HARARE - The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum says it has evidence that President Robert Mugabe’s government has contracted soldiers, police officers, state spies and private individuals to carry out human rights violations on behalf of the ZANU PF party.
According to a statement released at the weekend, the organization, which comprises of 16 member organizations, said these state security agents are still serving members, and the ruling party continues to protect them from accountability.
“The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum is concerned by the failure of the Government of Zimbabwe to hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable. The organization is in possession of materials implicating state officials in widespread and systematic human rights abuses such as members of the ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police, ZNA (Zimbabwe National Army), and the CIO (Central Intelligence Organization) but continue serving in these institutions and abusing citizens without being held accountable. Moreover, there is further information that implicates operating with the acquiescence of the state,” read the statement.
The organization’s allegations came as the Attorney General’s Office struggles to prosecute CIO operative, Joseph Mwale, who stands accused of bombing to death two opposition officials in the run up to the hotly-contested 2000 parliamentary elections.
Despite several requests by the AG, police have failed to arrest Mwale, fuelling fears that senior ruling party politicians are shielding him from arrest.
Recently Mugabe defended the torture of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) leaders by policemen and suspected soldiers following abortive mass demonstrations. The labour leaders suffered heavy bruises and hand and head fractures after being severely assaulted in police cells. The police have denied this, and instead accuse the unionists of hurting themselves while attempting to flee from a moving police truck. But doctors’ reports have supported the claims of unprovoked heavy torture.
According to the human rights forum statement: “Research carried out by from 2002 indicates that violence has been on the increase over the last few years. Political violence and torture throughout the country continue to be perpetrated around elections, mass stayaways, and other significant public events. It must be recorded that to date, the bulk of the reports indicate that the violence has however, been used by state agents or their ancillaries, youth militia or members of the ruling party.”
State security minister, Didymus Mutasa yesterday refused to respond to the allegations.
The organization said it would use its International Liaison Office in London to lobby the international community through the UN, the African Union, SADC and other international bodies to increase pressure on Mugabe to end human rights violations and the use of torture.
The organization added in its statement: “The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum maintains that the government needs to address past and present human rights violations and the question of impunity of its agents who continue to act with impunity and the acquiescence of the state. The Human Rights Forum urges the Government of Zimbabwe to consider paying monetary and non-monetary compensation and restitution for the past and present human rights violations.”
Thousands of opposition supporters lost household property and some had their houses burnt in political violence perpetrated by security agents and ZANU PF supporters since 2000.
Last year, the UN estimated that 3.1 million people were affected by Operation Murambatsvina. The UN said 700 000 were affected directly and another 2.4 indirectly when the government shut down en masse informal businesses and tore to the ground thousands of homes deemed illegal under the operation, which has now been condemned worldwide.
Calls have also been growing for Mugabe to offer compensation to families and survivors of the Gukurahundi massacres when an estimated 20 000 people perished as a North Korean trained army unit descended on the Midlands and Matebeleland provinces in the 1980s.
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