COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT ZIMBABWE 3 JUNE 2008 ZIMBABWE 3 JUNE 2008 Contents Text highlighted in green indicates new and or updated information. PREFACE LATEST NEWS EVENTS IN ZIMBABWE, FROM 12 DECEMBER 2007 TO 3 JUNE 2008 REPORTS ON ZIMBABWE PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED SINCE 12 DECEMBER 2007 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY........................................................................................ 1.01 Map ................................................................................................ 1.06 2. ECONOMY............................................................................................ 2.01 Indigenisation and Empowerment Bill ....................................... 2.14 3. HISTORY.............................................................................................. 3.01 Post-Independence ...................................................................... 3.04 Matabeleland Insurgency 1983–87 ............................................. 3.05 Matabeleland Insurgency – Political developments.................. 3.06 4. LAND REFORM..................................................................................... 4.01 5. SANCTIONS AND COMMONWEALTH SUSPENSION .................................. 5.01 6. ELECTORAL HISTORY .......................................................................... 6.01 Parliamentary Elections – March 2005 ....................................... 6.01 Senate Elections – November 2005 ............................................ 6.12 By-Elections in 2005 .................................................................... 6.17 By-Elections in 2006 .................................................................... 6.18 By-Elections in 2007 .................................................................... 6.22 Elections in 2008 .......................................................................... 6.24 Zimba Makoni ............................................................................ 6.30 Robert Mugabe .......................................................................... 6.31 Morgan Tsvangirai ..................................................................... 6.32 The results ................................................................................. 6.33 Post - election violence ............................................................... 6.41 7. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS...................................................................... 7.01 The Government Crushes Student Demonstrations................. 7.07 Student protests......................................................................... 7.07 8. CONSTITUTION..................................................................................... 8.01 Constitutional Amendment (No 17) Bill...................................... 8.08 Constitutional Amendment (No 18) Act...................................... 8.14 9. POLITICAL SYSTEM .............................................................................. 9.01 State Structures............................................................................ 9.01 Zimbabwean Electoral Commission........................................... 9.03 ZANU-PF........................................................................................ 9.05 ZANU-PF discuss extending Mugabe’s term of office ............... 9.15 Mugabe secures endorsement for 2008 .................................... 9.19 ii This Country of Origin Information Report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 3 June 2008. Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 3 JUNE 2008 ZIMBABWE Human Rights 10. INTRODUCTION................................................................................... 10.01 11. SECURITY FORCES............................................................................. 11.01 Police............................................................................................. 11.10 Arbitrary arrest and detention .................................................... 11.19 Torture ....................................................................................... 11.23 Extra-judicial killings .................................................................. 11.33 Armed forces ................................................................................ 11.35 Patriotic Guards ........................................................................... 11.47 Arbitrary arrest and detention .................................................... 11.48 Torture ....................................................................................... 11.49 Extra-judicial killings .................................................................. 11.51 Central Intelligence Organisation ............................................... 11.52 Other government forces ............................................................ 11.70 ZANU-PF Youth ............................................................................ 11.70 Compulsory service............................................................... 11.75 Recruitment........................................................................... 11.80 Treatment of recruits in the NYS scheme ............................. 11.82 Actions of the youth militia .................................................... 11.85 Impunity................................................................................. 11.95 War Veterans ................................................................................ 11.96 Avenues of complaint .................................................................. 11.113 The Office of the Ombudsman................................................... 11.113 12. MILITARY SERVICE ............................................................................. 12.01 Conscientious objection.............................................................. 12.05 13. JUDICIARY ......................................................................................... 13.01 Organisation ................................................................................. 13.02 Judicial independence................................................................. 13.04 14. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .......................................... 14.01 Role of police and security apparatus........................................ 14.01 Arrest and detention .................................................................. 14.04 15. PRISON CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 15.01 16. DEATH PENALTY ................................................................................ 16.01 17. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ...................................................................... 17.01 Freedom of political expression ................................................. 17.01 Freedom of association and assembly ...................................... 17.09 Growing civil unrest and protests............................................... 17.18 Opposition demonstration suppressed/leaders tortured......... 17.25 Background................................................................................ 17.26 11 March 2007 and subsequent events..................................... 17.30 Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) stay-away ......... 17.36 Mugabe threatens the diplomatic community ............................ 17.38 The crackdown continues .......................................................... 17.41 Opposition groups and political activists.................................. 17.53 The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) ......................... 17.53 Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) ......................................... 17.73 18. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA....................................................... 18.01 Overview of the Zimbabwean media........................................... 18.01 Television and radio..................................................................... 18.13 The internet................................................................................... 18.18 Treatment of journalists .............................................................. 18.19 Public order and security act (POSA)......................................... 18.33 This Country of Origin Information Report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 3 June 2008. iii Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. ZIMBABWE 3 JUNE 2008 19. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS .......... 19.01 Human rights activists................................................................. 19.01 20. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ...................................................................... 20.01 Religious groups .......................................................................... 20.09 21. WITCHCRAFT ..................................................................................... 21.13 22. ETHNIC GROUPS ................................................................................ 22.01 Shona ............................................................................................ 22.02 Ndebele ......................................................................................... 22.04 Whites............................................................................................ 22.07 Asians...........................................................................................