Back to Index

Torture base defy national healing process
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)
February 18, 2010

The signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) by ZAN PF and two formations of the MDC did not only bring hope but relief to many Zimbabweans who had been living in fear of their lives due to political violence.

Following the provisions of the GPA, a national healing programme was set up to spearhead the process and promote restoration of the country's dire political and economic situation for over a decade. Recent reports have revealed another rise in political violence, intimidation and unprecedented arrests of human right defenders and activists. Civil Society organisations have revealed that these violations are likely to increase if the unity government does not reform the state security sector. Civil Society Monitoring Mechanism (CISSOM) a consortium of CSOs independently monitoring the performance of the inclusive government highlighted that the pre-June 2008 era is likely to be repeated if constitutional reforms are not implemented.

The recent CISSOM report revealed that the training curriculum for security forces should be urgently revised, with the inclusion of experts from the civil society and implementation to be monitored. This will bring an immediate halt to political violence and intimidation and harassment of political activists, lawyers and journalists. This will also see an increased respect for the freedoms of assembly and association by uninterrupted political rallies, meetings and workshops of all kinds."

Given the country's present situation, the national healing process is a difficult subject to address as most grassroots communities are unaware of the process. Many people have pointed out that the process needs to be people owned to ensure its success. It is difficult to heal when the very person who violated your rights for political mileage is the same person calling for national healing. In addition there have been reports of torture bases that have been set up in Nyanga, Gokwe, Chegutu and Makoni. They are said to be manned by armed personnel and youth militia. Some villagers have been threatened and intimidated if they denounce the Kariba Draft as the reference document in the constitution making process.

ZimRights is greatly perturbed at the emergency of the militia-controlled bases ahead of the country's intimidation and arrests of human rights defenders as well as the constitution making process. There is need for genuine sincerity on the part of the government for the national healing to be successful.

Visit the ZimRights 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