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Statement on the violence that is ongoing in Harare
Youth Forum
February 06, 2011

The Youth Forum, as a representative of the youths in the country, is deeply saddened by reports of violence that are coming out of Harare's high-density suburb of Mbare involving youths from the country's two main political parties. These reports come barely two weeks after violence also broke out in the same suburb as well as in Budiriro, also in Harare. These increasing reports of violence only work to confirm what the people of Zimbabwe have been saying before: THE COUNTRY IS NOT YET READY FOR ELECTIONS. If any elections are going to be held anytime before major and practical electoral and security institutions reforms are made, they can never be considered as free and fair by any standards, even the Kenyan or Ivorian standards. It is beneficial to the whole country if the political leaders and Africa at large realise this truth before more blood is senselessly lost as is currently happening in Ivory Coast, Egypt and Tunisia.

With the African Union having held its 16th Summit under the theme "Towards Greater Unity and Integration through Shared Values" recently, the youths of Zimbabwe would like to call upon the AU to urge this Zimbabwean Government of many names to embrace the shared values of human rights and democracy. The continental grouping should also consider having a greater presence in the country in view of the impending elections that must peacefully lead to a democratically elected government and not this political compromise. Their presence should be characterised by having adequate monitors well before the elections to report and respond to any threats of intimidation, violence and any other electoral malpractices. Ensuring this peaceful transition provides a perfect opportunity to the AU to prove its commitment to the "shared values", notably that of peaceful transitions in its member countries.

According to media reports, both Zanu (PF) and MDC youths were involved in the violence, with Zanu (PF) youths numbering about 70 while the MDC Youths were about 10. It is alleged that the Zanu PF youths found their MDC counterparts performing menial work at their offices before the Zanu PF youths started attacking the MDC Youths using rocks, logs, fists and booted feet. The MDC youths were only saved from further assault by the police who arrived at the scene and 'saved' the MDC Youths by arresting them.

While we commend the police for taking swift action to end the violence, it is interesting to note that the police arrested the victims of the violence and not the perpetrators. The Zimbabwean masses are left wondering what it means when police arrest victims and not perpetrators of violence as this new scenario will leave a lot of victims afraid to report cases of political violence to the ever-partisan police force for fear of being arrested. What is more disturbing is the fact that the perpetrators who were left free went further to set fire on the MDC offices, and are still to be arrested for arson or damage to property.

Utterances by the Mbare Police Officer-in Charge in the courts that the police failed to arrest the ZANU youths because the police was overpowered will also leave the residents of the country wondering if the police has got the means and power to perform its mandate of maintaining peace and security in the country. It is, however, surprising if one wants to note how suddenly resourceful and powerful the same policemen become when it comes to arresting activists perceived to be opposing ZANU PF. This kind of behaviour by Mugabe's police force will only lead to general citizens retaliating whenever they want to arrest people since they are not performing their duties effectively.

The police claim that they dispense their duties in a non-partisan manner but events on the ground prove them otherwise. It is even more surprising that one of the "half" Ministers of Home Affairs, representing the political party that is at the receiving end of this partisan way of conducting business by the police, can claim that the police are now non-partisan. Recent events fly straight in the face of Minister Makone's reckless utterances as it is clear even to a blind man that the police are applying the law selectively. In a normal political environment, the Minister should withdraw her statements or even resign from the post, but the proud and greedy crop of politicians we entrust with our lives and beloved country will never do that.

The Youth Forum is currently undertaking a project aimed at encouraging the youths to participate in national processes, especially elections, and we are encouraging fellow youths to participate in the decision-making and not become action-oriented by engaging in violence. The Youth Forum stands for peaceful, meaningful and informed participation of young people in all national processes. We would like to urge all the youths of the country to register as voters and to go out and vote in numbers, and vote peacefully. We strongly condemn the actions by our fellow youths who are engaging in violence as violence will not solve issues that affect us as youths in general regardless of political affiliation.

Only after the youths learn to engage each other in a peaceful way will all our concerns be addressed to our satisfaction. We as the youths need to realise that we have similar concerns that need to be addressed and we need each other, we need to work together to fight for our rights as the young men and women of Zimbabwe. We need to stop being used by the adult world for their ends to meet at our expense. 'newewo wechidiki, iva gamba'

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