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Zimbabwe: Govt, HRW Release Violence Reports
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The Zimbabwe Guardian (London)
28 April 2008
Posted to the web 28 April 2008
Floyd Nkomo
THE government of Zimbabwe has released a report detailing cases of violence by members of the opposition MDC-T and released images of Zanu PF members whom they say were beaten up and tortured in post election violence.
In a document availed to the Zimbabwe Guardian, the Ministry of Information exposes what it calls an 'Economic Destabilisation Programme' by the MDC-T which was meant to sabotage economic development activities in Zimbabwe.
The document also exposes acts of violence by MDC-T through various images of Zanu PF supporters who were beaten up by MDC-T thugs in post election violence.
The document also exposes what it terms 'electoral fraud activities' allegedly promoted by MDC-T election officials.
Some of the officials have already been convicted in Zimbabwe courts for various election fraud offences.
The images show members of the Zanu PF party who have been targeted by MDC-T members in the country for allegedly voting for President Mugabe and supporting the ruling party.
This document comes amidst a report by Human Rights Watch saying that, for the first time, it had documented several incidents of violence by supporters of the MDC.
Human Rights Watch said that these were "tit-for-tat retaliatory attacks" by MDC supporters on Zanu PF members and that this would escalate violence in the country.
Reports say on Thursday last week, there were "fierce battles" in the village of Makaha in Mashonaland East as MDC supporters attack Zanu-PF members.
According to Human Rights Watch's emailed report, MDC supporters have burned homes belonging to Zanu PF backers and officials in parts of Mashonaland East and Manicaland provinces, citing eyewitnesses.
In the past few weeks, MDC-T has alleged that 10 of their members were killed in post election violence, hundreds hospitalized and 3,000 'internally displaced'.
The ruling Zanu PF party has hit back at these allegations, saying MDC-T members are also targeting their members. The MDC-T dismissed the allegations as 'lies' despite the photographic images published by the ruling party.
According to police in Zimbabwe, 78 MDC-T youths have so far been arrested in Harare in connection with public violence related to the opposition's failed mass stayaway.
Zimbabwe's chief police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said police were aware of MDC-T 'democratic resistance committees' who were spearheading acts of violence in the country.
A spokesman of Nyamweda Bus Company who spoke to the Zimbabwe Guardian on condition of anonymity said a bus belonging to their company was torched by suspected MDC-T youths and they had lodged a report with the police.
Arrests were made by the police after a report was filed by the bus company.
"It is unfortunate that no one believes us when we say our bus was torched by MDC-T youths. I wonder why there's only this feeling that they are the victims, when clearly in some instances they are instigators of violence," said a Nyamweda spokesman.
"There was a lot of valuable property lost which our passengers had in the bus."
The document released by the Information Ministry is the latest government response to allegations of violence by the opposition MDC-T.
The Ministry has remained quiet in the past saying police should deal with these cases.
According to the deputy minister of information, Bright Matonga, it is important that the world realizes that MDC-T is "very much involved in acts of violence in the country despite claims that Zanu PF is a perpetrator of violence".
"So far reports of acts of violence have been blamed on supporters of the ruling Zanu PF party. This report should show the world that MDC thugs are beating up and terrorizing Zanu PF supporters in the country," said Matonga.
MDC-T has been in the past dogged by allegations of violence. The party split of 2005 was blamed on acts of violence perpetrated by MDC-T.
Then MDC vice-president Gibson Sibanda, linked Morgan Tsvangirai's "wilful" violation of the MDC's constitution to acts of violence against senior national and provincial leaders by party youths.
MDC-T thugs were also blamed for an attack on Trudy Stevenson, then an MDC-M legislator. She was attacked with a machete and hospitalized with four other MDC-M members in 2005.
According to Paul Themba Nyathi, a civil rights lawyer and MDC-Mutambara member, the "thuggish behaviour" of Tsvangirai's supporters has largely escaped the attention of observers and the press "because the big prize is still to rid the country of Mugabe."
"Tsvangirai's followers seem to be saying to themselves that they can win elections by beating people and by using the crudest methods of intimidation," said Mr Nyathi.
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A 65 year-old Zanu PF supporter was beaten up by MDC thugs, report.
I can't believe that all along we were meant to believe that only Zanu-PF had thugs. This is really interesting. What did the MDC have to say about this? The British government should get hold of this material if they are to be honest intervenors.
just noticed on your report that you refer to paul thembe nyathi as a human rights lawyer. l dont think this is a correct reflection of what he is. as far as l know he is a human rights activist. please correct me is l am wrong.
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