Links ~ 19 May 2008

Zimbabwe Ruling Party Members Tortured People in ‘Re-Education’ Meeting

Six Presumed Opposition Supporters Die Under Torture

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), more than 70 people were tortured – of which, 6 men died because of their injuries – in Mashonaland Central, on 5 May 2008. A Cairo Mhandu – a retired major, Zanu-PF youths, and militia and war veterans, orchestrated the mass torture. Mhandu held a “re-education” meeting at the Chaona primary school in Mashonaland Central. Eyewitnesses allege that Mhandu said: “This community needs to be taught a lesson. It needs re-education. We want people to come forward and confess about their links with the MDC and surrender to ZANU-PF.” When nobody confessed, a 76-year old woman was selected from the crowd, forced on to the ground, and then hit with logs on her buttocks. Three men tried to intervene to save the old woman and confessed to being MDC supporters. Mhandu welcomed their confessions… but it was just the beginning of a day of torture.

MDC asks for peacekeepers
The vice president of the MDC Thokozani Khupe said that the MDC is lobbying within the SADC for them to send a monitoring force to keep the peace in Zimbabwe. The MDC wants the SADC, the United Nations, and the African Union to be present as observers of the election and the international media must be present. Khupe said that the MDC had decided to participate in the run-off so that they may “give Mugabe a final blow.” The MDC’s call for international observers is echoed by Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu who said, “It would be in the interests of all to send an international peace force to Zimbabwe… It’s the only way to prevent violence.”

Zimbabwe Opposition Welcomes Tutu’s Call For International Peacekeepers
The MDC has welcomed Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s call for an international peacekeeping force to be sent to Zimbabwe to prevent violence during the run-off for the presidential poll. Eliphas Mukonoweshuro international affairs secretary for the MDC has said that it was clear that the level of violence in the country is not conducive to free and fair elections. The MDC would support any international effort that would ensure that peace prevailed and that the elections would be free and fair. Mukonoweshuro said that the MDC is well prepared to participate in the run-off, even though its structures had suffered damage because of violence unleashed by Zanu-PF.

‘Snipers’ primed in Zimbabwe plot
The MDC said they have been informed of an assassination plot against their leader Morgan Tsvangirai. The secretary-general for the MDC Tendai Biti has told reporters that they have information that there are 18 snipers and that the military intelligence directorate is in charge of the operation. According to sources, the military intelligence has compiled a list of 36 to 40 people to be assassinated. Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti, and the MDC spokesman Nelson Chimasa head the list. Morgan Tsvangirai was due to return to Zimbabwe and to address his supporters at a rally in Bulawayo last Sunday. Just before his return, he was informed of the plot and had to postpone his return on the insistence of his security advisors.

Mugabe party targets food as key in Zimbabwe run-off
Zanu-PF has set up a special committee to ensure that voters will not go hungry ahead of the run-off for the presidential poll. Nathan Shamuvarira chief spokesman for Zanu-PF said that they had realised that people were hungry when they went to vote during the election in March. Zanu-PF wanted to ensure food production and another committee would organise the mobilisation of transport. Shamuvarira said that people were overconfident and instead of voting, had stayed at home. It was vital to encourage those people to vote in the run-off on June 27.

Beaten, wounded, bleeding and even lost life for exercising my right to vote – Post March 29th 2008 elections violence report no. 1

Zimbabwe Peace Project

A report on the escalating political violence and human rights violations, during the post-election period. The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has documented 4359 cases of human rights violations. There is an increase of assault, murder, malicious damage to property and kidnapping. In most of the documented cases, the perpetrators have been alleged as being Zanu-PF members, youths, some uniformed forces, and government officials. [The document may be downloaded from Kubatana (link above). Please credit Kubutana.net if you make use of material from that website.]

Zimbabwe court grants bail to two union leaders
The two unionists, Lovemore Matombo president of ZCTU and secretary general Wellington Chibebe has been granted bail by a High Court judge, on Monday. Justice Ben Hlatshwayo has ordered their release on bail for an amount of Z$ 20 billion ($80) each. They have further been ordered not to address any gathering until their case has been finalised. Alec Muchadehama, the lawyer of the unionists, said that he was “delighted that justice had prevailed.”

In Jail and in the Company of ‘Pavement Blockers’

Eyewitness report from a Zimbabwe prison

‘I slid silently down into a diminutive space on the concrete floor next to the foul smelling toilet, and tried desperately to get my eyes used to the terrifying darkness… then a soft hand reached over and shook my knee “Welcome Makiwa” what are you here for?’

A journalist writes about the four days she had to spend in jail after being arrested by soldiers.

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