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Women beaten as violence spreads to grassroots communities
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)
May 20, 2010

An Epworth woman was recently attached by ZANU PF supporters leaving her for dead in her house

A group of ZANU PF supporters comprising six youths an older party official dragged Abigail Bamhare out of her house in the evening to beat her up. Using a rock, they crushed her back and shoulder, before slitting her mouth with a sharp object. Panicking at the amount of blood that oozed from her injuries, the youth fled the scene, proceeding to a nearby hut to attack another victim whom they suspected to be an MDC supporter.

Bamhare's 'crime' was signing up to support Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC party in General elections way back in 2008. This incident has left her bedridden and she can no longer tend her garden, her only source of livelihood. Many people in Epworth have been savagely beaten, raped and other forced to flee their homes in a tide of low key violence that continues right now under the watch of Harare provincial chairman Amos Midzi. With public hearings on a new constitution set to resume early next month, the situation has become dangerous.

ZimRights condemns government officials who condone such violence, and also take part. All reports of politically motivated violence are a clear indication that Zimbabwe still has a long way to go before people learn to respect basic human rights. ZimRights will continue to speak out for the voiceless and make people realise that we can still live in a peaceful society in spite of political differences.

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