Friday, October 31, 2008
BILL CORCORAN in Johannesburg
AT LEAST 180 people have been murdered and more than 9,000 tortured in Zimbabwe since the general election last March by people loyal to the ruling regime, according to a new Amnesty International report.
Many of the people subjected to violence in the months leading up to the June 27th presidential election run-off between opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and President Mugabe were taken to torture camps by the army and police to be brutalised by people they often knew, the report reveals.
"The bulk of the victims reported being attacked because they were accused by security forces, war veterans [a Mugabe militia] and Zanu-PF [ruling party] supporters of having voted 'wrongly' in the March election.
"Although it was difficult to quantify the number of internally displaced people, an estimated 28,000 people fled their homes as a result of the violence. The majority fled to urban areas to seek medical attention and refuge," states the report.
State-sponsored violence erupted in Zimbabwe following the March election once it became apparent the ruling regime had lost its parliamentary majority and Mr Mugabe was forced into an election run-off for the presidency.
As well as physical beatings, the report claims many men and women accused of supporting the opposition party were also subjected to sexual violence, including rape, and their property and possessions were uniformly destroyed or stolen.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
23 injured, 7 arrested and 4 abducted after a ROHR demonstration
Twenty (23) men and women have been hospitalised and seven (7) arrested after ROHR Zimbabwe demonstrated in Harare today. Four (4) people are missing after having been reportedly abducted by Zanu PF operatives. The four are Moses Mutasa from Hatfield, Tinei Tinarwo from Glen Norah, Mr Ncube from Dzivarasekwa and Adam Muchiriri from Hatfield.
More than 200 ROHR activists participated in demonstrations that brought business to a standstill in Harare today between 1100hrs and 1200hrs. The protesters peacefully marched in the streets heading towards the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), the venue for this week’s SADC meeting that has been attended all SADC heads of State. The SADC meeting marks yet another attempt by the regional body push for the long awaited consensus on the current power sharing talks.
The peaceful protest was violently crashed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, a few streets away from the venue, along Robert Mugabe road corner Kaguvi Street. Police in full riot gear fired teargas to the public causing stampedes and confusion in the crowded city. By 1200hrs (7) people had been arrested.
Around 1200hrs our members reported that (1) person was abducted by suspected Zanu PF operatives along Robert Mugabe road who used an unmarked Zanu PF Nissan double cab truck. The other three (3) people were abducted by youths in a Nissan single cab truck believed to be owned by Elliot Manyika, the Zanu PF political commissar. Eliot Manyika, who was driving the car, instructed the youths to beat up people.
On 10 October 2008 ROHR Zimbabwe launched the Demand for Democracy and Justice Campaign with a landmark protest in Harare. The main thrust of the campaign to push for free and fair elections immediately to be held in a peaceful environment in Zimbabwe under United Nations supervision.
More than 200 ROHR activists participated in demonstrations that brought business to a standstill in Harare today between 1100hrs and 1200hrs. The protesters peacefully marched in the streets heading towards the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), the venue for this week’s SADC meeting that has been attended all SADC heads of State. The SADC meeting marks yet another attempt by the regional body push for the long awaited consensus on the current power sharing talks.
The peaceful protest was violently crashed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, a few streets away from the venue, along Robert Mugabe road corner Kaguvi Street. Police in full riot gear fired teargas to the public causing stampedes and confusion in the crowded city. By 1200hrs (7) people had been arrested.
Around 1200hrs our members reported that (1) person was abducted by suspected Zanu PF operatives along Robert Mugabe road who used an unmarked Zanu PF Nissan double cab truck. The other three (3) people were abducted by youths in a Nissan single cab truck believed to be owned by Elliot Manyika, the Zanu PF political commissar. Eliot Manyika, who was driving the car, instructed the youths to beat up people.
On 10 October 2008 ROHR Zimbabwe launched the Demand for Democracy and Justice Campaign with a landmark protest in Harare. The main thrust of the campaign to push for free and fair elections immediately to be held in a peaceful environment in Zimbabwe under United Nations supervision.
Protester beaten to death inside ZANU PF office
A protester from Monday’s demonstration is alleged to have been beaten to death at ZANU PF’s offices in Fourth Street, Harare. Newsreel has been told that Osborne Kachuru from Mbare was abducted immediately after the demo by unidentified men, and bundled into a twin cab truck belonging to ZANU PF. A few minutes later 3 other people were abducted by youths using a Nissan single cab truck, believed to be owned by Zanu PF political commissar Eliot Manyika. Manyika was allegedly driving the car and instructing the youths to beat up some of the protesters.
Speaking to Newsreel on Tuesday Edgar Chikuvire, the Information Director for the Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR), said their lawyers traveled to Parirenyatwa Hospital in an effort to positively identify Kachuru’s body. The lawyers were turned away by hospital authorities who told them they needed to bring at least one relative for the identification exercise. Kachuru’s friends insist their colleague was killed inside the ZANU PF office after being brutally assaulted.
Newsreel spoke to several of his friends who say they saw his body being removed from the ZANU PF office and transferred to the mortuary at Parirenyatwa. Of concern is the role a prominent ZANU PF official such as Manyika plays in such acts of violence. He is said to have hired the youths from the Machipisa high density suburb of Harare and witnesses saw him driving the single cab truck with the militant youths crammed in the back. Manyika is well known for leading violent attacks against the opposition, particularly in his home town of Bindura. He is also known for his involvement in Zanu PF’s youth militia.
ROHR say 23 of their members were hospitalized 7 arrested, while 4 are still missing. Moses Mutasa from Hatfield, Tinei Tinarwo from Glen Norah, a Mr Ncube from Dzivarasekwa and Adam Muchiriri from Hatfield are all still unaccounted for. The Women’ Coalition meanwhile reported that 47 of their members were arrested and a further 11 had to seek treatment for injuries sustained from police beatings.
On Tuesday ROHR staged another demonstration in Masvingo but fortunately reported no major incidents. They distributed fliers in the city centre as part of their ‘Demand for Democracy and Justice Campaign’.These protests happened on the sidelines of the SADC summit and there is no doubt that the leaders would have been informed of the brutality that was taking place, while they were sitting talking and having tea with the architect of the repression.
Speaking to Newsreel on Tuesday Edgar Chikuvire, the Information Director for the Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR), said their lawyers traveled to Parirenyatwa Hospital in an effort to positively identify Kachuru’s body. The lawyers were turned away by hospital authorities who told them they needed to bring at least one relative for the identification exercise. Kachuru’s friends insist their colleague was killed inside the ZANU PF office after being brutally assaulted.
Newsreel spoke to several of his friends who say they saw his body being removed from the ZANU PF office and transferred to the mortuary at Parirenyatwa. Of concern is the role a prominent ZANU PF official such as Manyika plays in such acts of violence. He is said to have hired the youths from the Machipisa high density suburb of Harare and witnesses saw him driving the single cab truck with the militant youths crammed in the back. Manyika is well known for leading violent attacks against the opposition, particularly in his home town of Bindura. He is also known for his involvement in Zanu PF’s youth militia.
ROHR say 23 of their members were hospitalized 7 arrested, while 4 are still missing. Moses Mutasa from Hatfield, Tinei Tinarwo from Glen Norah, a Mr Ncube from Dzivarasekwa and Adam Muchiriri from Hatfield are all still unaccounted for. The Women’ Coalition meanwhile reported that 47 of their members were arrested and a further 11 had to seek treatment for injuries sustained from police beatings.
On Tuesday ROHR staged another demonstration in Masvingo but fortunately reported no major incidents. They distributed fliers in the city centre as part of their ‘Demand for Democracy and Justice Campaign’.These protests happened on the sidelines of the SADC summit and there is no doubt that the leaders would have been informed of the brutality that was taking place, while they were sitting talking and having tea with the architect of the repression.
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