Some Tentative Conclusions
At this time the Forum cannot arrive at any detailed conclusions. These conclusions will be made in the final consolidated report. However, it can certainly be said that the evidence from Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East strongly points to a planned campaign of organised violence. Ruling party officials and some state organs have given active support to this campaign. The victims of this campaign were members of various political parties and anyone perceived to be supporting or potentially supporting opposition to the ruling party. The violence used has included killings, torture, rape, assaults, mass psychological terror, death threats and intimidation and destruction of property. The effects of this violence will felt for a considerable time to come in the Zimbabwean society. Various other bodies such as Amnesty International and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture have reached similar conclusions about the violence in Zimbabwe.

In the light of the scale of violence that has occurred, it is difficult to see how the pending parliamentary election can now be free and fair. In many areas the violence has prevented political campaigning and the climate of mass fear created by the violence has been aimed at preventing people from exercising free choice at the ballot box.