Youth militia and police strip women to search for currency

By Tererai Karimakwenda

4 August 2006

In the wake of the chaos caused by the new currency introduced by the Reserve Bank this week the state controlled media has focused on the number of arrests and on the billions of dollars seized at roadblocks, border posts and in raids. But there has been no mention of the violations of human rights taking place as youth militia and police subject innocent Zimbabweans to humiliating public searches and interrogations.

Otto Saki of The Zimbabwe Lawyers for human Rights (ZLHR) confirmed Friday that they had received reports from people who had been abused and women who were strip-searched at the roadblocks being manned by the youth along with police and RBZ officials. He said the lawyers had received instructions from one particular woman to take up her case. Saki criticised the presence of youth militia and questioned the extent of the powers vested in them. He told us the unruly youth with a proven track record of violence are manning road blocks at all major roads in Harare and Bulawayo.

From Bulawayo our correspondent Themba Nkosi reports that a woman on a minibus Friday morning complained about the youth saying they were grabbing breasts and other body parts for no apparent reason. Nkosi said the youth are not showing respect even for the elderly. He told us there are many complaints coming from travellers who are passing border posts manned by police support units along with the youth militia.

Nkosi had some disturbing news about the plight of people in the rural communities. He said news about the new currency was only now reaching some of them and they were rushing to the cities to bank their money. But most cannot afford the cost of transport and are choosing either one person to make the trip or finding someone who is already going into town. But the problem is that this one individual is then being targeted by the militia and police for having too much money, and it’s being taken from them – even though they desperately try to explain the situation.

A businessman reported that it took a company driver 15 hours to travel from Beitbridge to Harare through 21 roadblocks. Gwanda to Bulawayo, a short run of 137 kilometers has 9 roadblocks.

Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono announced during his monetary policy review this week that he had enough powers to question anyone in his search for those violating the Exchange Control regulations. Saki said the presence of law enforcement officials during the searches does not justify the conduct of the youth or make it acceptable. He said

stripping women naked and making indecent searches just hardens the hearts of the people and confirms to them that the government does not respect their individual rights.

The state’s Herald newspaper reported that 125 individuals and companies have been arrested and they will be charged under the Exchange Control Act. The paper revealed that Z$62.5 billion in old bearer cheques has been recovered and more than Z$655 billion has been deposited into banks in the past two days. Zimbabweans have until August 21 to exchange their old notes for new ones.

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