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Zimbabwe: 2005 country report on Human Rights Practices
US Department of State
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
March 08, 2006

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61600.htm

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Zimbabwe, with a population of approximately 12.7 million, is constitutionally a republic, but the government, dominated by President Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) since independence, was not freely elected and is authoritarian. The last two national elections, the presidential election in 2002 and the parliamentary elections in March, were not free and fair. There were reports of fraud and improper participation of security forces in counting and tabulation of ballots, restrictions on access to voter education, irregularities in voter registration, limitations on the opposition's ability to campaign, and continued restrictions on speech, press, and assembly.

Although the constitution allows for multiple parties, the ruling party and security forces intimidated and committed abuses against opposition parties and their supporters—both perceived and actual—and obstructed their activities. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was the country's principal opposition party; it held 41 of 120 elected parliamentary seats at year's end. The civilian authorities generally maintained control of the security forces, but often used them to control opposition to the ruling party.

The government's human rights record remained very poor. While violence during the election campaign period was lower than in previous elections, the government continued to interfere with campaign activities of the opposition. The ruling party's two-thirds parliamentary majority enabled it to amend the constitution without a referendum or broad consultation. Constitutional amendments passed by parliament and signed by President Mugabe granted the government the ability to restrict exit from the country for reasons of public interest, transferred title to the government to all land reassigned in the land acquisition program, and removed the right to challenge land acquisitions in court. The government's Operation Restore Order campaign to demolish allegedly illegal housing and businesses displaced or destroyed the livelihoods of over 700 thousand persons and further strained the country's poor and depressed economic activity. Many of the displaced lost access to education, treatment for HIV/AIDS, other medical care, and their livelihoods. The economy continued to decline, with hyperinflation and widespread shortages, primarily due to the government's command and control economic policies.

The following human rights and societal problems were reported:

• inability of citizens to change their government
• politically motivated killings and kidnappings
• torture, rape, and abuse of persons perceived to be opposition supporters by security forces,
• government-sanctioned youth militia, and ruling party supporters
• harassment of properly elected local officials from the MDC
• official impunity
• harsh and life-threatening prison conditions
• repeated arbitrary arrest and detention and lengthy pretrial detention
• executive influence and interference in the judiciary
• passing a constitutional amendment that removed the right to judicial appeal in land reform cases
• government distribution of land on a partisan basis, with numerous senior ruling party officials holding multiple farms
• restrictions on freedom of speech, press, academic freedom, peaceful assembly, association, and movement
• widespread government corruption
• harassment of human rights and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and obstruction of their activities
• violence and discrimination against women
• child labor and prostitution
• discrimination against persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities
• an increase in the number of HIV/AIDS orphans and child-headed households
• harassment and interference with labor organizations critical of government policies and attempts to supplant legitimate labor leaders with hand-picked supporters

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