SW Radio Africa (London)
Tererai Karimakwenda
19 March 2008
The internationally respected Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on Wednesday that summarised incidents of intimidation and torture on the ground in Zimbabwe, and strongly criticised the government for its conduct in the pre-election period. The group found that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was not adequately prepared to run the elections. The findings were compiled into a 59-page report titled, "All Over Again: Human Rights Abuses and Flawed Electoral Conditions in Zimbabwe's Coming General Elections."
Tiseke Kasambala from HRW said the report was based on research that she personally conducted during her visits to Zimbabwe in September 2007, February 2008 and March 2008. All 10 provinces were covered during the visits.
She spoke to at least 100 individuals, including ordinary Zimbabweans, human rights activists, ruling party and opposition supporters, human rights lawyers, civil society groups, diplomats and medical personnel.
Kasambala observed that although the number of incidents of intimidation and torture were significantly lower compared to the last parliamentary election, there is still widespread violence against opposition members and officials. She documented the beatings of teachers and civil society activists, detailing one in the Bikita West area of Masvingo where a teacher was assaulted by ruling party supporters simply for encouraging people to go and vote.
Kasambala also documented the beatings and torture of activists from the Restoration of Human Rights group in January. She concluded that state security agents were also the perpetrators of violence against the opposition and civil activists.
ZEC officials that were conducting the registration of voters early in the process were found to be lacking materials and transport, and this affected their work. The economic crisis, characterized by hyperinflation and shortages of basic commodities, is also contributing to a flawed process.
Asked whether there was any chance the poll could be free and fair, Kasambala cited a long list of problematic areas that she said "preclude the possibility of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe." Among them were the widespread intimidation of the opposition, restrictions on freedom of association and assembly, limits to media freedom and the widespread manipulation of food and farming equipment to gain political advantage. She also criticised biased media coverage and numerous incidences of state security violence against human rights activists and perceived opposition supporters.
Regarding the country's electoral procedures, she pointed to what she described as "a chaotic and easily abused voter registration process, disenfranchisement of voters and an unprepared, under-resourced Electoral Commission, as well as very poor voter education processes."
Kasambala said the report would be sent to the government of Zimbabwe and distributed to international election observers. She said HRW had already met with the head of the South Africa delegation to the SADC observer mission, and detailed the issues that they should be looking at while they are on the ground.
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