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Zimbabwe:
Escalating violence
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human
Rights and Labor, Bureau of African Affairs
December 03, 2007
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=texttrans-
english&y=2007&m=December&x=20071203150131eaifas0.1220514
"In
Zimbabwe, ordinary citizens suffer under a tyrannical regime.
The government has cracked down on peaceful calls for reform and
forced millions to flee their homeland. The behavior of the Mugabe
regime is an assault on its people -- and an affront to the principles
of the Universal Declaration."
-
President George W. Bush
REGIME CRACKDOWN:
2007 is the worst year yet for defenders of freedom in Zimbabwe.
Despite recent efforts by regional leaders to resolve the ongoing
crisis, the assault against human rights and democracy by Robert
Mugabe's government has accelerated.
THE CONSENSUS:
Numerous internationally recognized organizations agree that the
Mugabe regime has failed to respect the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and note that human rights abuses, particularly political
violence, are on the rise. Further, Amnesty International, Article
19, Human Rights Watch, the International Bar Association, and Redress,
among others, contend that the Mugabe government has failed to protect
rights set forth in the African Charter on Human and Peoples'
Rights./1
THE VICTIMS:
The Mugabe regime has used Zimbabwean security and intelligence
forces and youth militias to intensify its campaign against peaceful
citizens exercising their rights to freedom of expression, assembly,
and association. Zimbabweans from all walks of life have been targeted,
including the political opposition, democracy and human rights activists,
religious leaders, labor unions, women's groups, journalists,
and students. Victims are attacked at locations across the country,
including homes, workplaces, shopping centers, university campuses,
peaceful rallies, and police stations.
6,000 VIOLATIONS
AND COUNTING: Recent reporting from Zimbabwean NGOs suggests an
appalling trend: Over 6,000 instances of human rights abuse have
been reported since the beginning of 2007, with at least 500 violations
occurring each month/2 and over 1,400 attacks against students alone./3
- Disappearances
and Abductions: Over 90 reports of politically motivated kidnapping
and disappearance./2
- Torture
and Assault: 3,463 victims of torture and assault received medical
treatment in 2007, nearly triple the 1,185 victims recorded in
2006./4 Victims report beatings with whips and cables, suspension,
and electric shock.
- Arrests
and Detention: More than 1,200 cases, though few go to trial or
result in conviction./5
- Harassment
and Intimidation: Over 3,000 incidents have targeted the political
opposition, civil society, and ordinary citizens./2
- Denial of
Basic Needs: The Mugabe regime's interference with humanitarian
activities, partisan distribution of food, and refusal of medical
treatment to victims of politically motivated violence continues.
- Ongoing
Repression: With over 2,000 complaints recorded, broad restrictions
on freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association
persist./5
Sources:
1/Zimbabwe:
Human Rights in Crisis, Shadow Report to the African Commission
on Human and Peoples' Rights, Amnesty International, May 2007;
2/Zimbabwe
Peace Project;
3/Students
Solidarity Trust;
4/Zimbabwe
Association of Doctors for Human Rights;
5/Zimbabwe Human
Rights NGO Forum.
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