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AU urged to intervene as death toll rises
Lance Guma, SW Radio Africa
May 07, 2008

http://www.swradioafrica.com/news070508/au070508.htm

The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) has launched a campaign aimed at mobilizing the African Union to intervene in the Zimbabwean crisis.

This comes on the back of news that over 25 MDC activists have now been killed in the wave of post-election violence sponsored by the losing Zanu PF regime.

OSISA prepared a letter addressed to the AU, which civil society groups in 21 African countries are expected to endorse. According to group spokesperson Roshnee Narrandes, 'the letter sets out certain demands regarding an election run-off in Zimbabwe.' They believe a post election environment characterized by organized violence, harassment and intimidation of people assumed to be MDC supporters will require urgent leadership from the AU.

OSISA said the AU should go beyond 'expressions of concern' and take more concrete steps to address the political crisis. Under its proposals the AU should begin by calling for an immediate cessation of violence and the protection of innocent citizens. This would be followed by the deployment of an exploratory mission of experts to assess the electoral environment. 'This mission should be composed of people with electoral experience and skills and have credibility to speak with authority and compassion on the Zimbabwean crisis,' OSISA said. The group said the mission should be large enough to enable its presence countrywide to serve as a deterrent against state sponsored violence. Reports from the mission will then provide grounds for an extended election observer team.

Last week over 200 civil society organizations met for this emergency conference in Tanzania, where they agreed to use any available opportunities to highlight the Zimbabwean crisis. The conference which was organized by OSISA chapters in Southern and Eastern Africa, with help from the East African Law Society, urged the AU not to recognize Mugabe as the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe. The groups pledged to pressure their respective governments to take a much more stronger and critical approach towards Mugabe's regime. Harun Ndubi from Kenyans for Peace with Truth and Justice said; 'The AU has the capacity to establish a fact-finding mission on the human-rights violations. The SADC has been a disappointment. We must start naming and shaming these countries and organizations that are unable to deal with the situation.'

Meanwhile the MDC says the death toll from political violence continues to mount with many deaths going unreported. Although the party has 21 confirmed death certificates the figure now stands at 25 recorded deaths. Many more are being killed in remote villages that have been sealed off by the army and Zanu PF militants. State security operatives are said to be blocking post-mortems and forcing families to bury their loved ones secretly. On Wednesday, Bulawayo Agenda issued a report detailing the violence in Matabeleland. It said soldiers and war veterans have been deployed in various rural areas to intimidate the electorate ahead of any run-off. An MDC youth chairman Nigel Dube was beaten to death on Saturday by war veterans in Shurugwi. He was buried on Tuesday.

Areas like Lupane, Gwanda, Ntepe, Mathambo, Kezi, Matopo, Nkayi North, Hwange, Bulilima and Mangwe have all been affected. In the Jambezi area near the Victoria Falls holiday resort ten families have fled the violence and taken refuge at Catholic churches in Hwange. The Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe also reports that 5 MDC supporters were killed by war veterans in Chiweshe (Mashonaland Central). Four of the deceased were identified as Davy Mapuranga, Joseph Maguranhende, Tapuwa Meda and Alex Chiriseri. Members of the church have also not been spared. An Assemblies of God church in the Dola area of Bubi District was closed down and its pastor tortured by war veterans. The pastor is reported to be receiving treatment at a secret location and is highly traumatized.

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