Back to Index

Report on politically motivated human rights and food-related violations - May 2009
Zimbabwe Peace Project
June 23, 2009

Download this document
- Adobe PDF version (424KB)
If you do not have the free Acrobat reader on your computer, download it from the Adobe website by clicking here.

Overview

A nation in which citizens first and foremost view themselves as members of one big family, each with a Godly endowed right to life, association, expression, assembly and redress is indeed the dream of all peace-loving citizens across the world. This report contributes to this universally cherished concern by identifying, analyzing and alerting society of malpractices that pose to either covertly or overtly undermine the consummation of these basic freedoms in both the rural and urban settings of Zimbabwe. The report is presented in two sections, the first part focusing on politically motivated human rights violations in general while the second part zeroes in on those that affect food distribution.

While the inclusive government dispensation has certainly not been a stranger to setbacks, the fact that it has maintained forte for the past three months should be cause for continued national hope. Equally encouraging are its efforts at opening debate on the stormy "waters" of the constitution making and national healing processes, societal prayers being that those who have been mandated with this onerous task will have both the "ear" and the "will" to input critical issues that are raised as the processes roll out to all parts of the country. A replay of the 1999 constitution-making process is the least the nation expects. Equally true is that long-lasting national reconciliation can hardly be achieved through forced amnesia!

Also heartening is the news that following heart-rending reports of dire food shortages in the country's prisons in which nearly 1000 prisoners reportedly died of malnutrition, the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] is currently supplying food and medicines to Bulawayo's two prisons of Khami and Grey and Harare's Chikurubi prison with the program expected to roll out to other prisons across the country. Reports of the ministry of Justice failing to transport prisoners on remand for trials grossly infringe upon the constitutional rights of prisoners.

Reports that some chiefs are beginning to take tough stances against former perpetrators of violence in their areas by encouraging all villagers who had their property looted in the run up to the June 27, 2008 Elections to report such matters to courts are indeed refreshing. These initiatives, though in infancy, have reportedly some former victims of violence getting back their livestock and property in peaceful circumstances. Since most of these violations occurred in rural communities, who other than traditional leaders is better placed to ensure that community harmony is restored?

Equally worth noting are modest changes that have occurred in the health sector. While drugs are still short, public access to health services has noticeably improved. The sick now have some hope when they are taken to public hospitals.

Despite these efforts, the post inclusive political environment remains disturbingly polarized along party lines, scenarios that have seen unscrupulous individuals exploiting party politics to commit human rights violations.

Scenarios in which some inclusive government ministers appear to be only answerable to the President but publicly defying orders from the Prime Minister prejudice the integrity of the inclusive government. Equally disturbing are reports that soldiers of all ranks have been ordered to salute only the President and to an extent Defence Minister leaving out the Prime Minister.

The issue of the posts of the Central Bank Governor and Attorney General remain contested and assuming highly emotional partisan overtones with even declarations by one of the principals to the inclusive Government that the case of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor is a "closed matter" while services chiefs have also joined the political fray saying that calls for the removal of the Reserve Bank Governor would provoke a reaction from the army. Since then, incidents in which members of the public have been either harassed or assaulted for expressing opinions on these issues of public interest have been reported countrywide-with disturbing recurrence.

Organizations operating as Trusts in areas of human rights, democracy and governance are set to see an increase in state interference in their operations if the proposed legislation compelling them all to register as private voluntary organizations [PVOs] sees the light of the day.

Also worrying are reports of continued arrests and detention of human rights activists, politicians, journalists and human rights lawyers carrying out their mandates. Notable cases being the re-arrest, detention of Jestina Mukoko , Brodreck Takawira and 16 others on the 5th May 2009 following their indictment to the High Court by the Harare Magistrate court. They however, were released on the same bail conditions the following day, the 6th of May 2009.

Other cases, being arrest and charge on 11 May, 2009 of two journalists of the privately owned Zimbabwe Independent's weekly newspaper for publishing an article which was viewed by the state as "wholly or materially false" and also the arrest and detention of prominent human rights lawyer, Alec Muchadehama on 14 May 2009, by officers from the police's law and order section accusing him of obstructing the course of justice.

Student rights to education continue to be disregarded with the premier institution of higher education, the University of Zimbabwe remaining closed for the past six months, developments that have seen career prospects of many students scuttled.

Inter-party initiatives in most rural areas are facing resistance from political party hardliners with some utterances by the leadership reportedly leaving grassroots members confused about the sincerity of the inclusive government drive. Community activities remain sharply polarized along party lines while in urban high density areas most market stalls are citadels of power contestations between MDC and ZANU PF supporters- despite the fact that most urban areas are under MDC local councillors.

With election talk afloat and even reports of resurgence of the visibility of military details and youths militia in rural areas, fear of a replay of the 27 June, 2008 atrocities is reportedly stalking most rural communities. Incidents in which some youths have been caught snooping and even recording names of all MDC supporters in their areas as well as any ZANU PF supporters suspected to have defected to the MDC also cast ominous future scenarios come elections. Also alarming to the villagers are reports that some ZANU party youth militias who are known to have been part of the terror campaign in the rural areas, have been grafted onto the government pay roll and are receiving the US$100 allowances paid to all those employed by government.

While invasions on the remaining farms owned by white farmers continue unabated and reportedly with even more vigour after the unannounced visits in April 2009 by a ministerial team led by deputy-Prime Minister, Professor Arthur Mutambara a "struggle within the struggle" has unfolded with some invaders reportedly targeting farms that are owned by blacks known or suspected to be supporters of the MDC. The strategy, as reported is that people in possession of certificates of occupation that look authentic with all correct details of the farms in their names, would approach their targets and claim ownership to the farm. These clandestine evictions have to be urgently stopped as they constitute a stab in the back of a land reform process which the three principals to the Global Political Agreement endorsed is irreversible. With these disruptions at most farms, children have become silent victims, driven out of schools, rendered homeless and destitute once their parents are evicted from farms-their source of livelihood.

Reports of incidents in which victims of political violence are said to have taken up matters into their own hands in an attempt to recover their property and livestock are disturbingly on the increase. Also disconcerting to most yester-victims of violence is that while police are quick to arrest those who claim their property they are reportedly still hesitant to take action against known perpetrators of violence. In Mapadzire village of Nyanga in Manicaland, two former base commanders reportedly lost 6 and 4 cattle each through water poisoning allegedly by people who had earlier tried in vain to get back their livestock from the said former perpetrators.

In another related incident, two war veterans who had caused terror in the run up to the 27 June, 2008 elections and had since relocated to another area were reportedly upon their return to their former village on 9 May, 2009 attacked and chased away by villagers. Urgent measures are thus needed to avert incidents of this nature. Against this background, by end of May, 1983 cases of incidents that smack of politically motivated human rights violations had been recorded, the figure showing a disturbing surge from the April record of 1490. Of the May record, 976 were harassments, 398 were assaults and 353 were discriminations, however with no recorded cases of murder.

Since January 2008, a cumulative total of 30,012 cases of politically motivated human rights violations have been recorded, of which 15668 were harassments while 6286 were assault cases.

Download full document 

Visit the ZPP fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP