Zimbabwe Report
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ZIMBABWE REPORT CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE COALITION JUNE 20, 2002 The CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE COALITION consists of the eight major civil society coalitions in Zimbabwe, namely the National Constitutional Assembly, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, the Women’s Coalition, Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe Chapter, Transparency International - Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe National Students Union, and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. These coalitions collectively represent over five hundred civil society groups. Two hundred and fifty of these individual organizations are also directly affiliated to the Crisis Coalition. The aim of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is to amplify the collective voice of civil society in Zimbabwe. 2 ZIMBABWE REPORT _______________ Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword by Archbishop Pius A. Ncube..........................................................................4 Executive summary.........................................................................................................5 NEPAD’s Commitment to Democracy and Good Governance ........................................8 The pledge...................................................................................................................8 Steps to achieve objectives ..........................................................................................8 Democracy and Political Governance Initiative ...........................................................8 Censure of deviation from democratic ideals in other countries ...................................9 Application of NEPAD standards to Zimbabwe...........................................................9 Zimbabwe: A Test Case for NEPAD............................................................................ 11 Introduction............................................................................................................... 11 Political Violence and Intimidation............................................................................ 12 2000 to 2001 ......................................................................................................... 12 Violence before and during Presidential election ................................................... 15 Violence and intimidation after Presidential election ............................................. 17 Presidential Election.................................................................................................. 20 Confiscation and Destruction of Identity Cards...................................................... 20 Interference with Political Campaigning................................................................ 21 Pre-Election Pressure from Service Chiefs............................................................. 21 State-controlled Media........................................................................................... 21 Manipulating Electoral Processes .......................................................................... 22 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 27 Independence of the Judiciary.................................................................................... 27 Intimidation of the Judiciary and Packing of the Supreme Court............................ 27 The High Court ..................................................................................................... 30 Magistrates Courts................................................................................................. 30 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 30 Attacks on Press Freedom ......................................................................................... 31 The Land Crisis......................................................................................................... 33 Economic Consequences ........................................................................................... 38 3 Gross Domestic Product and Incomes.................................................................... 38 Employment.......................................................................................................... 38 Inflation................................................................................................................. 38 Other Macro-economic Figures ............................................................................. 39 Agricultural Production and the Food Crisis .......................................................... 39 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 40 Social Consequences ................................................................................................. 40 Conclusion.................................................................................................................... 42 Annexure 1: Extract from NEPAD Document .......................................................... 43 Annexure 2: Extract from Election Petition: Mutoko South ..................................... 48 Annexure 3: Cases of Violence: March–May 2002.................................................. 52 Annexure 4: Cases of Post-election Torture.............................................................. 75 Annexure 5: Section 158 of the Electoral Act ........................................................... 97 Annexure 6: Vote-rigging in the Presidential Election .............................................. 98 Annexure 7: Allocation of Seized Farms ................................................................ 103 Annexure 8: Politicisation of Food Programme ...................................................... 125 4 FOREWORD Zimbabwe is suffering a very painful time. I commend the organizations that have put together this report, which accurately describes life in Zimbabwe at present. In the past two years, I have been greatly disheartened to watch the people of Zimbabwe suffer hunger, violence, and pain, and ultimately to watch this swell into anger as their hopes for peace and basic democratic freedoms have been frustrated. I have witnessed these realities. Over the last two years I have seen a steady deterioration of respect for human dignity and rights in Zimbabwe. In the past two months, I have known of a number of persons who have died of hunger right here in my city. We have seen police and militia threaten, intimidate, and sometimes attack unarmed civilian protesters. We have spoken out, only to be threatened and attacked ourselves. Writing a report such as this one, by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, carries great risks. Those risks must be borne by us all if we are to find a more peaceful path into the future. I pray that readers of this report will do their utmost to assist in stopping the unnecessary suffering that has been brought on this fine land. May God move you to act quickly and decisively. Pius A. Ncube Archbishop of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe June 2002 5 ZIMBABWE REPORT _______________ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Joint responsibility of NEPAD participants for good governance in Africa African leaders who participate in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) accept that democracy, good governance, human rights and sound economic management are essential for sustainable development. They therefore undertake joint responsibility for promoting and protecting democracy and human rights in their countries and regions. NEPAD will succeed only if participating leaders are ready to monitor fellow- participants and ensure the restoration of good governance in any African country that has departed from international norms of democracy and state legitimacy. Zimbabwe, whose government has departed from most of those norms, is a test case for NEPAD. Political violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe Serious political violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe began in early 2000 and has reached unacceptable levels. The violence began with invasions of commercial farms and has become widespread, particularly in the rural areas. Since January 2002, 57 people have been killed, 26 “disappeared” and more than 450 tortured. Thousands have been forced to flee their homes areas. Ninety per cent of the violence has been perpetrated by ZANU (PF) supporters or State security agents, with encouragement from leading members of the government. The Presidential election The Presidential election was neither free nor fair, and met none of the standards set by the SADC Parliamentary Forum. There were many reasons why the election was vitiated, apart from the prevailing violence. The police prevented the opposition MDC from holding rallies; the heads of the security forces made it clear they would not accept the opposition candidate if he won the election; the State-controlled media ran a propaganda campaign in favour of Mr Mugabe; and the government manipulated the electoral law extensively in Mr Mugabe’s favour. In addition, the voters’ roll was a shambles and many voters were effectively disenfranchised; urban dwellers, most of whom supported the opposition candidate, were discouraged from voting through restrictions in the number of polling stations; and the number of independent observers allowed to monitor the election was severely limited. Finally, there were indications of vote-rigging on a large scale. 6 All this calls into question the