- PRETORIA -- President Robert
Mugabe's government was accused yesterday of a "widespread, systematic
and planned campaign of organised violence and torture to suppress normal
democratic activities".
-
- The British charity Redress, which helps torture survivors,
gave documented examples of 8,871 human rights violations in 2001-2003
to show that torture incidents were concentrated in election periods, especially
the March 2002 presidential elections
-
- Its report quotes estimates that more than 200,000 Zimbabweans
have been tortured in recent years. "The most pressing conclusion
is the association between serious violations of human rights and elections,"
it says.
-
- It adds: "With the an nouncement that parliamentary
elections will be held in March 2005, addressing the problem of organised
torture in Zimbabwe becomes a matter of urgency."
-
- It asks the international community to take steps to
forestall torture and other acts of political violence in the election
campaign.
-
- The victims have included opposition MPs, trade union
leaders, lawyers and ordinary citizens. State agents are blamed for 24%
of the incidents and supporters of Mr Mugabe's party, Zanu-PF, for 74%,
Redress says.
-
- Its executive director, Kathleen Rose-Sender, said: "This
report presents a cool statistical analysis that shows a verifiable pattern
of abuse during election periods. This needs to be recognised and, if possible,
stopped.
-
- "We hope that South Africa and the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) will not ignore the evidence put before it.
Regional pressure is always the most effective, coming from neighbouring
countries that share culture and values.
-
- "For southern African countries to turn a blind
eye in the face of such evidence would be irresponsible, because it damages
them all," she said.
-
- The report is backed up by the findings of the African
Union's commission on human rights, whose factfinding mission to Zimbabwe
led to a condemnation of Mr Mugabe's government unprecedented by an African
organisation .
-
- Zimbabwe prevented it being considered at the AU summit
last month, but it is expected to be raised at this month's SADC meeting.
-
- Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited
2004
-
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbabwe/article/0,2763,1279828,00.html
|
