Harare | Thursday
A TOTAL of 16 people were killed in political violence in January, the highest number in any month since President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu(PF) party began its campaign of violence two years ago, according to the country’s leading civil liberties body.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Non-governmental Organisations forum said on Wednesday only three of the dead were Zanu(PF) members. Ten were supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and two were farm guards.
”The figure may be higher as it is possible that other deaths went unreported.”
The organisation, a coalition of local civic bodies, is regarded as the only source of reliable statistics on political violence.
In addition to the January total, the forum said the body of an MDC supporter who had been abducted in December, was discovered last month.
The forum also cited 36 cases of abduction, 18 disappearances, 69 of destruction of property and 142 of assault and torture.
It said that Zimbabwean elections ”are almost always accompanied by gross human rights violations and loss of life.
”These human rights violations undoubtedly build up a climate of fear and terror among the electorate.”
The incidence of political violence ”is increasing at an alarming rate.”
It accused the government of most of the brutality, ”although spontaneous incidents of political violence do occur between groups of party supporters”.
”It is of great concern to the Human Rights Forum that carefully orchestrated violence is still prevalent as part of a modus operandi to crush opposition party support.”
The upsurge in murders followed almost immediately after Mugabe, in December, declared ”war” against the MDC and vowed he would ”give them a real physical fight.”
He made the assertions while presenting the ruling party’s strategy for presidential elections which are to be held on March 9-10.
It also followed the establishment in December of a state-controlled youth militia which has been deployed all over the country.
Human rights agencies say members of the ”youth national service” are becoming Zanu(PF)’s primary agent of terror.
Appeals for protection from police have usually been in vain, the forum said.
”MDC members have frequently been arrested in cases where they are in fact the victims of violence who had gone to the police station to make a report.”
However, in some areas police had begun to ”stop displaying bias” and there had been a ”commendable” effort to respond to attacks on members of the opposition by making arrests.
Attacks on teachers also continued. The forum said government saw teachers as having influence and the ability to give their communities information.
Violence had also affected schoolchildren.
”At times government ministers and officials have been at the forefront of the onslaught which has not only disrupted schooling but has also displaced numerous teachers.”
A total of 39 schools had been forced to close in January.
The forum was also concerned about illegal roadblocks set up around the country youths, who apparently made the possession of Zanu(PF) cards ”passports of safety for travellers.”
Mugabe is standing for a fourth successive six-year presidential term, but observers say for the first time in his 21-year year rule, he faces the prospect of being ousted, most probably by MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai. – Sapa