245/02 Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum /
Zimbabwe
Summary of Facts
1. The communication is submitted by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, a coordinating body and
a coalition of twelve (12) Zimbabwean NGO human rights based in Zimbabwe.
2. The Complainant states that in February 2000, the country held a Constitutional Referendum in which
the majority of Zimbabweans voted against the new government drafted Constitution.
3. The Complainant is alleges that following the Constitutional Referendum there was political violence,
which escalated with farm invasions, by war veterans and other landless peasants. That during the period
between February and June 2000 when Zimbabwe held its fifth parliamentary elections, ZANU (PF)
supporters engaged in a systematic campaign of intimidation aimed at crushing support for opposition
parties. It is alleged that violence was deployed by the party as a systematic political strategy in the run up
to the Parliamentary elections.
4. The Complainant also alleges that in the 2 months before the Parliamentary elections scheduled for 24th
and 25th June 2002, political violence targeted especially white farmers and black farmers workers,
teachers, civil servants and rural villagers believed to be supporting opposition parties.
5. Such violence included dragging farm workers and villagers believed to be supporters of the opposition
from their homes at night, forcing them to attend reeducation sessions and to sing ZANU (PF) songs. The
Complainant alleges that men, women and children were tortured and there were cases of rape. Homes
and businesses in both urban and rural areas were burnt and looted and opposition members were
kidnapped, tortured and killed.
6. It is also alleged that ZANU (PF) supporters invaded numerous secondary schools; over 550 rural
schools were disrupted or closed as teachers, pupils and rural opposition members numbering 10,000 fled
violence, intimidation and political reeducation. Other civil servants in rural areas such as doctors and
nurses were targeted for supposedly being pro-Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Nyamapanda
border post was closed for 2 days as civil servants fled ZANU (PF) supporters. Bindura University was
closed by a student boycott after ZANU (PF) members were asked to produce a list of MDC supporters and
one MDC supporter was kidnapped and assaulted by ZANU (PF) supporters/members posing as MDC.
7. It is also alleged that numerous activists including Morgan Tsvangirai - President of the main opposition
party the MDC, Grace Kwinjeh, a journalist and a human rights activist, the Daily News Editor - Geoff
Nyarota, an Anglican Priest - Tim Neill, MDC candidate from Chimanimani - Roy Bennet, Robin Greaves, a
Nyamandlovu farmer and other farmers received death threats.
8. The Complainant alleges that there were reports of 82 deaths as a result of organised violence between
March 2000 and 22nd November 2001.
9. The Complainant also allege that following the elections, MDC contested the validity of the outcome of
the elections in 38 constituencies won by ZANU (PF) and this prompted another wave of violence.
10. The Complainant claims that human rights abuses were reported in most of those cases that were
brought before the High Court. However, those individuals that testified in the elections challenges before
the Harare High Court, were subjected to political violence on returning home and thus forcing some to
refrain from testifying and others to flee their homes due to fear of being victimized.
11. The Complainant also states that in some cases MDC supporters were also responsible for minor
assaults against some ZANU (PF) stalwarts.
12. The Complainant alleges that various officials of the ruling ZANU (PF) party condoned the use of
violence for political gains and quotes statements made by President Mugabe, Josaya Hungwe of
Masvingo Province, the Minister of Foreign Affairs - Stan Mudenge, war veterans Andrew Ndhlovu and
Edmon Hwarare that reinforced the ongoing violence.
13. The Complainant also alleges that the primary instigators of this violence were war veterans who
operated groups of militias comprising of ZANU (PF) youth and supporters. They also allege that the State
was involved in this violence through Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Zimbabwe National Army
(ZNA) and the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) specifically through facilitating farm invasions.
14. The Complainant states that prior to the June 2000 parliamentary elections, the ZRP on numerous
occasions turned a blind eye to violence perpetrated against white farmers and MDC supporters. It is
1