By 
Ex-president, Edgar Lungu, has condemned the reported acts of violence and police brutality against civilians in Kasempa District, Western Province, calling them barbaric.
On Monday, police clashed with locals scavenging for gold at a site in Kasempa.
In a statement issued from Lusaka and shared on his Facebook page, Lungu criticized the use of live ammunition against unarmed people seeking to make a living from recently discovered gold deposits.
He described these actions as a grotesque violation of human rights and argued that the local people, who were trying to sustain their families amid a harsh economy, were the true owners of the minerals beneath their land.
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He also condemned recent Human Rights Commission (HRC) reports of deaths of Zambians allegedly beaten by police officers in Lusaka.
Lungu called for the Zambia Police to uphold the rule of law, exercise restraint and act with justice, fairness, and respect for human dignity.
He urged the police to avoid becoming tools for politically motivated agenda that undermine citizens’ rights.
He offered condolences to the victims in Kasempa and the families of those who allegedly died in police custody.
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