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Zimbabwean crisis at a glance
Colleen Henderson
May 28, 2008

Presidential run-off
The runoff date for Zimbabwe's presidential election is Friday 27 June.

SADC peace keepers
At a press conference on his arrival in Zimbabwe on Saturday 24 May, Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai called for peacekeepers and election monitors from the 14-member regional body SADC to be deployed in Zimbabwe by the end of May.

Death toll in post-election state-sponsored violence
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa says that according to the party-s records, 50 MDC members have been killed since the March 29 elections. (25 May 2008)

Zanu-PF is targeting influential MDC activists in the rural areas, in the past week those who have been killed were chairmen, polling agents and village heads. This is a deliberate strategy to weaken the structures of the MDC.

The abductions of political and civil activists have intensified in the last week as ZANU-PF continues its campaign to destroy opposition structures ahead of the presidential runoff. We have received reports that nearly 20 people have been abducted since Friday. (SW Radio May 28 2008)

Estimated number of displaced people / communities (Zimbabwe)
The MDC estimates that over 25 000 people in former strongholds of Zanu-PF have been forced to flee to neighbouring towns and cities.

Morgan Tsvangirai says Zanu PF has launched a violent campaign against its supporters in a bid to avoid another defeat next month. (Reuters 28 May 2008)

The MDC MP elect for Mbare, Piniel Denga, has endorsed the call for the deployment of election observers and monitors immediately to ensure that those displaced by the violence can go back to their areas.

Estimated number of homes destroyed
By mid May, more than 1 000 homes had been destroyed. One of the most calculated acts of cruelty by this regime, one of their tried and tested tactics, is to destroy food supplies. In a country which needs food aid for an estimated 4.1 million people (out of an estimated population of 7-8 million), Zanu PF loyal thugs have burned piles of maize. One of the affected areas is Uzumba.

Post-election state sponsored violence a deliberate strategy
The post election state sponsored violence is a deliberate strategy. It has been carefully planned by Mugabe, his deputy Emerson Mnangagwa and the 15 or so senior military police and intelligence officers in the Joint Operation Command (JOC), which now runs Zimbabwe.

Their intention is to intimidate the supporters of the opposition so that they either cannot, or are too afraid, to vote in the run-off elections . . . .

Through illegal methods, including the torture and blackmail of abducted opposition activists, Zanu-PF has obtained a list of all the polling agents and leading activists who work on behalf of Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC.

Now, village by village, town by town, it is embarking on a savage campaign to eradicate them all. (Daily Mail) 15 May 2008).

In tandem with this eradication process is the strategy of displacing thousands of voters, notably from areas which voted for Morgan Tsvangirai. Voters are only allowed to vote in the constituencies where they are registered.

Extreme brutality of attacks
The victims of violence have been killed using some of the most vicious techniques, including cutting off of genitals, limbs, hands, legs and various other body parts. Bludgeoning of victims to death using steel bars, axes, sticks, gun butts and other blunt objects has been common. Every week the MDC is reporting its activists being murdered and providing evidence of the killings. Doctors have confirmed in medical reports that most of the victims -- at least 45 so far -- died after "severe assaults". (Business Day 26 May 2008)

Attacks on women, children and the elderly
Zanu-PF militia is kidnapping children and women. The purpose of the abductions is to force husbands and fathers to return to their villages, where they face beatings and torture by the militia for being MDC supporters. Several of the women who have been abducted have been subjected to sexual harassment, torture and assault. According to the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), many hundreds of men have fled the rural areas to seek safety in the cities. (Reliefweb)

A heavily pregnant woman who was three months away from giving birth was bludgeoned to death in a 'horrific, brutal and frenzied attack- that left her almost unrecognisable. Rosemary Maramba-s body was found in Nhakiwa village in Mutawatawa in Mashonaland central. Maramba is one of three people linked to the MDC, who were murdered in the area over the weekend. (SW Radio Africa 22 May 2008)

Clergy - Catholic priests in hiding
Many Catholic priests and lay people are reported to be on the wanted lists of soldiers and militia groups and many are forced to remain in hiding following death threats. Reprisals come after the Catholic Church joined with other denominations on 8th May to speak out about the country-s deteriorating human rights situation, including the "organised violence" in areas that did not vote for ZANU PF. (ACN News 26 May 2008)

Media threats/violence
The Zimbabwean Newspaper: The Zimbabwean reports that a 14-tonne truck containing 60,000 copies of Sunday-s edition of The Zimbabwean on Sunday was intercepted and set alight on Saturday night south of Masvingo. The driver (a South African national) and his partner (a Zimbabwean national) were severely beaten with rifle butts and dumped separately in the bush. The Zimbabwean-s passport was confiscated and burnt.

Sky TV: Zimbabwe police have arrested three people, two of them South Africans, in connection with "illegal broadcasting equipment" for British television network Sky TV, state radio said on Tuesday. It said the three were detained at the weekend in the western city of Bulawayo.

ICJR: The New York-based International Committee to Protect Journalists said the regime was one of the world's most hostile governments to the media.

Electoral issues
Last week the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission filed an urgent application in the High Court chambers seeking an order to destroy ballot saying they want to re-use the boxes for the run off election. ZEC chairman Justice Chiweshe argued that due to financial constraints the commission cannot afford to buy new boxes and seals. In terms of the Electoral Act ballot papers should not be destroyed for a total of six months after the election.

The MDC reported that the Zanu PF government has instructed town clerks and executive officers running rural and urban councils not to cooperate with the newly elected councillors from assuming office until after the second round of the presidential election scheduled for June 27.

SADC Tribunal in Windhoek - landmark farm test case
THE landmark application brought before the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tribunal in Windhoek by Zimbabwean commercial farmers will be heard at the Supreme Court in Windhoek, Namibia, today. The case is set for hearing 28 to 30 May.

Marches / rallies
Over 2 000 people marched on the streets of Johannesburg on Saturday 24 May in a protest over the recent spate of xenophobic attacks that have claimed approximately 44 lives with the majority being African migrants.

Xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa
According to Human Rights Watch, since the attacks on African migrants started 11 May, they have claimed over 50 lives and displaced more than 25,000 people, in addition to thousands forced to return to their countries.

The Red Cross said on Monday 26 May 2008 that an estimates 25 000 Zimbabweans were fleeing the xenophobic violence in South Africa were heading to Zambia with others moving to Mozambique and Botswana.

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula told the BBC 56 people had been killed and more than 650 injured. Previously, 50 deaths were reported. He also added that more than 30 000 people had been displaced, 1 300 arrests have been made and special courts had been set up to deal with the situation.

The Red Cross in South Africa is currently caring for 25,000 destitute people who had been driven from their homes around Johannesburg and Pretoria, the hotspot of the unrest.

Zimbabwe-s Movement for Democratic Change party hired at least 1 000 buses to transport refugees affected by the violence back home.

SADC / African Union
SADC peacekeepers: On 10 May the MDC met with Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and urged him to send regional SADC peacekeepers for the second round.

On 14 May 2008 the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said that conditions in Zimbabwe were not conducive for a free and fair second round presidential election but rejected opposition calls to send peacekeepers claiming that Zimbabwe was not at war and there was no need to put up a standby Peace keeping force.

Retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has urged the international community to deploy peacekeepers in Zimbabwe to prevent disturbances during a presidential run-off poll next month between President Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Access by international observers: Zimbabwe-s state media reported Western countries would be barred from observing a run-off election unless they remove the targeted sanctions imposed on key members of the Mugabe regime.

New Zealand is adding its voice to international calls for an immediate end to state-sponsored violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe.

"It's essential that international monitors be allowed into Zimbabwe to deter further violence and to monitor the second round of voting for the presidency, scheduled to take place on 27 June," Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.

"These attacks must end. Unless the violence stops it will be very difficult to hold the second round of voting, and the result will be an election that is neither free nor fair," Mr Peters said. (New Zealand Government Press Release Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 12:58 pm.)

ZEC: "The run-off is a full election and just as big as any general election, so the resources that we need are obviously substantial. Some of the resources were depleted during the first election, so we need more time to prepare for the run-off." (Zimbabwe Election Commission Chairperson: Justice Chiweshe)

Post-election violence - Operation Mavhoterapapi
After the 29 March 2008, Zanu PF members and supporters launched a crackdown against MDC supporters. Calling the operation 'Mavhoterapapi- (Operation where did you put your X), the objective is to 're-educate- people and force them through terror tactics to vote for Zanu PF in the Presidential run-off.

Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) Report - 20 May 2008:
4 359 cases of human rights violations documented. ZPP notes that patterns of violence have shifted and violence has become more physical as evidenced by an increase in cases of assault, murder, malicious damage to property, and kidnapping.

Confirmed injuries (including the most serious): The ZADHR has reported that the number of victims targeted in this post election period has now totalled over 900. In one 24 hour period, 30 victims of violence were treated for limb fractures in Harare hospitals and clinics. One hospital in Harare alone has treated an average of 23 victims a day over the last week. On May 8, there were a total of 53 more seriously injured patients (13 men and 40 men) admitted to wards in 3 Harare hospitals. (ZADHR Statement 9 May)

In a 're-education- session in Mashonaland Central, the Human Rights Watch confirmed that two men had died on the spot. Three of those who died had severely mutilated genitals, one of whom had crushed testicles. Reports confirm the deaths were a direct result of the injuries sustained under torture.

Confirmed injuries - the elderly, women and children: This month a 3-year-old boy was admitted to hospital with trauma to his right eye after being struck with a rock and a 78 year-old man who sustained a fractured lower leg due to blunt trauma. A young breast-feeding mother had bilateral fractures of her hands and was unable to hold her baby to feed her. A 79-year-old widow, a great-grandmother and former nurse aid, was lashed on her bare buttocks with barbed-wire whips in front of terrified relatives. They were told that if none of them confessed (to being MDC supporters) they '"would hit this granny until she died."

Displaced people: A minimum of 40 000 people in Zimbabwe have been displaced although the MDC believes that this number could be much higher.

Number of homes destroyed: More than 1,000 homes burnt or destroyed. Note: It is believed that Zanu PF-s objective is to displace at least 500 000 eligible voters, perceived to be MDC supporters, ahead of the runoff.
In Masvingo Zanu PF youths set fire to a house and a car worth trillions of dollars belonging to a Gutu resident magistrate Musaiona Shotgame, whom they accused of being sympathetic towards the MDC activists who had appeared before him in court.

Worst affected areas: Mashonaland East and West provinces. Reported incidents of violence are also on the increase in Harare.

Current hot spots: Manicaland recorded the highest number of incidents with a total of 1924 incidents of violence in the month of April. Of these cases, 823 involved displacement and over 400 cases of harassment and intimidation, 251 cases of assault. Two cases of murder were also recorded in the province.

Food aid: The National Association of Non-governmental Organisations (NANGO) said President Robert Mugabe-s government has told relief agencies to handover food and other humanitarian assistance to state organs for distribution to victims of political violence.

Farm invasions: The President of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) Trevor Gifford reports that since the election polls, the Zanu PF militia has invaded 45 farms, but 37 of the affected farmers had since returned to their properties. (Zimbabwe Independent 22 May 2008)

Educational crisis: The Progressive Teachers- Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ)-s Secretary General Raymond Majongwe said that at least 464 schools had closed their doors since the beginning of May, due to mounting violence. About 5,000 teachers are said to have fled, leaving around 260,000 children without instructors.

International statements on the violence: UN humanitarian agencies and their partners in the NGO [non-governmental organisation] community have been experiencing limited access to the affected people due to this heightened tension and localised outbreaks of violence, resulting in the scaling-down of humanitarian programmes, thereby exacerbating the humanitarian situation.

Fact-finding missions
South Africa: Senior members of the investigating team said their findings were "alarming" and that most of the violence was state sponsored, although in certain instances opposition parties had also retaliated.

Africa: Swaziland MP Marwick Khumalo told the House that the Mission had communicated concerns twice to the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). The Mission recommended to the House that the situation in Zimbabwe be 'closely monitored-. He also added that 'high-level political mediation- was now imperative.
International: US ambassador Mr James McGee said that threats would not deter the US ambassadorial mission. 'We are eager to continue this type of thing, to show the world what is happening here in Zimbabwe. It is absolutely urgent that the entire world sees what is going on. The violence has to stop.' He later stated: "After the tour, we now have concrete proof to show the world about violence taking place in Zimbabwe. There is urgent need to stop what is happening. Violence has to stop. From the small sample we have taken it is clear that violence is perpetrated on MDC supporters."

Activities - Zimbabwe
Rallies / marches: About 20 000 MDC supporters attended the White City stadium victory rally to show support for President Morgan Tsvangirai in the run-off election to be held on 27 June 2008.

Demonstrations: According to a Women of Zimbabwe arise (WOZA) official, riot police beat the 50 members who were protesting on 5 May 2008 in Bulawayo. 11 members of WOZA were also arrested.

Activities Africa
On World Africa Day Sunday 25 May the African Civil Society organisations planned to commemorate Africa Day with a show of solidarity for the people of Zimbabwe. They dubbed the campaign "Stand Up (For) Zimbabwe" Day. The International Campaigns coordinator for Treatment Campaign Regis Mtutu said that there could not be an Africa Day when the people of Zimbabwe are not enjoying their rights.

Activities - South Africa:
Rallies/marches: About a hundred members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and other organisations picketed the gates of Parliament in Cape Town on Saturday 17 May to protest against rising food prices and call for freedom in Zimbabwe.

Also on 17 May a Cosatu-organised march was held in central Johannesburg to protest against the past week's xenophobic attacks in Gauteng townships, as well as high food prices and the crisis in Zimbabwe.

Fundraising activities:
25 May 2008 (Saturday): A team from the Jesuit Missions was due to participate in the Edinburgh Marathon, the Hairy Haggis Relay, hoping to raise awareness regarding the drastic situation in Zimbabwe, as well as to try and raise funds for the Makumbi mission in Zimbabwe.

Refugee issues:
The South African Police have said that 42 people have been killed in the violence in Johannesburg that has lasted for more than a week. 16 000 people have also been displaced. In the SABC news it was said that 9 000 Mozambicans have crossed the bridge back to Mozambique.

To curb the situation from escalating the South African President Thabo Mbeki has given permission to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) army to be deployed in areas hit by xenophobic attacks to give assistance to the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Freedom Front leader Pieter Mulder said that the deployment of the army was as acknowledgement by President Mbeki that there was 'a state of emergency- in South Africa.

SA Home Affairs: South Africa's Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba admits that the attacks have bought shame on his country.

Home Affairs spokesman Mansele Tau announced that Home Affairs is not deporting anyone and that they will assist those who voluntarily want to go home with their paperwork.

Economic crisis in Zimbabwe
Inflation has surpassed that of all other nations with recent reports that it has doubled. Year-on-year inflation for the month of March surged to 355 000% from the February figure of 165 000% .

An Independent financial assessment on Tuesday reported that annual inflation rose this month to 1,063 572 percent based on the price of a basket of basic foodstuffs.

Economic analysts say unless the rate of inflation is slowed, annual inflation will likely reach about five million percent by October.

Z$185 million=US$1. In the formal market and Z$145 million=US$ 1 in the parallel market Z$400 million = £1

Humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe
Unemployment: Estimated at 85%

Life expectancy: Women: 34 years (was 57 years in 1994). Men: 37 (was 54 years in 1994)

Food crisis: The World Food Program estimates that 45% of the population is malnourished.

Healthcare: Healthcare has virtually collapsed and the hospitals are in a desperate state. Mission hospitals in particular are struggling to cope with the huge numbers of people brutalised in the rural areas.

Death rate: An estimated 3,500 Zimbabweans die every week from the combined effects of HIV/AIDS, poverty, and malnutrition. Half a million Zimbabweans may have died since 2000, while more than 4 million have fled the country and now live in neighbouring states or overseas.

Destroying the Opposition - Operation Murambatsvina and Operation Mavhoterapapi
Operation Murambatsvina (winter 2005) - post-parliamentary election: This government-initiated operation destroyed the homes of an estimated 700 000 mainly poor urban people - predominantly opposition MDC supporters. According to United Nations estimates, more than 2.4 million people were affected. Operation Murambatsvina also resulted in the destruction of at least 32 500 small and micro-businesses across the country, creating a loss of livelihood for more than 96 600 people, mostly women.

*Operation Mavhoterapapi (winter 2008) - post parliamentary and presidential election: This government-initiated crackdown has to date made more than 5 000 families homeless.

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