OVERVIEW

The month of March exhibited the lack of political tolerance and respect for the rights of others that continues to prevail in Zimbabwe, especially during election periods. This month saw a significant rise in the number of assaults, violations of freedom of assembly, association and movement and political intimidation, victimization and discrimination. As the month began, a ZANU-PF supporter and war veteran, Gift Chimbandi, was burnt to death in his house on 3 March in Mazowe East, under circumstances that the Government press has described as politically motivated. The Human Rights Forum stresses the importance of political tolerance and the respect not only for other people’s views but the sanctity of human life. The enjoyment of every other right is dependent on the enjoyment of the right to life.

Reports throughout the country indicate that opposition MDC activists were prevented from campaigning freely. MDC Parliamentary candidate for Zvimba North constituency, Prince Chibanda, was allegedly abducted and victimized by ZANU-PF activists for trying to campaign in the area who told him that Zvimba North was not an MDC area. He was allegedly arrested by the police after his abduction. Other MDC activists and supporters were reportedly assaulted, arrested or victimized for putting up campaign posters, distributing campaign material or attending rallies. This made it difficult for the opposition to campaign freely for the March 31 Parliamentary elections. MDC Parliamentary candidate for Harare Central, Murisi Zwizai, was reportedly barred by the police from holding a campaign road show in Harare Central.. The Human Rights Forum continues to urge Government to ensure that elections in the country, at whatever level, are held under conditions that ensure freeness and fairness for all parties.

It is further reported that ZANU-PF activists forced commuter operators plying the City-Tafara/Mabvuku route to stick ZANU-PF posters on their vehicles. The Forum calls upon Zimbabwean citizens to ensure the respect and protection of other peoples’ rights no matter what their political affiliation may be.

On the election day itself, Women Of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) members are reported to have been heavy-handedly dispersed by police as they held a peaceful prayer vigil in Harare’s Africa Unity Square. To quote the WOZA members, the vigil by candlelight was meant to “safeguard the vote from manipulation as reported in the 2000 and 2002 elections”.. The police assaulted and arrested several of the peaceful crowd. Many women, some with babies on their backs, were allegedly assaulted and others had to be hospitalized. If reports are true, The Human Rights Forum condemns the heavy-handed manner in which this peaceful vigil was disrupted.

Totals: 1 March – 31 March 2005

Cumulative totals: 1 January – 31 March 2005

Key Abbreviations

AIPPA – Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act UMP – Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe

CIO – Central Intelligence Organisation ZANU-PF – Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front

MDC – Movement for Democratic Change ZCTU – Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions

MP – Member of Parliament ZNA – Zimbabwe National Army

NAGG - National Alliance for Good Governance ZNLWVA – Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association

NCA – National Constitutional Assembly ZPS – Zimbabwe Prison Service

OVT – Organised Violence and Torture ZRP – Zimbabwe Republic Police

POSA – Public Order and Security Act ZIMTA – Zimbabwe Teachers Association

PTUZ – Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe ZUPCO – Zimbabwe United Passenger Company

Sources: The information contained in this report is derived from statements made to the Public Interest Unit of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, statements taken by a network of human rights activists and newspaper reports,

Notes to the tables:

Torture:

All cases of torture fall under the definition of torture according to the general definition given in the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment and Punishment.

The four elements of torture are:

1. Severe pain and suffering, whether physical or mental

2. Intentionally inflicted

3. With a purpose

4. By a state official or another individual acting with the acquiescence of the State.

Those individuals referred to in point # 4 include the ZRP, ZNA, ZPS and the ZNLWVA (as a reserve force of the ZNA) and by any other grouping when directly sanctioned by the state.

Unlawful arrest and detention:

Arrest by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) with no reasonable suspicion that an offence has been committed. Detention thereafter for a period exceeding 48 hours without access to redress through the courts or subsequent release without charge.

Abduction/kidnapping:

A kidnapping by a member(s) of an organised group that is not the ZRP, political party, ZNLWVA, ZNA, MDC, ZANU-PFZANU-PF etc.

Disappearance:

Kidnapped persons whose whereabouts remained unknown at the time of reporting. Their whereabouts have still to be ascertained through follow-up reports or further investigation.

Property related:

Incidents in which property rights have been violated. This includes arson, property damage and destruction and theft.

Cases of Political Violence

Note: The identities of victims whose names have not been published in the press and are not public officials are protected. This is done in order to protect the victim from further violence, intimidation and possible recriminatory attacks.

The purpose of this report is to record the nature of the politically motivated violence and intimidation that continues to prevail in the country. The Monthly Political Violence Reports are primarily based on victims’ accounts, accompanied by medical evidence, where possible, obtained from member organisations of the Human Rights Forum and other partner organisations. Use is also made of press reports on politically motivated violence. The Monthly Political Violence Report cannot therefore be considered as the exhaustive record of all incidents of politically-motivated violence in Zimbabwe in the period under review. Nevertheless, every incident reported to the Human Rights Forum directly or through its members is meticulously documented and included in the reports.

The situation prevailing in the country is such that it has not been possible to verify all of these accounts. The Human Rights Forum has done what it can to verify the reports, and is satisfied that the vast majority of them are substantially true. It is also not possible to rule out whether a victim’s account is exaggerated or contains inaccuracies.

All reports derived from the press are denoted with the symbol ∑.

Harare

Glen Norah

4 March 2005

∑. Nhamo Makwaza was reportedly arrested in the Glen Norah constituency at around 03:00 hrs for putting up MDC campaign posters.

Harare Central

23 March 2005

∑. It is reported that Chief Superintendent Kunene barred the MDC Harare Central legislator and MDC Parliamentary candidate for that constituency, Murisi Zwizai, from holding a road show in Harare Central. Kunene is reported to have said that he could not sanction the road show because it was not confined to any particular constituency or police district, despite the fact that the letter of notification to the police from Zwizai did in fact indicate that the road show would take place in Harare Central.

31 March 2005

Police allegedly disrupted a Women Of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) peaceful prayer vigil at around 19:10 hrs in Africa Unity Square in Harare. The vigil of 150 women was set to continue throughout the night. The purpose of the vigil was to pray for peace in the post election period and to pray for divine intervention to prevent the results being manipulated as had been reported in connection with the 2000 and 2002 elections. The riot police allegedly arrived and started assaulting the women, 20 of whom had babies strapped on their backs. It is reported that over 30 women had to be treated for injuries and 9 were hospitalised for severe beatings to their backs and thighs. A further 74 women reportedly received medical treatment a few days later. The police details allegedly forced the women to lie on their stomachs while the police walked over them with booted feet. Twenty five of the women, including WOZA leader Jenny Williams, and at least 2 international journalists were reportedly arrested although the journalists were released after about 2 hours without further inconvenience. The women spent the night in custody claiming that they were under armed guard and were released the following morning. They were charged under the Miscellaneous Offences Act (MOA) S 3(2) g with obstruction of thoroughfares.. They were required to pay a fine of Z$25,000 each. Other women who were on their way to the vigil from Bulawayo and other areas in Harare were allegedly assaulted by the police who purposefully descended on the Railway Station in Harare for that purpose.

Harare South

19 March 2005

On the day of the incident, a male victim and a female victim claim that they were putting up MDC posters in the Hopely farming area along with other colleagues. It is alleged that an elderly ZANU-PF supporter approached them and told them that MDC posters were not wanted in the area. The victims said that about 40 to 50 people started to throw stones at them whilst others used sticks to chase them out of the area. The male victim reportedly ran off but 4 ZANU-PF supporters chased after him. Having caught up with him, they allegedly assaulted him all over his body. The victim claims he must have fainted for about half an hour and when he came to, he hurriedly ran back to where his colleagues were. The female victim was allegedly struck with a log causing her to fall. A stone hit her on the lower abdomen and she says she felt something give in the area where she had previously undergone a caesarean-section operation. Two colleagues apparently helped her escape. The beating is said to have lasted about one hour until one of the ZANU-PF supporters’ leaders asked them to leave the area and convinced the assailants to let them go.

Hatfield

10 March 2005

On the day of the incident, a male victim reports that he attended an MDC rally at Overspill Secondary School. A group of ZANU-PF supporters reportedly arrived and began taunting him for being dressed in an MDC T-shirt. They then allegedly assaulted the victim and his colleagues. He was allegedly struck twice with a brick. It is then said he was taken to a ZANU-PF base and further assaulted along with his friends before being handed over to the police on accusations of causing violence. The victim reports being detained and interrogated by officers from the Law and Order Section of Harare Central Police Station before being released with no charges having been preferred against him.

19 March 2005

The victim reports that he is the MDC Organising Secretary for his area and, on the day in question, he was informed that some people had been looking for him at his house and that he should leave the area. However, it is said that, before he could leave, he met with 6 men who said they had been looking for him and they immediately began to assault him all over his body using fists and booted feet. He reportedly fell to the ground and one of them stamped on his right knee. They allegedly took Z$180,000 from him and ran away as other people began to gather.

22 March 2005

One male victim reports that he was on his way home from an MDC rally with others, many of whom were wearing MDC bandanas, when 10 ZANU-PF youths approached them and accused the victim of having assaulted them on a previous occasion. The victim reports that he was assaulted and taken to a ZANU-PF base. Once at the base, he was allegedly beaten on the soles of his feet with an iron bar and with fists on the head and face. The police were reportedly called in by the youths who told the police that the victim had in fact assaulted them. He was reportedly kept at Domboramwari Police Station overnight and was then taken to Harare Central Police Station on the following day whereupon he was released with no charges having being preferred against him.

26 March 2005

The male victim was coming from an MDC rally at Overspill dressed in party regalia when he was allegedly attacked by about 7 ZANU-PF supporters. He reports that they assaulted him with booted feet, a brick and a wooden bench. He reported the matter to a local Police Station

Highfield

27 March 2005

The 3 male victims report that they were on their way to Highfield to attend an MDC rally when, at Machipisa Shopping Centre, ZANU-PF supporters allegedly blocked the way of the vehicle they were travellingin. . The driver managed to find a way through but made a sudden move whereupon the tailgate detached itself from the vehicle. The victims and about 9 others tumbled onto the tarmac whereupon the ZANU-PF supporters allegedly assaulted them using batons, fists and booted feet. The victims escaped to the Zimbabwe Grounds where other MDC supporters were assembled.

Kuwadzana

12 March 2005

∑. It is alleged that on the day in question, more than 30 MDC supporters were detained at Marimba Police Station after being beaten up by war veterans. It is also alleged that another 20 were taken to hospital. Tongogara Park is said to be home to illegally settled war veterans and soldiers who claim that the Park is a no-go area for anybody else.

Mabvuku

23 March 2005

∑. It is reported that some commuter omnibus operators plying the City-Tafara/Mabvuku route were assaulted by suspected ZANU-PF youths who are said to have forced the drivers to wear ZANU-PF T-shirts and paste campaign posters on their vehicles. The youths, numbering around 20, are said to have ambushed the drivers and conductors at one of the main termini in Tafara, where they started distributing ZANU-PF T-shirts. They also reportedly pasted some posters on the vehicles and instructed that they should not be removed until after the elections. The youths allegedly assaulted two commuter operators who had queried their actions.

Mbare West

28 March 2005

Four victims, 2 men and 2 women, report that they were on their way to Highfield to attend an MDC rally when they were allegedly assaulted by ZANU-PF supporters for wearing MDC regalia. It is said they fled and reported the matter at Southerton Police Station.

Manicaland

Mutare South

March 2005

∑. Betty Shorishori, a 61 year-old grandmother from Mutare South Constituency, was allegedly threatened with death for supporting the opposition MDC. This prompted her to flee her homestead, leaving behind her two grandchildren, one in Grade 3 and the other in Form 1. She has sought refuge at the opposition MDC Manicaland offices. The elderly woman said her problems started when she attended an MDC rally held in the area. She was later reportedly informed that she had been singled out at a ZANU-PF meeting as an MDC supporter. It is further reported that her grandchildren’s names were subsequently deleted from a list of beneficiaries for free education through Beam¹. The victim was further prevented from buying maize from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and was told that she could only source it from Sydney Mukwecheni.² Shorishori said she was informed that all people who attended the MDC rally were to be deprived of food aid. They were either threatened with assault or told that their homes would be torched at night. Fearing such threats, she reportedly fled to the MDC offices.

Mashonaland Central

Guruve North

2 March 2005

∑. 11 MDC activists were reportedly arrested by police whilst distributing campaign material in Guruve North constituency.

Mazowe East

3 March 2005

∑. It is reported that, on the night in question, Gift Chimbandi, a war veteran, was burnt beyond recognition when a mysterious fire gutted his 10-roomed house at Selby Farm. A number of war veterans in the area are reported to have claimed that problems had arisen on the farm since the arrival of a number of new settlers to engage in peri-urban farming. The war veterans alleged that some of the new settlers were MDC supporters and that they had previously clashed with the 2000 settlers whom they demanded should leave the farm. The matter was reported to the police and investigations are underway.

Bindura

5 March 2005

Seven male victims were allegedly assaulted by ZANU-PF youths on allegations of being MDC activists and for attending an MDC rally on 5 March 2005 at Chiwaridzo Shopping Centre, Bindura. The victims reached the venue where the rally was to take place and found that ZANU-PF supporters had already set up camp in the area. After the rally, the ZANU-PF supporters allegedly threw stones at the first victim while he was on the way to the Harare hiking point. The victim was injured on his right knee. The second victim alleges that he was beaten with an iron bar on the left leg. As a result of the attack, he sustained an injury to the left ankle. The third victim was allegedly attacked after the rally by ZANU-PF activists, riot police and war veterans at Chiwaridzo Shopping Centre. He sustained a cut to the lower abdomen. The fourth victim alleges that he was victimised by the police and ZANU-PF supporters for addressing the rally. The fifth victim claims that he was hit with a stone on the back prompting him to seek refuge at Bindura Police Station where he was told that the rally was over so the police could not protect him. The Member in Charge ordered the riot police to disperse the crowd and, in the process, the victim was beaten on the back and on both forearms.

The sixth victim, an MDC activist, claims that he arrived home after the rally to find his place under siege by about 10 ZANU-PF youths, one of whom was familiar to him. He alleges that he was asked to pack his belongings and leave since Bindura was not an MDC area. When he tried to force his way through his gate, he was allegedly assaulted with fists in the presence of his family. It was stated that he went to report the matter to the police and, on arriving at the Police Station, he found about 30 people making similar reports. It is said that the officer on duty ordered them to disperse. The people told the officer that ZANU-PF was manning all the roads and it was not safe for them to leave the Police Station.

It is alleged the officer called in a number of riot police to disperse them who then started to assault the people indiscriminately with batons whilst they were still in the police station, causing them to scramble in different directions. The victim was reportedly beaten on the right upper arm and back and, as he tried to run away, he tripped and fell and hurt his back. Whilst still on the ground, he was allegedly kicked on the back with booted feet. He managed to escape, and in doing so lost some documents and his? shoes. The seventh victim was allegedly assaulted by police after attending the rally.

The eighth victim claims that, on the day in question, he had arrived in Bindura from Mupandire where he had attended a rally. He reports that he proceeded to Bindura Police Station to see his colleagues who had been arrested. However, he only managed to see them around 20:00 hrs. On his way home at around 02:00 hrs, he passed through Kuyedza nightclub in Chipadze as he was contemplating going to Trojan Mine.. It is alleged that ZANU-PF supporters surrounded him accusing him of wearing an MDC T-shirt inside his T-shirt. They are said to have started beating him with empty bottles, fists and booted feet. He reportedly fell on his head and lost consciousness for a while. When he woke up he ran for safety. He obtained shelter from a Good Samaritan who gave him the bus fare to continue to Trojan Mine. The victim reported the matter to Bindura Police Station where he was given medical forms.

20 March 2005

Three male MDC activists report that they were putting up MDC campaign posters when they were allegedly assaulted by ZANU-PF supporters in Bindura.

22 March 2005

The male victim and others were being dropped off by an MDC lorry from Trojan Mine, where they had held an MDC rally, when a ZANU-PF vehicle pulled over. About 5 ZANU-PF supporters allegedly assaulted him accusing him of wearing an MDC T shirt and being an MDC supporter. The victim claims he was assaulted with fists, open hands, booted feet, sticks and an iron bar for about 5 minutes before the ZANU-PF supporters drove off.

Guruve North

6 March 2005

A female victim from Chirunya area was allegedly assaulted in Guruve on allegations of putting up MDC posters in the area. She was reportedly slapped during the assault and, as a result, her left ear was injured. The victim is said to have left for Harare since she had been threatened that her home would be burnt at night.

11 March 2005

A male victim was allegedly assaulted by ZANU-PF supporters on allegations of putting up MDC posters in the area. It is further alleged that the assailants used baton sticks to assault him. The ZANU-PF youths reportedly took his bag which contained all the campaign fliers and other materials. The victim was saved when a vehicle flashed its lights causing the youths to leave him and disperse. The driver of the vehicle then carried the victim away.

19 March 2005

A male MDC activist reports that he was putting up MDC campaign posters in Neshangwe area when he was allegedly assaulted by ZANU-PF supporters.

Mashonaland East

Goromonzi

13 March 2005

The male victim reports that, on the day in question, he was in bed with his wife when his 28-year-old son, who is also the local ZANU-PF chairman, broke into his bedroom. He reportedly accused the victim of being a sell our by supporting the MDC and allegedly struck him three times over the left eyebrow with an unknown object before he lost consciousness.

Marondera East

4 March 2005

A male MDC activist reports that he had been distributing fliers and putting up posters for the Marondera East MDC candidate, Ian Kay. He claims that at around 20:00 hrs, about 12 ZANU-PF supporters, some of whom are known to him, started accusing him of being an MDC supporter and supporting whites. He was allegedly assaulted while being interrogated and it is reported that the assaults intensified when the victim answered back. The group’s leader purportedly said that the victim had given them problems for a long time and that they should get rid of him. The victim states that one of the perpetrators took out a cloth that had a peculiar smell and used it to cover the victim’s face and nose. He believes that he must have lost consciousness since, after being thrown into a truck, he was unaware of subsequent events.

The victim claims that he later learnt from the police that someone who had been herding cattle saw him and made a report to the police who then picked him up and took him to Rusape Hospital. He later learnt that he had been picked up at Chiunye Village, near a stream, and that his whole body was wet. He does not remember how he was taken to hospital and he claims he became vaguely aware of his surroundings on 7 March 2005 but only fully conscious on the following day whereupon he realised that he had been abducted. He was later discharged from the hospital.

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Marondera West

11 March 2005

It is reported that, on the day in question, a male MDC activist was driving a T 35 lorry from Harare to Mutare, which contained MDC campaign materials. Upon arrival at Temary, just outside Marondera, the victim claims that a white Datsun motor vehicle suddenly blocked his way. Four men are alleged to have come out of the Datsun and forced him out of his vehicle. They allegedly proceeded to assault him, following which they took possession of the T35 lorry and drove away with the victim. He was then allegedly dumped near Marape School after which he went to Dema Police Station to file a report on his highjacking and abduction. The police at Dema opened a record of the report then referred the matter to Marondera Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The truck and campaign material are still missing.

Mashonaland West

Chinhoyi

3 March 2005

∑. It is reported that Chinhoyi MDC Parliamentary candidate, Silas Matamisa, and 5 campaign agents were arrested at Chinhoyi town centre whilst putting up posters and distributing flyers.

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6 March 2005

A male victim reports that he was putting up MDC campaign posters on the durawall around Sunningdale old people’s home when 3 ZANU-PF supporters came and started to remove them. When confronted, one of the ZANU-PF supporters kicked the victim on the left thumb, which began to bleed. The assailant then allegedly hit him on the head with a stone. The other two ZANU-PF supporters were apparently in disagreement with this course of action and they assisted the victim and gave him the personal details of his assailant. The matter was reported to the police and the assailant was arrested and fined.

Manyame

12 March 2005

It is reported that, at Tongogara camp and Whitecliffe suburb, 12 males and 3 female victims were allegedly assaulted by ZANU-PF supporters with fists, planks, hoe handles, sticks, bricks, logs, stones, slapping and head butting bcause of their political affiliation.

Zvimba North

3 March 2005

MDC Parliamentary Candidate for Zvimba North Constituency, Prince Chibanda, reports that he entered the constituency in order both to familiarize himself with the polling stations and to campaign. He was accompanied by 10 people including the Election Agent, the Information Officer and the Security Officer. They passed through Nyarapinda Farm at around 10:00 hrs where they noted a large crowd of about 150 people. As they were passing by, a Councillor for Ward 13, one Mr Fainosi Kangachena, apparently called them to his gate. The victim noticed that Kangachena was in possession of about 150 bags of maize and a slaughtered beast. Kangachena had apparently been going through the voters roll, asking people to produce their ZANU-PF party cards so they could be given maize. When the victim was called, he was asked whether he was Prince Chibanda who was contesting against the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and Candidate for Zvimba South Dr Ignatius Chombo. When he confirmed this, Kangachena then turned to the Information Officer who was told that he was not wanted in the area as this was a ZANU-PF stronghold.

It is alleged that Kangachena started to assault the Information Officer who then jumped through the gate but the crowd followed him and continued to assault him. Kangachena allegedly turned to the victim and told him that he was going to teach him a lesson that this was a no-go area for MDC. The victim claims he was slapped twice and assaulted with a fist in the face and right jaw. It is purported that Kangachena then called on the crowd to do whatever they wanted with him. The victim claims that he was assaulted all over his body and that his shirt was torn. He further claims that his jacket was removed and that one of the assailants took his phone. A man, identified only as Trust, and known as a ZANU-PF activist, then persuaded his colleagues to stop assaulting the victim who was bleeding through the nose and mouth. They did as he requested and left the victim alone.

It is reported that two of the victim’s colleagues had gone to report the incident at Raffingora Police Station. The victim alleges that Kangachena addressed the people telling them that the victim was going to “rot” in jail because he had managed to prevent him from kidnapping him. The victim alleges that he and one Paidamoyo Muzuluthe were taken into a tiny room which they assumed was going to be used as a torture room. The victim claims they were kept in the room for about three hours before they were paraded before a group of? people who were encouraged to intimidate them with abusive questioning. It is reported that the police finally arrived at around 13:15 hrs and on being questioned, Kangachena is alleged to have tried to defend his actions by saying that he had beaten the victim because he had tried to strangle him, Kangachena, with his shirt and that he, Kangachena, was responding to the violence that the victim had started.

The police then ordered that they all proceed to the Police Station. Statements were taken and they were referred to Mutorashanga Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Before leaving, the victim claims that the ten of them were paraded in front of the wife of the Parliamentary Candidate for the area, Mrs. Chombo, Councillor Saidi and other ZANU-PF dignitaries. At Mutorashanga, they were told that CID members were not available and they were then referred to Chinhoyi. At Chinhoyi, the victim alleges they were interrogated and told that the Police Internal Security division (PISI) staff had left work. It is then said that they were locked up in the cells until the following day. The victim claims he asked for permission to seek treatment but that this was denied. The following day it is alleged that one Constable Chiropa at Chinhoyi Central Station told the victim that he was the ZANU-PF Chairman for one of the Wards in Raffingora and that if the victim attempted to enter that area again he would not escape alive. After this, the victim and others gave their statements without any harassment and it was discovered that Kangachena had a previous record of theft and had served a sentence of 6 months. The victim claims he was released but Kangachena bailed himself out by paying Z$150,000 and was remanded out of custody pending trial.

matabeleland north

Umguza

March 2005

∑. Matebeleland North Provincial Governor and ZANU-PF Parliamentary Candidate for Umguza constituency, Obert Mpofu, was reportedly intimidating resettled villagers in the Nyamandlovu area by telling them that they risk losing their land if they vote for the MDC. Nyamandlovu falls under the Umguza constituency, which Mpofu was representing in Parliament. It is further reported that posters for the MDC candidate were being removed from trees and buildings by ZANU-PF supporters.

Midlands

Gokwe-Nembudziya

16 March 2005

It is claimed that, on the day of the incident, the ZANU-PF candidate for Gokwe-Nembudziya, Flora Buka, was camped at Nyamuroro Business Centre for rallies in preparation for the 31 March 2005 Parliamentary elections. The victim, a male MDC supporter, went to the business centre to drink and socialise with friends. He was allegedly assaulted there? by 2 brotherswho are the ZANU-PF Youth Coordinator and Chairman, on the allegation that he was an MDC sympathiser. The victim was allegedly assaulted all over the body with sticks and clenched fists. He sustained bruises and swelling to the chest, bruises to the abdomen and a swollen jaw. After having been assaulted, the victim reportedly went to Flora Buka who advised him to report the matter to the police. The perpetrators were arrested and detained overnight at Nembudziya Police Station before being fined Z$30,000 each.

Full alphabetical list of recorded deaths relating to political violence, 1 January 2005 to 31 March 2005 indicating name, political affiliation, date of death, constituency and province.

TOTAL: 1 ZANU-PF 1

MAIN EVENTS 2005

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Monthly totals of human rights violations from 1 January 2005 to 28 February 2005

Administrative Map of ZIMBABWE

Zambia

Mozambique

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (also known as the “Human Rights Forum”) is a coalition comprising 17 member organisations. It has been in existence since January 1998 when non-Governmental organisations working in the field of human rights joined together to provide legal and psychosocial assistance to the victims of the Food Riots of January 1998.

The Human Rights Forum has now expanded its objectives to assist victims of organised violence, using the following definition:

“Organised violence” means the inter-human infliction of significant avoidable pain and suffering by an organised group according to a declared or implied strategy and/or system of ideas and attitudes. It comprises any violent action, which is unacceptable by general human standards, and relates to the victims’ mental and physical well-being.”

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The Human Rights Forum can be contacted through:

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The Public Interest Unit, P O Box 9077, Harare – email: legal@hrforum.co.zw

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Previous reports of the Human Rights Forum can be found on our website.