Army terrorizing opposition supporters countrywide

By Lance Guma
16 April 2008

Soldiers and militants loyal to Robert Mugabe’s regime have unleashed a terror campaign that the MDC on Wednesday compared to the beginnings of the Rwandan genocide in 1994. In an interview on our Behind the Headlines series MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the brutal attacks on their supporters countrywide will ultimately cost many lives, including the two who have already been killed in Karoi and Mudzi.

In Magunje soldiers made villagers line up and forced them to hold bullets while demanding they meditate with their eyes closed, on why they voted for the opposition. One by one they were forced to reveal who they voted for in the election while soldiers asked menacingly, ‘do you want to start a war with Zanu PF?’ Military experts have described the tactic as a Chinese psychological torture technique. The MDC have also revealed that ordinary Zanu PF militia have been given army combat gear to wear and so distinguishing genuine soldiers from fake ones has become difficult.

Village elders in Magunje were also questioned on why they did not ensure their people voted for Zanu PF. Two village leaders bravely defied the soldiers and told them to strip them of their ‘village head’ status if they wanted. One of them, Forbes Chambati, ran on an MDC ticket for the parliamentary elections in the area. Although he lost to a Zanu PF candidate, Chamisa says MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai had more votes than Mugabe in the presidential election. The results were posted outside polling stations in the area and could be clearly seen.

In Chatsworth soldiers have ransacked villages at Injama farm and abducted all the polling agents who worked for the MDC during the election. In Gutu in an area called Chiguhuni, similar attacks have occurred. In Mutasa South the party reports that over 500 villagers have been made homeless after soldiers ransacked and burnt their homes. Those affected have moved to Old Mutare. Chamisa says their social welfare department is struggling to cope with the refugee crisis that is developing.

In Gokwe an MDC supporter was shot in both legs on Tuesday and has been admitted to a hospital in Gokwe centre. Again Zanu PF militants masquerading as soldiers were behind the attack. In Seke a group of war veterans moved around the villages wielding guns and threatening those who voted for the opposition. In Zaka, Tsholotsho and other rural areas the stories are the same.

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights has meanwhile confirmed that its members have treated more than 150 patients beaten and tortured since the March 29 election. The doctors say the injuries clearly stemmed from organised violence and torture. Over 30 patients were from the Mudzi area alone. ‘The commonest injury observed was extensive soft tissue injury of the buttocks. This results from prolonged beating with a hard blunt object" the doctors said. The doctors urged authorities to ‘cease the use of intimidation, violence and torture as a form of retribution or victimisation.’