ZEF Letter to His Excellency J Zuma

ZEF Letter to His Excellency J. Zuma [doc 177kb]

Reports

Information alert no.22

Violence continues after the 27 June election 7 July 2008  

ZPP has received reports that violence is still going on in most provinces in Zimbabwe and Midlands being one of the most affected provinces. Human rights are continuing to be violated by ZANU-PF members what is disturbing is the impunity with which violence is perpetrated. A number of murder cases in the Midlands have also been reported. It has also been noted  from the reports received  that some people who have been victims previously have turned into perpetrators themselves either to protect themselves or in retaliation to violations perpetrated against them. Two such cases have been recorded. Midlands Gokwe Kabuyuni It is reported at that a war veteran named Nkomo was fatally assaulted by MDC supporters on 30 June, 2008.

Read more: Information alert no.22

 

ZIMBABWE/UK: No welcome mat for asylum seekers

LONDON, 16 January 2008 (IRIN) - The British government's loud condemnation of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe led many Zimbabweans to assume they could find easy refuge in the United Kingdom: the reality for asylum seekers has been far less straightforward.

According to Home Office figures, around 20,000 Zimbabweans sought asylum in Britain between 2000 and 2007; of those, 4,807 applications were successful - 944 of that total making it on appeal.

Read more: ZIMBABWE/UK: No welcome mat for asylum seekers

 

At Best A Falsehood, At Worst A Lie

GLOSSARY – ABBREVIATIONS:

CIO                   The State security organisation, previously the Central Intelligence Organisation, now renamed as the Department of State Security in the President’s Office

First report        The report published by the ZRP, entitled “Opposition Forces in Zimbabwe: A Trail of Violence”.

Forum, the        The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, the author of this report

MDC                  The Movement for Democratic Change, the main opposition party in Zimbabwe.

NCA                  The National Constitutional Assembly, an organisation campaigning for a new democratic constitution for Zimbabwe.

POSA                The Public Order and Security Act [Chapter 11:17]

Second report    The report published by the ZRP, entitled “Opposition Forces in Zimbabwe:  The Naked Truth”.

ZANU (PF)         The Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front), the governing political party in Zimbabwe

ZCTU                The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions

ZADHR              Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights

ZRP                   The Zimbabwe Republic Police

 

INTRODUCTION

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have recently[2] issued two reports, entitled “Opposition Forces in Zimbabwe: A Trail of Violence” (the first report) and “Opposition Forces in Zimbabwe: The Naked Truth, Volume 2”. (the second report). The reports seek to portray opposition parties and civic organisations as grouped together (with the aid and assistance of foreign governments – their “neo-colonial masters[3]”) for the purpose of violently overthrowing the government of President Robert Mugabe[4]. The reports appear to be part of a new public relations offensive by the Zimbabwean government, which has also recently paid for extensive advertising to improve its image in publications elsewhere[5]. The offensive may well be partly motivated by a perceived need to counter the massive and negative publicity generated by the arrest of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and civic leaders following their attempt to hold a meeting on March 11th 2007. Pictures of the severe injuries these leaders sustained following brutal and sustained torture while in police custody were broadcast around the world[6].

Read more: At Best A Falsehood, At Worst A Lie