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Summary on politically motivated human rights and food related violations May 2010
Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP)
June 18, 2010

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Summary

This report documents politically motivated human rights violations recorded during the month of May 2010 across the ten provinces of Zimbabwe.

A wave of intimidations and harassments was recorded in the month under review with cases of former victims turning out to be the perpetrators on the rise.

The wider political context within which to situate the human rights violations described in this month's report is the re-emergence of the 2008 so-called "terror bases" and an increase in incidents of displacement and evictions in some provinces of the country.

This comes as political tensions begin to boil up ahead of the Constitutional Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC)'s outreach teams.

Disturbingly, the "terror bases" were used by ZANU PF militias in the run up to the 2008 presidential run-off to torture and maim then suspected opposition supporters and officials. The police has however a duty to bring the majority of those responsible to justice.

Mashonaland Central Province has witnessed the re-surfacing of ZANU PF youth bases following a series of MDC-T rallies that were conducted in various constituencies in the traditionally volatile province.

It has also been noted that the State has failed to respond to the "terror bases" that have already been set up in Manicaland that were recorded two months ago. Interesting to note is that some of the bases in Mutare have been reported to be manned by war veterans and serving members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).

The Government has a duty to protect the lives and property of the population and to maintain law and order. Law enforcement authorities have the right to use force where necessary and proportionate to accomplish those ends and where other means are insufficient.

However, instead, the police and other state security agencies have been using a partisan approach in responding to the people's complaints and grievances. Furthermore, police also often fail to act in situations where victims and the general public expect them to. As a result, former victims have turned up to become perpetrators by taking the law into their own hands.

In May, ZPP recorded 186 incidents of assault up from April's 156 cases. The increase has been attributed to the amplified tensions caused by the constitution making euphoria by political party activists.

Violations from both Matabeleland provinces and Bulawayo have remained low although there has been a marked increase in cases of assault in Matabeleland North.

Impunity for human rights violations committed by the state security forces has been and continues to be the norm.
Therefore it is ZPP's position that impunity perpetuates a lack of adequate public security provisions.

It is important that this is dealt with through inclusive democratic practice and not approached as a security issue. Human rights and human security, not simply order, should underpin any government's strategy.

The trends of violations have remained predominantly the same over the past five months.

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