens”) Mr. President's statement is flawed irresponsible, unconscionable, counter productive, unpatriotic, unconstitutional and it’s also against the international Human Rights Laws which I believe we are signatories. This is absolutely a political statement, which it has been intended to score a political objective by shifting the blame to the Tanzanian mules and cover up the illicit trade syndicates.
This is a massive propaganda attack on poor Tanzanians who have been lured or fooled by the drug heavy weights (who are in the Tanzanian government power structure) to trafficking the illegal substances in the foreign lands. I am one of the victims and guess what my boss is sitting right there in the House of Parliament doing nothing to help me.
This is not a myth, it’s a pure and simple truth and I have enough corroborating and preponderance evidence to put my boss in the slammer.
Myself as well as dozens of mules here in HK we have appealed to the government to liaise with us as we are ready to co-operate with the government and the Law Enforcement Agencies to bring to justice the culprits (Drug trafficking heavy weights) but to our dismay the government singled us out and rebuffed us in a broad day light.
It’s wrong to suggest that mules are tarnishing the image of the nation abroad whilst keep on refusing to name the list of drug barons supplied by the Law Enforcement Agencies and the Intelligence Services, and refusing to co-operate with us. So you could lay your hands on the kingpins.
When
you talk about drug trafficking in foreign lands particularly here in HK our
nations’ image is stinking, every law enforcement personell or
politician here will tell you that it’s impossible to liaise with our
counterparts (
Mr. President it’s your credibility and integrity on the line and not us.
My fellow compatriots we’re to do something about his, but what ? We (prisoners) don’t have a vote and the fact that we’re incarcerated abroad, no power, no voice – or do we ?
My wife, children, so does my father, mother, brother, sister, as well as my community. So, myself and my fellow prisoners here we will be looking carefully at what candidates in the next general Election “2015” and we will urge our proxy voters to vote for the candidates (“as long as they not from “CCM” - Chama Cha Mapinduzi”)
We are hundreds here with hundreds of thousands of people outside who can vote, so we will use them to get a humble, courageous and dedicated leadership. There is a dire need for leaders who are calm and yet positive, leaders who avoid the extremes of “hot-headedness” leaders of all the people and who can value all the people equally and respect the civil and Human Rights of all Tanzanians. Leaders of wise judgement and sound integrity, leaders not in love with money, but in love with Justice, leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with humanity. True faith, patriotic, strong minds and great hearts to all Tanzanians (home or abroad; beggars or wealth; poor or rich, prisoners or free).
Regardless
of our crimes, which we have admitted, take fully responsibility and showed
remorse to the HK authorities, we’re still Tanzanians per se and based on
international laws we’ve the right to serve of imprisonments close to our
families and this is called Prison Transfer and/or “Repatriation” which is
an agreement signed by two states agreeing to exchange prisoners.
It’s Human Right issue and we hope that the government will pursue it.
I’ll appreciate it if any top brass lawyer there (Tanzania) could shed
a light on this matter and let us know how many countries we (
Tanzanian,
currently in HK Prison.
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