By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
Head of Human Rights Commission (HRC) delegation Mwelwa Muleya says that the Hatembos are crying for protection and they believe that they are not in any sort of abduction.
But the commission says they fall under internally displaced persons requiring government’s protection.
Mr Muleya said that investigations are still on going, noting that the commission is on top of the matter of the investigations, saying that the Hatembos are afraid of being persecuted.
He encouraged journalists to always seek the background story in the case of the Hatembos, before branding the situation as an abduction, when in fact not.
“Journalists should by any means ensure that they have the correct information on the matter of the Hatembos before assuming abduction. So far what the commission has discovered is that the Hatembos willingly went into hiding to protect their lives and have refused to resurface so that they can remain safe from any forms of persecution.
“The Hatembos have not been abducted, but are hiding to protect their lives at own will so that they are not prosecuted, and they believe that if they resurface from their safe place they might endanger their lives,” Mr Muleya said.
