Amnesty says plight of Murambatsvina victims worsening

By Lance Guma
24 May 2007

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has released a report showing the worsening plight of victims of Operation Murambatsvina, the controversial 2005 so-called ‘clean up’ exercise that was carried out by the Mugabe regime. In its 2007 annual report on Zimbabwe, Amnesty said the situation of thousands of people whose homes were destroyed continued to worsen without an effective solution being planned by the authorities. Of concern to the group is the fact that the government continues to obstruct humanitarian efforts by the United Nations and other NGOs.

Simeon Mawanza a researcher with Amnesty International told our Behind the Headlines programme that the much hyped government Operation Garika/Hlalani Kuhle was nothing more than a public relations exercise meant to cover up the human rights violations of the ‘clean up.’ The re-housing exercise has failed to provide housing for the majority of victims with only 3,325 houses built, compared to 92,460 housing structures destroyed.

Amnesty’s report also says construction in many areas appears to have stopped. Many of the houses designated as “built” are unfinished and have no access to water or sewage facilities and remain uninhabited. The process of allocating the new houses, some of which are incomplete, has also been slammed for lacking transparency. At least 20 per cent of the houses built have been earmarked for civil servants, police and soldiers according to Amnesty International.

Mawanza dismissed government claims the exercise was necessary to clampdown on criminal activities saying international law was very clear on the need to provide alternative accommodation if a government sought to undertake such an exercise. The evictions traumatised victims and resulted in the loss of property and possessions worth billions of Zimbabwe dollars.

NB. The full interview with Simeon Mawanza can be heard on the programme Behind the Headlines with Lance Guma. It is also available after broadcast on our website archives for 2 weeks.