Amnesty warns of violence threat

The London-based group spoke amid reports last Sunday that three human rights monitors were captured and beaten with logs by Zanu (PF) supporters in the latest incident since public consultation on the new Zimbabwean constitution began on June 16.

There have also been reports of soldiers marching in the town of Karoi in Mashonaldn West province chanting Zanu (PF) slogans and threatening war against anyone who dares contribute views contrary to those of the party during the exercise to consult the public on what they wanted included in the new charter.

“This intimidation and harassment of activists undermines Zimbabwe’s efforts to form a new constitution with public consultation and it is also a worrying reminder of the organised violence that took place in 2008,” said Erwin van der Borght, Amnesty Internationals Africa director.

Zimbabwe’s constitution-making process was part of the agreement signed by Mugabe and former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in September 2008 following six months of violence that followed the country’s disputed presidential election.

The consultation process is designed to garner feedback on the constitution through a series of outreach meetings with local

communities.

Following a long delay due to squabbling within the unity government, the consultation finally began two weeks ago but activists monitoring the process have been targeted.

The beating of the three activists followed the arrest of another team of monitors in the eastern border town of Mutare on June 24.

They were charged with practicing journalism without accreditation and released on $20 bail each.

Another activist in Mutare, Eddy Ziyera, the provincial coordinator of the ICMP, was allegedly detained for several hours and released

without charge on June 25 after bringing food for the three activists in detention.