Zimbabweans to mark UN Torture Day in Johannesburg & London

By Tererai Karimakwenda
June 25, 2007

June 26 is a day recognized by the United Nations as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, and this year Zimbabweans have organized commemorative events in Johannesburg and London. 2007 saw an increase in the number of torture victims in Zimbabwe after the government banned a prayer session in March and arrested opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. The world saw images of how badly beaten and tortured he was. And since then, hundreds of pro-democracy activists have been abducted and tortured.

In London, a UN Torture Day service of solidarity will be held at St. Paul’s Church in Covent Garden. It is sponsored by several organizations including the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum,
Amnesty International, Redress, International Bar Association, International Rehabilitation Council for Victims of Torture and the Zimbabwe Association.

Carla Ferstman from Redress said these church services are to commemorate not only victims of torture who died, but those who survived and need healing. She explained that acts considered torture are not just the physical and psychological acts can be considered torture. The act simply needs to have a serious impact on the individual being victimized. The London service will end with a procession to Zimbabwe House where flowers will be laid in memory of those who have died.

The Johannesburg service is being organized by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition South Africa team, along with the Zimbabwe Torture Victims Survivor Project. Khetani Sibanda from Crisis is encouraging people to attend, saying there would be presentations based on research done by the Survivors Project. There will also be a video highlighting the experiences of women who were subjected to torture by state agents. Sibanda told us there has been an increase in the number Zimbabweans crossing into South Africa since the government intensified it’s terror campaign against perceived enemies in March. He said most of those who have suffered this year have been women.