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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Violence
flares up on farms outside Mutare
Centre for
Research and Development (CRD)
April 09, 2008
Political violence has
reared its ugly head on farms outside Mutare. The CRD notes with
concern recent incidences of political violence that has taken place
at 5 Streams in Ward 25 of Mutare North, Old Mutare and the Grange.
The place is home to hundreds of farm workers some of whom worked
for white commercial farmers before the fast track land reform program
began. The farm workers continued living in compounds on the farms
and some of them now work for war veterans that have acquired the
farms. After the announcement of House of Assembly and Senate results
hordes of ZANU PF youths visited the farms assaulting the farm workers
whom they accuse of masterminding the loss of ZANU PF in those settlements
in the just-ended harmonized elections.
In ward 23 the youths ransacked the home of MDC organizing secretary,
broke his door and shattered the windowpanes before assaulting the
MDC official. They took a book containing names of MDC supporters
in the ward and threatened to carry out door to door terror campaigns
on all the people who appear in that book. The youths are reported
to be holding regular meetings since the announcement of house of
assembly and senate results, causing fear in the entire community.
The CRD posits that youths should not be abused by politicians because
this will leave them with wounded consciences that will haunt them
forever. Whilst we strongly condemn this orgy of violence being
perpetrated against MDC supporters, we also bemoan the fact that
the rights of these youths are being violated by politicians who
use money to cause them to commit serious crimes that hurt the youths'
consciences. The CRD envisions a Zimbabwe where citizens enjoy basic
freedoms before, during and after elections.
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