| A Report on Post Election Violence August 07, 2000 |
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Contents « Part 1 Part 3 »Part 2 Violence against members of opposition by Zanu (PF) supporters Since the results of the parliamentary election held on 24 and 25 June, 2000 were announced there have been a series of reprisals against MDC office bearers and supporters. These have included death threats. One MDC election agent has been brutally murdered and his mutilated body was dumped near his home in Harare. Statement from Amnesty International Amnesty International is appealing to the Zimbabwean authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure that the rights of supporters and opponents of the government are protected. Amnesty International is particularly concerned for the safety of Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube who has received death threats four times in the past week. Amnesty International is concerned that President Robert Mugabe's history of inciting his followers to violence could lead to retaliation against known or suspected supporters of Zimbabwe’s opposition political parties in the aftermath of the parliamentary election, Amnesty International said today. "Threats of, and actual violence have been the hallmarks of President Mugabe’s leadership. The new Zimbabwe after the elections must see a stop to such practises that result in human rights abuses," Amnesty International said. On 29 June the President accused the Archbishop on national TV of having contributed to the ethnic voting in favour of the MDC in Matabeleland. Ncube is Archbishop in Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe and the centre of Matabeleland. He has always spoken out strongly in favour of social justice and against human rights abuses. Amnesty International is calling on President Mugabe to respect everybody's right to freedom of speech and to stop using inflammatory language, all threats of violence or other human rights abuses against his opponents.
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