Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has announced that her government will launch an investigation into the deadly post-election protests that left hundreds dead and sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups. The president's move comes after she declared victory in the October 29 presidential election, which was marred by allegations of irregularities and mass protests.
Suluhu's announcement marked a shift in tone for her government, which had initially resisted calls for accountability and instead cracked down on dissent with force. Speaking at the opening session of Tanzania's new parliament, Sulhuu expressed "deep sadness" over the incident and offered condolences to families who lost loved ones during the crackdown.
The investigation is seen as a conciliatory gesture, although critics say it may be too little, too late. Human rights groups have long called for an independent and thorough probe into the killings, enforced disappearances, and other human rights abuses that occurred during the protests.
Amnesty International has described the government's actions as "grave human rights violations" and urged authorities to bring those responsible to justice in fair trials. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, also pressed for a thorough investigation into the killings and disappearance of protesters.
Meanwhile, dozens of people have been charged with treason and other offenses related to the protests. In a surprise move, President Hassan suggested that leniency be shown to those who were arrested and charged, particularly if they did not intend to commit a crime.
The president also acknowledged demands from opposition parties for constitutional reforms, which she said would be undertaken within her administration's first 100 days. The announcement marks an attempt by Suluhu to heal the wounds of the protests and reassure international donors about the government's commitment to democracy and human rights.
Suluhu's announcement marked a shift in tone for her government, which had initially resisted calls for accountability and instead cracked down on dissent with force. Speaking at the opening session of Tanzania's new parliament, Sulhuu expressed "deep sadness" over the incident and offered condolences to families who lost loved ones during the crackdown.
The investigation is seen as a conciliatory gesture, although critics say it may be too little, too late. Human rights groups have long called for an independent and thorough probe into the killings, enforced disappearances, and other human rights abuses that occurred during the protests.
Amnesty International has described the government's actions as "grave human rights violations" and urged authorities to bring those responsible to justice in fair trials. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, also pressed for a thorough investigation into the killings and disappearance of protesters.
Meanwhile, dozens of people have been charged with treason and other offenses related to the protests. In a surprise move, President Hassan suggested that leniency be shown to those who were arrested and charged, particularly if they did not intend to commit a crime.
The president also acknowledged demands from opposition parties for constitutional reforms, which she said would be undertaken within her administration's first 100 days. The announcement marks an attempt by Suluhu to heal the wounds of the protests and reassure international donors about the government's commitment to democracy and human rights.
. It shows that President Hassan is trying to take responsibility for what happened after the election 
. The fact that she's announcing an investigation into the protests and acknowledging demands from opposition parties is a good start 
. But, at the same time, we need to see some concrete actions taken by the government to address these human rights abuses 
. Amnesty International saying it's "too little, too late" might be harsh, but I get where they're coming from 
. One thing that worries me is the fact that dozens of people have been charged with treason and other offenses - we need to make sure those people are treated fairly, not just swept under the rug 
. Overall, this is a step in the right direction, but we'll see how it plays out 
.
I mean, we've seen governments try to spin these kinds of things before, but I'm curious if this one has any teeth. 
What do you guys think, should the government be held accountable for its actions, or should they just keep moving forward like nothing happened? 
anyway, glad she's finally doing something about it. seems like a good start that she's acknowledging the pain and stuff. fingers crossed it's not just a PR stunt though 
. I'm sure it has nothing to do with trying to appease international pressure and avoid a potential economic downturn 
. A little too late for some of us who've been saying this since before the whole thing went down 
. Can't say I'm surprised that human rights groups are still calling for an independent investigation, though - someone's gotta keep them in check 
. And leniency to those arrested? Yeah, sure, because that's exactly what we need more of 
Launching an investigation now might not be enough to make up for the fact that hundreds of people lost their lives during those protests. 
. It's a good start, but we need to see more concrete actions from the government.
. It feels like they're being punished for exercising their right to free speech and assembly. I hope that President Hassan's leniency move will actually lead to some of these charges being dropped 
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now it just looks like a PR stunt to get back in the good books with the international community. plus, whats with all these treason charges? sounds like a setup to me 
! President Samia Suluhu Hassan is finally acknowledging that her govt messed up big time after all those deaths during the election protests 
. It's a bit too little, too late if you ask me... I mean, human rights groups have been saying this stuff for ages and what do they get? Cracks down on dissent with force 
. But hey, at least she's trying to make amends now 
... I mean, come on! If you didn't commit a crime, why should you get punished for something you didn't do? It's just not right 
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. president suluhu seems like shes tryna show some humanity now, but really its been comin for ages 
It took them long enough to acknowledge what happened but at least they're doing something about it now. I hope the investigation is thorough and not just some whitewash job