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Families
flee as violence escalates in two Mashonaland provinces
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
May 27, 2010
Politically
motivated violence, intimidation and displacement are on the increase
in the Mashonaland Central and East Provinces especially with the
upcoming Constitutional
Reform Process. According to reports received by The Coalition,
families have fled their homes, as they fear for their lives.
On the 17th of May 2010
two families from the Chiweshe communal areas in Mashonaland Central
were forced to seek refuge at an undisclosed location in Harare
following alleged threats from ZANU PF supporters. Reports from
the Mukutwa* and Gwshere* families (not their real names for security
reasons) are that on Sunday 26 May 2010, four men in an ISUZU double
cab truck allegedly descended on the Gweshere family homestead where
they demanded to see Mr. Gweshere. The four. Accused Mr. Gweshere
of trying to sue them and threatened his wife with death if she
failed to locate her husband.
Sensing danger, Mrs.
Gweshere requested permission to collect her phone from her neighbours'
house so that she could contact her husband where she took the opportunity
to escape to the Mukutwa homestead where she informed then that
they were in danger from ZANU PF supporters. The two families located
Mr. Gweshere and informed him of what was happening before fleeing
to the bushes where they spent the night. On the morning of 18th
May 2010, the two families travelled to Harare where they are currently
in hiding. The families continue living in fear while awaiting the
intervention of JOMIC.
According to the two
families, problems began when four ZANU PF officials based in Chiweshe,
Isdo Gwanzura (District Chairman), Elijah Marufu (Youth Chairman),
Sarudzai Mutyavaviri (Councillor Ward 22) and Stanley Mapondera
were issued with summons to appear in court some time last year
on allegations of assaulting the two families and other Movement
for Democratic change (MDC) supporters ahead of the 2008 Presidential
election run-off. A man only referred to as 'Chimukoko'
who is believed to be a war veteran allegedly tore the summons leading
to the above not attending court.
In another report from
Murehwa in Mahsonaland East, ZANU PF supporters allegedly burnt
down Sarudzai Mashavas homestead in Mushore Village under Chief
Mangwende on the 5th of May 2010 at around 11pm. The ZANU PF supporters
accused Mashava, who is the MDC Women's League Vice Organising
Secretary for Ward 15, of being sympathetic to the MDC.
In a similar incident,
another MDC supporter, Mrs. Sarudzai Tawodzera of Ward 15 in the
same area also had her house burnt down by alleged ZANU PF supporters
in February 2010. It is alleged that Johannes Regis Chitsa (ZANU
PF District Political Commissar), Emish Ndombo (District Chariman)
and Annias Muswere who are suspected of burning down Tawodzera's
house, are the same people who burnt down Mashava's house.
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in Zimbabwe fact
sheet
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