- President Robert Mugabe's government has set up secret
camps across the country in which thousands of youths are taught how to
torture and kill, the BBC has learned.
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- The Zimbabwean government says the camps are job training
centres, but those who have escaped say they are part of a brutal plan
to keep Mugabe in power.
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- Former recruits to the camps have spoken to the BBC's
Panorama programme about a horrific training programme that breaks young
teenagers down before encouraging them to commit atrocities.
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- Members of the youth militia are warned never to tell
of their experiences inside the camps, and many refuse to be identified
when talking about their experiences.
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- However one girl, Debbie, claims she was kidnapped and
forced into a camp - where she was raped on her very first night.
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- I was raped again at night and they said no-one can complain
because it's part of training Debbie
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- In accounts gathered by BBC Panorama from dozens of youths,
it appears that for many of them the training in the camps begins with
rape.
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- Debbie said she was raped three times on the first night,
but claimed that the abuse didn't stop then.
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- She told the programme: "I was raped again at night
and they said no-one can complain because its part of training."
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- She claims she used to share a blanket with an 11-year-old
girl. The little girl was also raped night after night.
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- 'Disturbed'
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- President Mugabe has visited the camps. Ministry insiders
have told Panorama that his government knows what goes on inside them.
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- Food is often scarce. Youths are beaten until they succumb
to orders. They are taught that their mission is to keep President Mugabe
in power.
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- Panorama has also learned that some of the recruits are
taught to torture his opponents.
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- Daniel was plied with alcohol and drugs, and learned
how to electrocute his victims.
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- He said: "I would just touch, krr, krr - tell us
information."
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- Asked if he thought it was OK to torture people, he added
that it was "nice", because "your mind is disturbed".
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- 'Eliminated'
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- During covert filming inside Zimbabwe, Panorama also
spoke to a camp commander who told the programme that youths in his camp
had been sent to kill opponents of President Mugabe.
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- He said: "In the area I am covering I heard of two.
My superiors instructed that the people must be eliminated."
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- What is more frightening is that President Mugabe now
wants every Zimbabwean youth to undergo training. We have been told they
will be used to intimidate political opponents in next year's elections.
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- The commander added: "These guys are going to be
used by the ruling party to keep the opposition out of power."
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- We put these allegations to Zimbabwe's government, but
so far it has refused to respond.
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- © BBC MMIV
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3493958.stm
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