EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Monthly Monitoring Report May 2005 ZIMBABWE PEACE PROJECT Executive Summary Although there has been a decline in party, the Movement for Democratic Highfield for example, TM, a known MDC reported cases of political violence and Change (MDC). supporter was on 19 May reportedly associated human rights abuses compared to Cases involving members of the assaulted by about a dozen police officers on election time in March, violations of human uniformed forces as perpetrators of human a clean-up routine in Machipisa for publicly rights have not been featuring in rights violations against perceived and denouncing the government’s operation. insignificant occurrences. known opposition supporters ostensibly to Also in Mutare Central on Africa Day, it The decline in the above mentioned enforce the controversial clean-up campaign was reported that unidentified police details activities was noted especially in the coined Operation ‘Murambatsvina’ have on a clean-up exercise confiscated basic southern provinces of the country. This is increased in most urban areas. There has commodities belonging to CG and MM not to say however that human rights abuses been a lot of consternation as a result of the whom they accused of having voted for the have completely dissipated. increasingly discordant ‘mop-up’ which has ‘wrong party’ during the March elections. As reports indicate, there still are reports been viewed by some sections as a Political intolerance is still prevalent as our of political retribution, that have in the main, retributive displacement campaign against monitors’ reports show. In the Midlands been perpetrated by supporters of the ruling urbanites most of whom voted for the MDC city of Gweru, the MDC has been reportedly party, and, to some extent, state organs and in the March general elections. caught up on the wrong side of the law in supporters of the country’s main opposition In the capital city’s high density suburb of perpetrating acts of human rights abuses. In Figure 1: Comparison chart showing the human rights violation cases received from the Northern and Southern regions during May 2005 22 4 nt e CONTENTS m ce la 84 75 p n is io D at id im 14 6 nt Executive Summary 1 t/I n n io e nt m te Regional Chart 1 ss e 6 1 ra l D a fu re H a u w rt nl o Methodology 3 U T 4 5 IP NORTHERN REGION M 0 2 on Manicaland 3 rs A 9 3 Mashonaland West 6 g tin o Lo 129 40 Mashonaland Central 7 ft/ e t h ul T a ss Harare Metropolitan 10 A 0 n io Mashonaland East 12 ct du b 3 1 A ng SOUTHERN REGION pi p na 6 2 id Bulawayo 13 K e ap Matebeleland South 14 R 1 1 r de ur Matebeleland North 15 M 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Masvingo 16 Midlands 18 Northern Region Southern Region EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mkoba 17 on 8 May, M, a female Mberengwa. For example, in Mberengwa The above incidents serve to indicate member of Zanu PF was reportedly West on the 25th of May, TS, a Zanu PF that political violence and related human forced to chant MDC slogans by supporter of Sovelele ward in Tabanyani rights violations have not been wiped out, unidentified MDC activists during a village was reportedly assaulted by MDC despite official statements from the development meeting chaired by James supporters who accused him of supporting government that they are a thing of the Bwerazuva, the city’s executive mayor. the ruling party. Also, in Mberengwa East past. In an unsettling incident in on 11 May, MM, a Zanu PF supporter of Zvishavane, on 7 May, PD, an MDC Mnyaka village reportedly received a supporter had his house set on fire at threatening letter from an MDC youth JB midnight allegedly by Zanu PF activists. It ‘advising’ him to renounce his Zanu PF is said property valued at approximately membership and join the MDC. $750 000 000.00 was destroyed. The said Traditional leaders also continued to be victim suffered burns and was admitted at sucked into the political fray either as a local hospital where he was said to be perpetrators or victims of human rights recovering. It was also reported that the abuses. In an unbecoming act in Chivi police arrested GK, a suspected ruling North for occurrence, the Madamombe party activist in connection with the arson village headman on the 17th of May attack. reportedly threatened anyone who wanted to There have been disturbing reports that attend the funeral of GS, a known MDC MDC supporters have launched a wave of supporter with expulsion from the village. It terror campaigns against perceived or is said as a result GS was given a Mozart-like known ruling party supporters in burial by his two brothers and sister. 26 159 7 7 2 May-05 12 169 4 8 2 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 M URDER RAPE KIDNAPPING ABDUCTION ASSAULT THEFT/LOOTING ARSON MALICIOUS INJURY TO PROPERTY TORTURE UNLAWFUL DETENTION HARASSMENT/INTIMIDATION of suchDISPL ACEM ENT Figure 2: Graph showing numbers of different incidents of human rights violations recorded for the month of May 2005 2 This reportMETHODOLOGY is based on reports from record cases of human rights vi peace monitors (two per each of the 120 el they monitor. The monitors compile reports ten administrative provinces of Zimbabwe. After receiving coordinators compile provincial monthly monitoring report. NORTHERN REGION olations in the constituencies ZPP long-term community-based primary pe MANICALAND Figure 3: Bar graph of cases of human rights abuses reported in Manicalandectoral constituencies Province that are handed over to monitoring reports that are used to co they reside. ZPP deploys a tota of Zimbabwe). These monitors and verifying reports from the monitors, the provincial 80 70 ZPP provincial coordinators who head ZPP offices in the 60 ace monitors who observe, monitor and Totals 50 40 30 20 10 0 me up with this report-thel of ZPP240 community-based monthly primary 0 reside in the constituencies Murder 5 Manicaland Rape 3 63 Kidnapping 0 Manicaland Abduction Chimanimani Assault 6 8 May 2005 Theft/Looting 00 KP, a pupil at Chimanimani Secondary School was allegedly Arson assaulted by suspected Zanu PF Type of cases youths after they encountered the youth wearing an MDC t- MIP 4 73 shirt. The alleged perpetrators are said to have confiscated the Torture 10 t-shirt. served as a ZESN observer in Chipinge North the March general elections. Unlawful Detention 18 15 May 2005 Ruling party activists led by Mrs. Harassment/intimidation M, a ward coordinator and M NN of Mutikwanda reportedly evicted FC and his resettlement area was reportedly family from their house in Gaza Displacement evicted from his new farming township following the victim’s plot by , a Zanu PF activist who nomination as a possible MDC accused the said victim of candidate for local ward council ‘selling out’. The said victim by-elections. May-05 30 May 2005 Chipinge South GS and CG of the MDC were reportedly assaulted before 1 May 2005 being illegally evicted from the houses they were renting at IM of the MDC had her home Gaza by ruling party activists led destroyed before being illegally by DS and Mrs. M. The said evicted by suspected Zanu PF victims were said to have been activists led by war veterans N instructed to either resettle in and SN. Harare or London, where the MDC has a large following. 3 May 2005 SM, and MDC supporter was allegedly evicted from his home in Mwacheta village by Zanu PF supporters led by JGM, NM, SS, and SM after the alleged perpetrators demanded that the victim renounce his MDC membership. 8 May 2005 Ruling party activists led by LM reportedly assaulted TM 3 NORTHERN REGION ostensibly for ‘inciting violence’ EM a ruling party activist was Three MDC supporters L, M after the said victim allegedly reportedly chased away from and LW were allegedly assaulted urged fellow MDC supporters home by her husband D (see the by two war veterans JM and TN not to obey the current above incident) after he had who subsequently declared that government. spotted her in the company of the trio would not receive any C, the war veteran who had food aid or related social 9 May 2005 allegedly assaulted him the amenities from the government previous day. because of their continued In a disturbing incident, two support o the MDC. MDC activists, SM and MM 6 May 2005 were allegedly illegally detained 13 May 2005 after being assaulted by two A group of unidentified en Zimbabwe Republic Police suspected to be war veterans WT, a ruling party activist officers, a Sergeant K and D in allegedly assaulted a C before allegedly assaulted PD and DC, cahoots with three ruling party illegally evicting the said victim both MDC supporters before activists RB, SC and SN at from his home in the declaring that any one villager Gumira village. Bingaguru-Chinyika east area from Chitsva village seen after accusing the victim of associating with the two would In yet another disconcerting being an MDC supporter. be barred from getting food incident in Masimbe village, assistance. three war veterans DC, SJ and 11 May 2005 M allegedly assaulted and 16 May 2005 unlawfully detained MM of the A group of unidentified MDC MDC with the assistance of youths from village 25, led by JT, a Zanu PF supporter and a unidentified police details from one B allegedly assaulted Zanu United Methodist Church Rimbi Police camp.