25,000 battered by Zanu thugs – report

police and agents of the CIO, as well as militant supporters of President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF) party.
“The protection of the law has in many cases been denied to those considered hostile to Zanu (PF). For these persons, the law enforcement agencies have become an instrument of violence against them rather than an institution that offers them protection. They live in fear of the very agencies that are supposed to protect them,” said the report.
The report said state agents were implicated in cases involving murder and attempted murder, rape, political discrimination and torture of government opponents in an effort to crush rising dissension against Mugabe’s government.
The rights group said 2006 was the worst year as it saw a total of 5 752 cases of rights violations being recorded, a significant increase from the previous year’s total of 4 170 cases.
Cases involving murder were highest between 2001 and 2003 when Mugabe sanctioned the violent seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks, with at least 105 killings being recorded during the period, according to the Forum.
The rights group warned that cases of political violence and rights abuses were likely to increase as Zimbabwe prepared for next key year’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
“The general trend shows increasing violations since 2005, and, if the current trend for 2007 continues, 2007 will be the worst year yet by a considerable margin,” says the Forum.
Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, who is in charge of the police, denied that the police were violating the rights of government critics accusing journalists of spearheading a smear campaign against the government.
“There is nothing like that (rights violations),” Mohadi said. “These are lies being peddled by the likes of Amnesty International to advance a negative agenda against Zimbabwe. I hate responding to lies. Even you journalists are part of that agenda. Otherwise why do you want to be used to convey these lies? Are you genuine Zimbabweans?” – ZimOnline