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Zimbabwe: MDC Claims 10 Killed
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Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)
19 April 2008
Posted to the web 20 April 2008
Caiphas Chimhete, Bertha Shoko, Sandra Mandizvidza and John Mokwetsi
Harare
THE MDC has claimed that 10 of its supporters have been killed, 3,000 internally displaced while scores of others have been injured by soldiers, war veterans and youth militia in retribution for voting against President Robert Mugabe in last month's election.
In the rural areas, war veterans and Zanu PF youth militia have gone on the rampage, beating up MDC supporters and torching their houses and killing their livestock for food.
In towns and cities, heavily armed police and soldiers have virtually imposed curfews, beating and torturing anyone they come across.
MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said the escalating violence targeting MDC supporters around the country "is very disturbing and depressing".
Chamisa said at least 10 MDC members had died in political violence. Four of the victims died last week, he said.
He named them as Tapiwa Mubwanda of Hurungwe East, Murunde Tembo of Mudzi North, Tendai Chibika of Mutoko East and Moses Bashitiyawo of Maramba Pfungwe.
The Standard could not independently verify the deaths.
Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena told The Standard the MDC "should not claim their supporters were killed by Zanu PF supporters" as the police were still investigating all cases of political violence.
"I only know the case of a person who was killed in Hurungwe and the police are still investigating the case.
I am not aware of the other three people you are talking about but we are investigating," he said.
Chamisa said: "There is chaos in this country. We are very worried about this retribution campaign by Zanu PF. The violence is well-coordinated from the top and is being fuelled by hate speeches by the president of this country. This is how the genocide in Rwanda began, through such hate speeches."
More than 20 MDC supporters are in hospitals in Harare alone with broken arms, hands, and head injuries after Zanu PF militia and war veterans attacked them.
The MDC said the violence was widespread and had created a humanitarian crisis, particularly in the rural areas.
Some have fled their homes to stay with relatives in urban areas. Others, said the MDC, were destitute after their houses were burnt down.
"As we speak more than 3 000 families have been displaced with at least 800 homes burnt down. All this is happening because of the vacuum created by not announcing the presidential election results but the courts are not concerned about this," Chamisa said.
The MDC secretary for social welfare, Kerry Kay, yesterday appealed to individuals, non-governmental organisations for any assistance they could provide to the internally displaced people.
She said Harare, Mutare and Bulawayo had been thronged by MDC activists fleeing from Zanu PF militia and war veterans in the rural areas.
In Harare's high-density areas, scores of people have for the past week been brutally beaten by heavily armed soldiers and the police. Among the most affected suburbs are Kuwadzana, Glen View, Glen Norah, Budiriro, Epworth, Dzivarasekwa and Chitungwiza.
The security forces have virtually imposed a curfew, forcing the closure of shops at 6PM and beating up anyone they see in the streets after that time.
Even those returning from work are not spared.
"I was going home from Kuwadzana IV shopping centre on Wednesday around 6PM and some soldiers approached and accused me of stoning a commuter bus," said Gannet Shapiro of Kuwadzana. "One of them clapped and kicked me in the legs repeatedly."
In another incident, soldiers pursued a dreadlocked man and used a bread knife to cut off his locks because "they made him look bigger than everyone else".
In Mabvuku, Bernard Chapingidza lost his cellphone in a beating that followed after he got off a commuter bus.
"After they butchered my backside with rubber rods they assaulted me with clenched fists. This was after I asked for my phone, which I lost in their melee."
Chapingidza had scars all over his body and his left eardrum might have been ruptured. He could barely walk.
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Last week, MDC polling agents fled their homes in Glen View as the army tracked them. The soldiers confiscated MDC T-shirts and thoroughly beat up people.
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MDC is following western ountries what they are dictating him, he will put his voters in danger and that what the westerners want to happen in Zimbabwe because they always pushing people telling them we'll behind you and when the fire will start all of them will step back and zimbabweans will found themselves dying like flies,Mugabe is stopping them to get their piece of cake from Zimbabwe now what they are creatintg is to revolt all zimbabweans against Mugabe and his government which is not what Mugabe can't stand there and wait so he will punish those who want... [Read Full Text]
Sorry that you are racists and are blaming the whites here but Zimbabwe's problem lies with Mugabe and His regime. As for the farms give them back to the proper owners. The people in Zimbabwe are already dying at the hands of Mugabe and his regime b/c if you are not for him you are liable to die.......
The western world is not your problem here so the blame can lie on Mugabe and his evil regime. I am unimpressed with the Africans leaders not doing anything other than talking which is getting nowhere....
People are busy blaming whites about the Zimbabwe's demise, because using attribution is always very easy scapegoat, when one fails to look at his own shortcomings.This is proof that Mugabe's propaganda is believed by many of his followers in and outside of Zimbabwe.Mugabe became a bad leader before he even began farm invasions, before Zimbabwe was under sanctions,Mugabe was already showing what kind of a bad leader he was.When, we people of Matabeleland tried to air our grievances, Mugabe decided to use Korean trained soldiers to instill a sense of fear and bullying in our lives by killing thousands of... [Read Full Text]
Zimbabweans should learn to solve their own problems. I understand that the government do not want to be told what to do by the western countries, and its true its not their place to tell them what to do. Where the Government is wrong is, they did not redistribute the land properly when they took it away, the top officials abuse the government funds,there is too much corruption. If they want people to change their minds they have to address these issues. They have to think of the welfare of their people before they think of... [Read Full Text]
I am American by birth but I have lived in Brasil as well as visited Europe and Aasia and now live in Africa. I totally agree with much you have said but this exists in many countries of Africa and this problem is not addressed anywhere. Then sadly some people of these countries have the same mindset b/c they have poor examples in leadership... I would love to see the issue of corruption addressed in every area but know that is not happening. Zimbabwe is their problem but Mugabe excepts nothing but his way so that... [Read Full Text]
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