Human Rights Monitor N^o. 20  November 2001

Human Rights Generally

Our usual review of human rights' violations now draws on unpublished as well as published sources. Despite fewer reports this month of human rights abuses, we mourn five people killed as a result of political violations and offer condolences to their families. They included two unnamed members of the MDC, together with:

 Kufa RUKARA (MDC), abducted, tortured, who died a month later in hospital from his head injuries;

Cain NKALA, Bulawayo war veteran leader also abducted and later found buried in a shallow grave; and

Johannes Felix SIKELE, a resettled farmer shot in a struggle for a patrol guard's gun.

1. Civil rights

In November 2001, there were only 10 published and no private reports of civil rights' violations. All 10 reports came from urban areas. We are somewhat disturbed by what appears to be lack of media attention to civil rights this month. We hope this will not prove to be a trend.

Who were the victims of civil rights abuses?

As Table 1 shows, there were at least 112 individual abuses.

Among the individually-known victims were one boy and 11 men. In one case probably hundreds of adults of both sexes who work for the state media were threatened with retrenchment if they supported the opposition MDC.

Who violated civil rights?

We applaud all of the political parties for not being caught and reported in any of the civil violations in November 2001.

Private individuals were also apparently well- behaved. One individual's dogs mauled a man to death, and we offer condolences to his family. However, humans themselves refrained from violating others' rights.

Regrettably, therefore, the State, mainly Home Affairs (3) and the police (5), was responsible for almost all the violations of citizens' civil rights.

Table 1: November 2001: Victims of reported civil rights violations, including those resulting from political violence.

>means more than

2. Political rights

Judging from 39 news reports and 14 unpublished cases, political violence remained on an even keel in November 2001. There were five deaths as a result of political violence but only three death threats of a political nature. The proportion of cases involving political violence fell.

In November 2001, two-thirds of all political violations of human rights occurred in rural settings. The remaining third afflicted townspeople. Table 2 shows the provincial distribution of these 53 'political' cases.

Who were the victims of political violations?

Political violence remained a predominantly male activity. 57 named men were affected, compared to 4 female victims. Table 2. Distribution of 'political' violations by province: November 2001. Mashonaland Central 15 28,3% Mashonaland East 11 20,8% Mashonaland West 8 15,1% Bulawayo 7 13,2% Harare 4 7,5% Midlands 4 7,5% Matabeleland North 3 5,7% Masvingo 1 1.9% Matabeleland South 0 0% Manicaland 0 0%

Who violated political rights?

State agents were responsible for two incidents involving scores of victims, as the CIO, police and army attempted to remove squatters. Zanu-PF and war veterans, alone or together, were responsible for 41 incidents with 97 victims. MDC supporters victimised five people in four incidents.

As usual we would like you to let us know about human rights abuses. Please include your full name and address if you want us to answer, otherwise we will not know who to address and send replies to. (Our address is below.) With the aim of developing a strong human rights culture in Zimbabwe, we want to know about and expose especially those human rights abuses that are not reported in the press. Information regarding unlawful killings, assaults, torture and other gross violations of Zimbabweans' civil rights is appreciated. But we also want to know when people cannot get birth certificates or identity documents, when property rights and work entitlements are violated, and when nothing is done about people who do not have access to health services and schooling.  

  « Prev