---

---

Zimbabwe: Corpses Rot As Zanu PF Terror Moves a Gear Up

Bertha Shoko and Caiphas Chimhete

3 May 2008

---

Harare — At least four bodies of MDC supporters, reportedly murdered in the on-going political violence, are decomposing at Guruve Hospital in Mashonaland Central after their relatives fled their homes to seek refuge in urban areas.

Normally the relatives would have taken care of their burial arrangements.

The four were reportedly killed in Muzarabani and Dande areas by suspected Zanu PF youth militia, war veterans and soldiers as political killings increase across the country.

Guruve hospital authorities confirmed to The Standard on Wednesday they had four bodies of people killed in politically-motivated violence, which started soon after the 29 March elections.

The Standard had visited the hospital to confirm if the body of MDC activist Crispen Chiutsi, allegedly killed by soldiers in Chief Kasekete's area in Muzarabani on 22 April, was still in the hospital mortuary.

"We still have Chiutsi's body here," said one hospital official, who could not be named for security reasons. "You want to go and bury it? It might be dangerous for you guys since you said you are coming from Harare. There are three other bodies of people killed in Dande but the relatives cannot bury them."

"People from that area (Dande) need God's intervention. They are torturing and killing each other like they don't have any conscience," said the official, as he perused the mortuary register.

From the hospital, the crew set off for Chiutsi's home village in Chief Kasekete's area about 100 km away. When the crew arrived in Muzarabani, Chiutsi's neighbours and other villagers would not talk to strangers because of fear.

They would give monosyllabic answers and move away. The terrified villagers only chatted freely with people with whom they were familiar.

But even those who opened up advised the crew to leave the area as soon as possible before soldiers and Zanu PF youth militia noticed their presence.

"We hear the body (Chiutsi's) is still in Guruve because his relatives fled to Harare," whispered one woman, who was selling bananas at Muzarabani centre. "It's better you leave this area before you are noticed by the youths. They will gang up against you."

The woman, who claimed to be Chiutsi's neighbour, said most MDC supporters had fled the area after they were tortured by war veterans and soldiers camped at Muzarabani police station.

Several houses belonging to suspected MDC supporters have been razed to the ground around Muzarabani business centre and Hoya, 40 km to the east.

In Centenary and Mvurwi in the same province, war veterans and Zanu PF militia have reportedly gone on the rampage, torturing opposition supporters and setting their houses ablaze before chasing away the villagers.

Victims said more than 500 huts were burnt since 29 March in Muzarabani alone.

On Wednesday, war veterans and youth militia evicted more than 20 families from Chipanza and Goviti farms, accusing them of voting for the MDC.

They were given 10 minutes to pack their life time belongings and leave. More than 60 people are staying by the roadside along the Mvurwi-Centenary road because they have nowhere else to go.

On Wednesday night, the victims lit small fires with which to cook their supper and warm themselves for there was no shelter over their heads.

The fortunate ones managed to take along with them all they could grab out of their houses.

They had little radios, mats, wardrobes, beds and kitchen units strewn all over the tall grass.

Clever Chiusaru (38), an MDC activist at Goviti Farm, was forced out of the farm when his child, Taizivei (8), had gone to Chimurenga School in the neighbourhood.

"I don't know if I will ever see her again. I can't go back there because they will kill me," said Chiusaru, as he covered the younger child, Mercy, sleeping in the tall grass under a thin sheet.

Mercy was not only at the mercy of the weather but snakes, scorpions and wild animals.

Chiusaru feared the Zanu PF thugs would sell his household property and feast on the chickens and five goats which he left behind.

"They will slaughter my goats and feed themselves at the base," he said.

A 74-year-old grandmother was among over 60 people staying by the roadside.

"I don't have anywhere to go. I have lived here the whole of my life. This cold will kill me today," she said wrapping her thin body with a thread-bare towel.

"But what I know is that like Banda (Kamuzu Banda former Malawi president), Mugabe will one day leave office. Unfortunately, I might not be able to see that day."

Less than 10 metres away in the tall grass was two-month-old Tendai Meza crying, possibly because of fatigue. She had spent the whole day on her mother's back and sleeping rough might have caused her too much discomfort.

"I think she is hungry because my breasts have no more milk," said Tendai's mother, Tracey, who worked at Chipanza Farm. "I have not eaten since this morning and this is 9PM."

The farm workers' union, the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers' Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ) said it was disheartened by the attacks on people in the farming communities.

"These attacks are a fresh revival of the horrendous experience that the vulnerable communities went through during 2000 and are perpetrated by people who have no regard for human life," said GAPWUZ.

On Friday the MDC claimed at least 20 of its supporters had been killed in the on-going violence since the elections.

Party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said the number of MDC supporters killed by Mugabe's youth militia, war veterans and soldiers was increasing on a daily basis.

He said over 5 000 families had been displaced while 800 houses had been burnt down since the elections.

"This is a humanitarian crisis of gigantic proportions which now needs the intervention of the United Nations. It is a disaster that the international community is ignoring," Chamisa said.

But as the violence continues, Mugabe's government has vehemently denied anything of that sort was happening in the country.

But the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has demanded that Zanu PF stop the violence or Zimbabweans would be forced to retaliate.

It urged the brutalized "to remain strong and resolute and not be apologetic" for voting for the party of their choice.

Read comments. Write your own.

---