Posted on 19-3-2002

Zimbabwe Still In Political Darkness
by Penny Dale, OneWorld.net, Africa

Southern African human rights groups are strongly condemning a wave of
politically-motivated violence that has swept through Zimbabwe since
President Robert Mugabe's controversial re-election last week, warning of
little relief unless a "tense stand-off between the winners and losers" is
calmed.

Zambia-based Inter-African Network of Human Rights and Development
(Afronet) says a rising number of disappearances and incidents of torture
of opposition supporters over the past few days could signal years of
violence and lawlessness ahead in Zimbabwe. "What is very clear is that the
violence that is now breaking out in Zimbabwe could be just an indicator of
what the Zimbabwean people are going to have to suffer in the next six
years under Mugabe," Afronet's executive director, Ngande Mwanijiti, told
OneWorld Sunday. "If the tense stand-off between the winners and losers
continues--and so far there is no sign of reconciliation--there is a very
real threat that more violence is coming," said Mwanijiti, adding that
neighboring countries such as Botswana, Zambia, and South Africa should
expect an influx of refugees.

Tensions between Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC), headed by Morgan Tsvangirai, have increased
since Mugabe was declared the winner with 56 percent of the vote in a March
9-11 presidential poll which was surrounded by claims of widespread
electoral misconduct. Amani Trust, a local charity that provides medical
treatment and trauma counseling to victims of political violence, is
warning of spiraling lawlessness in the wake of a witch hunt on opposition
MDC supporters by members of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party. "We are receiving
daily reports of disappearances and torture, which include mock
executions," said Amani's Dr Frances Lovemore.

Two people have been murdered--one in the central town of Kwekwe, the other
in Marondera, 50 miles north of the capital Harare--since last Wednesday
when Mugabe was declared the winner of the elections. Hundreds of people
are reported to be fleeing Mashonaland provinces, in the north of the
country, following farm invasions by ZANU-PF youths. According to Amani, at
least seven people have been admitted to hospital after beatings, while
three have been abducted to ZANU-PF militia bases where they have been
subjected to beatings and torture for supporting MDC candidates.

Shepherd Kunda, speaking to OneWorld from a clinic in Zimbabwe's capital
Harare, said that he had been torture at the hands of young ZANU-PF
members, soldiers, and national intelligence officers after he was seized
on his way to visit his brother, one of hundreds of MDC polling agents
taken into police custody without charge before the election. Kunda's
captors poured acid on his genitals and threatened to decapitate him in the
two-day ordeal which has left him with damaged hearing, a speech
impediment, and a limp. "There can be no national unity under Mugabe," said
Kunda, referring to a visit to Harare Monday by the leaders of South Africa
and Nigeria to try to persuade Mugabe to reconsider his rejection of their
plan for a government of national unity, which would include Tsvangirai.

A Commonwealth group comprising South Africa, Nigeria, and Australia are
meeting in London Tuesday for further talks on Zimbabwe's possible
suspension from the 54-nation body. Nobody can reasonably expect anything
but division in that organisation as a reflection of division in world
views that mere elections cannot contain.