ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM
POLITICAL VIOLENCE REPORT
FEBRUARY 2004
2 April 2004
A report by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum

OVERVIEW
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) held a demonstration to call for a new constitution outside Parliament on 4 February 2004. The police stopped the demonstration and the demonstrators were arrested and subjected to varying forms of torture. NCA Chairperson, Lovemore Madhuku and 8 other members of the NCA, were reportedly abducted by ZRP officers from outside Parliament where they were had been rounded up. The victims were taken away in a police Defender truck and were dropped off in different areas in and around town. The police reportedly proceeded with Madhuku alone. He claims that the police severely assaulted him with baton sticks and clenched fists before they dumped him at a rubbish dump site near the National Sports Stadium on the outskirts of the city centre. Madhuku reportedly had difficulties breathing after the assault. Madhuku claims that the police called him stubborn and said that he had to be eliminated.
The police continue to prevent members of the NCA from exercising their rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression by routinely arresting them and assaulting them whenever they attempt to hold a peaceful demonstration. The police reportedly assaulted sixty-six other NCA demonstrators with baton sticks while some had dogs set upon them at the time of their arrest. Setting dogs upon the demonstrators is cruel and inhuman and must be strongly condemned. DG, NM, JM, TM and other demonstrators had dogs set upon them. TM was reportedly bitten by one of them on her left arm. JM alleges that a dog was instructed to bite her on the right hand and that the dog only let go of her when it was ordered to do so. EP, who reportedly fell face down and was bitten by a police dog on her right arm as she was lying on the ground. Torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by law enforcement agents as exhibited against the NCA demonstrators is deplorable. The Human Rights Forum urges the Commissioner of Police to ensure that police officers do not use gratuitous force in the exercise of their duties.
Violence continues to be commonplace on Charleswood Estate, which belongs to Roy Bennet (MDC MP for Chimanimani – MANICALAND PROVINCE). Farm workers at Charleswood have been consistently victimised on the basis that they work for an MDC MP. Shemi Chimbarara, a farm worker at Charleswood Estate, reportedly died when he was shot by a soldier settled at the farm. JK, also a farm worker at Charleswood, was reportedly shot in the knee as he was running away from the soldier. JK was taken to SASU Hospital in Mutare for treatment the following morning, while the body of the deceased Shemi Chimbarara was taken to Chimanimani Hospital Mortuary by the police. Chamunorwa Muusha, a war veteran settled at Charleswood reportedly raped a farm worker from the farm on 6 February 2004. MC, VN and SC were reportedly abducted by ZANU PF supporters and taken to Muusha’s homestead. The three were allegedly subjected to assaults and were forced to run around in circles then bound to a tree with a leather rope by their necks. The rope around their necks was then untied and they were further assaulted with a rubber whip all over their bodies for about 3 hours. VN was reportedly assaulted on the back and buttocks, and was ordered to stop working for Roy Bennet and work for Chamunorwa Muusha instead. SC was reportedly severely beaten on her head, back, buttocks and thighs. VN alleges that she was later taken to Chamunorwa’s bedroom for sweeping as she had been ordered to, and that Chamunorwa fondled her as well. She alleges that Chamunorwa slapped in the face when she declined his advances. VN claims that she fell down and Chamunorwa raped her twice, at around 21:00 hours and then again at about 02:00 hours.
The Human Rights Forum calls upon the responsible authorities to take action regarding the human rights violations cited in this report in terms of bringing the perpetrators to justice. Failure to do so will create a climate of impunity in which politically motivated violence may thrive. It is imperative that checks be put in place to prevent this prior to the upcoming Parliamentary Elections in early 2005.

For the full report, contact [email protected] or [email protected].