In his welcoming remarks, outgoing Commission Vice Chairperson, Commissioner
Yassir Sid Ahmed El Hassan, set the tone when he described the situation in
Zimbabwe as “alarming”. (Ref: zimjournalists.com)
On November 16, SW Radio Africa reported that the MDC would make further
representations to South African President Thabo Mbeki about the escalation
of political violence and intimidation against its supporters. Secretary for
Home Affairs Sam Nkomo said it was still impossible for the opposition to
hold a public demonstration or political rally. The radio station noted that
scores of MDC supporters had been arrested and assaulted in Chipinge, Mutare
and Bulawayo for holding legitimate consultative meetings.
In this issue we include brief information on the latest report released by
the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum which expresses concern at the upsurge
in politically motivated violence. It has recorded 2 333 cases of violations
on freedoms of association, expression and movement from January to
September 30.
Similarly, a report released by the International Bar Association has found
evidence of police torture, intimidation and illegal arrests which threaten
the parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for March next year.
People living in rural areas continue to experience political repression,
which remains rampant and under-reported. The safety and security of
opposition supporters is under constant threat and during mid November, war
veterans and Zanu PF militia severely assaulted a 59-year-old woman for
wearing an MDC T-shirt and carrying an opposition party umbrella.
A 57 year-old activist from the pressure group Woman of Zimbabwe Arise
(WOZA), who had been arrested on 10 different occasions and had been
physically and mentally abused by the police each time, has died.
Ninety-eight activists from WOZA and their male counterparts, who were
protesting against escalating state sponsored violence, were arrested by the
police earlier this month.
Fifteen opposition activists were abducted from a house belonging to an MDC
member in Chipinge South and a police chief threatened to invoke the
shoot-to-kill order against MDC activists if they went ahead with a planned
rally in Chimanimani.
Contentious developments on the election front include the appointment of
five former government employees to positions of influence in the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission. The appointments have been condemned by the opposition
and civil society.
Zimbabwe’s Defence Minister, Sydney Sekeramayi, has expressed confidence
that the elections scheduled for next year will be free and fair. “The
election will be held on schedule and as things are now in Zimbabwe the
environment is quiet,” he said.
However, a report in the Zimbabwean Newspaper (November 13) that Mr Mugabe’s
government is buying arms from China suggests a different scenario.
According to the article, a shipment of heavy assault rifles, military
vehicles and tanks, riot equipment, tear gas and rubber batons is being
secretly moved through the port of Beira in Mozambique.
Zim Online reports that police officers who have recently undergone
retraining in public control and management ahead of the elections confirm
that military trainers as well as police instructors have taken them through
rigorous and intensive physical and weapons handling drills.
The viability of independent newspapers is under serious threat after
government ordered privately-owned newspapers to slash their cover prices to
levels that could force them to close down.
War veteran leaders are being paid as much as Z$100 billion, in one
instance, for co-ordinating marches to drum up support for President
Mugabe. – Sokwanele
Post published in: News