Amnesty International has received information about widespread incidents of
post-election violence, suggesting the existence of coordinated retribution
against known and suspected opposition supporters. Violence has been reported
in Harare, Mashonaland East, Midlands,
Matabeleland North and Manicaland provinces.
According to the reports, victims of political violence have been pulled from
buses and assaulted at their homes in rural areas, townships and farms.
In Gweru, on or around Sunday, 6 April, soldiers were reported to have
assaulted people in a bar at Mkoba 6 shopping centre. Victims told local human
rights groups that the soldiers were accusing them of “not voting correctly”.
On and around Monday 7 April, soldiers also assaulted shoppers at Mkoba 14
shopping centre in Gweru. The soldiers were reported to be wearing anti-riot
gear and assaulted people with sticks.
At around midnight on Sunday, about 10 soldiers and two people dressed in
police uniform, went to the home of a known Movement for Democratic Change
activist, in Mkoba 14 in Gweru and assaulted him and two of his friends. They
were assaulted with baton sticks and kicked. The activist sustained injuries
and required medical treatment. The matter was reported to the police, yet no-one
has so far been arrested.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Amnesty International welcomed the Southern
Africa Development Community (SADC) announcement of an emergency meeting to
discuss the Zimbabwe crisis
to be held on 12 April in Lusaka.
The organisation called on the SADC leaders to redouble their diplomatic
efforts to avoid further deterioration of the human rights situation in the
country.
“SADC leaders should come out and publicly acknowledge the human rights
violations being perpetrated by security organisations, war veterans, and
supporters of political parties – and insist on an end to the political
violence,” said Simeon Mawanza, Amnesty International’s Zimbabwe
researcher.
“SADC should also publicly acknowledge that one of the causes of the increasing
tension in Zimbabwe
is the delayed release of the presidential election results. They must urge the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to immediately release the results.
“Zimbabwe
has been allowed to operate outside the African Union and United Nations human
rights frameworks for too long – reinforcing a culture of impunity in the
country.”