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Political violence report - June 2009
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
August 24, 2009

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Overview

The month of June saw the levels of organised violence being sustained with little indication that the Government of National Unity (GNU) was committed to ending human rights violations in the country. Disregard for the rule of law, corruption, intimidation, abuse of political office and the militarisation of both public and private institutions continue to dog Zimbabwe and stifle any meaningful economic recovery.

Civic activity remained under threat as the police violently broke-up peaceful protests and denied civic groups permission to take part in civic activities. This report documents the harassment, arrest, detention and beatings of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) members as they took part in marches to commemorate the United Nations International Refugee Day in Harare and Bulawayo. Two student leaders were also arrested at Masvingo Polytechnic following a protest at the campus as the clampdown on the student movement continues. The police are also reported to have denied clearance for a peaceful march of gender activists who intended to advocate for greater women's participation in the constitution making process. The police continue to stifle free and peaceful civic activity with brutal attacks on peaceful activists despite the commitment by the parties to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) which incorporates article 18 "Security of Persons and Prevention of Violence."

Journalists have not been spared the wrath of the security forces as they continue to be harassed, arrested and prevented from doing their work. This report documents the arrest and detention of three journalists as they covered the march by members of WOZA in Harare. Two other journalists employed by the The Worker, a Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) publication, were also arrested, detained and assaulted for covering a protest by Municipal workers in Harare. Despite winning a landmark ruling against the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) over the legality of the Media and Information Commission (MIC), four free-lance journalists were reportedly barred by security operatives from covering the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit for not being accredited. The continued harassment and intimidation of media practitioners is a worrying trend in the country that has prevented the opening up of media space and has limited public access to reliable information.

Of note in the month of June, is the increase in incidents of violence reportedly perpetrated by members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) against civilians. This report documents attacks on villagers in Mazowe East by members of the ZNA who are alleged to have assaulted them at their homes at night. It is alarming that some members of the ZNA appear to be a law unto themselves and continue to harass defenceless civilians. As intimidation and fear continue to grip many parts of rural Zimbabwe, groups of ZANU PF youths are still reported to be harassing members and suspected members of the MDC, more than a year after the disputed Presidential Run-Off election. Retributive attacks on those who sought legal assistance and want redress for crimes committed during the 2008 electoral violence have been reported in some parts of the country. Intimidation of MDC members by state agents has also continued. This report documents how three MDC members who were part of the group of those abducted between October and December 2008, were forcibly taken from their homes to the Attorney General's Office. The violence, intimidation and mistrust across the political divide continues against the sentiments of commitment to national healing expressed publicly by the leaders of the three parties to the GPA.

Farm invasions have taken place unabated despite numerous court rulings and calls by the Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara for an end to violence on commercial farms earlier in the year. The continued involvement and implication of some senior government and ZANU PF officials in the looting of farming equipment and produce, and in the harassment and displacement of commercial farmers and farm workers is conspicuous, in what can be seen as a clear abuse of office. This report documents the on-going disturbances in the Chegutu farming area where a senior ZNA officer Brigadier Mujaji has forcibly taken over Karori Farm in contempt of court orders prohibiting him from settling on the farm. Also documented in this report is the harassment of a Deputy Sheriff who was allegedly chased away from Jijima Lodge as he attempted to evict the ZANU PF National Chairman and Minister of State in the President's Office for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, John Nkomo. The corrupt web surrounding the distribution of land in Zimbabwe has entangled some senior government Ministers and Senators who over the years have allegedly acquired as many as four farms each.

The month of June also saw a visit to Zimbabwe by Irene Khan the Head of Amnesty International on a fact-finding mission to investigate reports of human rights abuses and to meet with government officials. Following the visit to Zimbabwe, Ms Khan described the human rights situation in Zimbabwe as fragile with the continued intimidation of human rights defenders. She noted the arrest of WOZA members even as she held a press conference in Harare. The violence in the Marange diamond fields also came under the spotlight when the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme carried out a visit in May 2009 to investigate reports of violations by the ZNA in the Marange gold fields. The Certification team noted alarming incidences of violence against civilians in a report of the mission that described the violations in Chiadzwa as "horrific" and documented some of the violations as "wounds, scars from dog bites and batons, tears and ongoing psychological trauma".

The total number of violations recorded for the month of June was 125 as compared to 99 in May. The highest number of violations was in the category of political discrimination/intimidation/ and victimisation in which 37 violations were recorded; a clear sign of the high levels of political intimidation still prevalent in the country. Also of note in the month of June is the high number of violations in the category of freedom of association/assembly/ movement, in which 22 violations were recorded as compared to 2 in May. This increase is also reflected in the number of violations of unlawful arrest and unlawful detention, in which 20 violations were recorded in each category respectively. Two cases of torture were recorded in June.

NB: Please note a correction to the total violations for May 2009 currently recorded as 103, has been adjusted to read 99.

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