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Statement on increased human rights violations in Zimbabwe
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
February 12, 2011
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
strongly condemns the escalation of politically motivated violence
perpetrated by suspected ZANU PF supporters and the onslaught on
civil society activists by state security agents. These recent developments,
which have resulted in the shrinking of democratic space in Zimbabwe,
are taking place against the background of possible elections later
this year and are detrimental to the eventual outcome of the elections.
The past two
weeks saw a rapid increase in ZANU PF and state-organised politically
motivated violence leading to the maiming of close to 20 MDC supporters
and innocent civilians and the displacement of more than 140 people
including children. The failure by the inclusive government to reform
state institutions including the military and the police service
has led to the continued involvement of these groups in the perpetration
of violence and their reluctance to apprehend perpetrators of such.
In Hwange, a member of civil society, Fidelis Chima is alleged to
have been abducted by soldiers in full gear while distributing the
Bulawayo Agenda
weekly newsletter, The Weekly Agenda. Such involvement of the security
sector in perpetrating human rights abuses against civilians points
to a state which has normalised indiscipline among its security
sector.
The Coalition
is equally concerned by the onslaught on civil society organisations
by the police who, over the past few days raided Youth
Forum offices, detained Youth Agenda Director, Arnold Chamunogwa
and employees of the NGO
Forum including the Director, Abel Chikomo and denied a number
of organisations clearances to conduct community based activities.
The organised
attacks on ZANU PF's perceived opponents indicate that the
vigilante groups which were apparently in hibernation since the
formation of the inclusive government have been reactivated by ZANU
PF ahead of possible elections in 2011. The re-activation of these
groups is calculated at causing mayhem and despondency among civilians
and to arm-twist citizens to vote for ZANU PF. Article 18 (e) of
the GPA
clearly states that Parties to the agreement shall, 'take
measures necessary to ensure that the structures and institutions
that they control are not engaged in the perpetration of violence',
yet ZANU PF continues to encourage violence and attack civilians
for exercising their democratic right to chose which political party
or political figure to support.
Of similar concern is
the failure of the police to fully and impartially investigate cases
of politically motivated violence with the view of bringing perpetrators
to book without fear or favour. Instead of conducting an impartial
and open investigation into cases of violence, the police through
its Senior Assistant Commissioner, Wayne Bvudzijena placed all the
blame on the MDC yet some victims of the Mbare violence named known
ZANU PF supporters as instigators. Such public show of partiality
denotes the partisan nature of Zimbabwe's police service and
is a clear sign of how, despite the existence of an inclusive government,
critical institutions remain ZANU PF controlled and manipulated.
Despite the parties to the GPA agreeing that the law shall be applied
impartially and all perpetrators of violence shall be brought to
book, it seems the inclusive government through its security sector
is celebrating violence and allowing the country to slide back into
the chaos which characterised the 2008 electoral process especially
the 27 June Presidential election sham and the abductions of civil
society leaders that characterized Mugabe's post election
'victory'.
The police are also deliberately
stifling the voices of CSOs who are carrying out civic education
and creating a platform for civic engagement and participation in
key political processes. The intolerance towards civil society organisations
comes after the ZANU PF conference resolution in 2010 which indicated
that civil society organisations will be shut down by the political
party. These unfolding violations of fundamental liberties are aimed
at frustrating civil society organisations and crippling their work
ahead of possible elections in 2011.
In this regard, the Coalition
reiterates its position that elections should not be held without
key reforms which include dismantling of the infrastructure of violence
and reforming of key state institutions including the police and
the military, as well as the taming of ZANU PF vigilante groups.
As long as these areas remain unaddressed the country is likely
to witness a repeat of the 2008 electoral bloodbath and sham elections.
The Coalition demands
that;
1. An independent and
transparent enquiry be launched into the incidences of violence
and abductions with the view of identifying the culprits and bringing
them to book
2. The inclusive government takes steps towards dismantling the
infrastructure of violence
3. Reformation of the security sector governance be made a priority
by the inclusive government as this is detrimental to the outcome
of any possible elections and that the militarization of the country's
electoral politics stop forthwith.
4. The inclusive government ensures that civil society organisations
are able to operate without any hindrances from security agents
and political party supporters. The critical point here is that
the rule of law must be restored immediately by the authorities.
5. The three main political parties in consultation with the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU)
develop a clear roadmap towards democratic elections which singles
out a clear strategy towards an end to politically motivated violence
and state repression.
Visit the Crisis
in Zimbabwe fact
sheet
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