ZIMBABWEAN police have been accused of serious human rights violations against government critics

HARARE – A relentless wave of political violence over the past 12 months and in which state security forces played a major role has “already tainted” Zimbabwe’s elections next month, the Zimbabwe Human Rights (NGO) Forum said this week. 

The Forum said 2007 experienced some of the worst violence and human rights abuses in the last decade despite South African efforts to mediate between President Robert Mugabe and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party. 

“There is no doubt that politically motivated violence informs and influences political thinking amongst citizens and ultimately voting patterns in favour of those responsible for the violence,” said the Forum in its latest report on Zimbabwe released this week. 

“Given that the electoral process includes incidents that occur and influence elections, the March 2008 election has already been tainted by the violence that was attendant on the year 2007,” it added. 

Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa was not immediately available for comment on the matter. 

However, Harare has in the past rejected similar charges and accused human rights groups of spreading lies to help a Western campaign to tarnish Mugabe’s image. 

The Forum, which regularly publishes reports on politically motivated violence in the strife-torn southern African country, said it recorded 586 cases of torture in 2007 compared to 368 the previous year. 

The group documented 19 cases of politically motivated kidnappings last year against 11 in 2006, while 3 477 violations of the freedoms of expression, association and movement were recorded in 2007 compared to 1 866 in 2006. 

“In the majority of the torture cases, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police or the Central Intelligence Organisation or both working in concert were involved,” said the Forum that brings together 17 local groups involved in human rights work and assisting victims of organised violence. 

Zimbabwe, which is grappling with its worst ever economic crisis, holds local government, parliamentary and presidential elections on March 29. 

Analysts say an unfair playing field coupled with political violence and intimidation of opponents guarantees Mugabe’s government victory at the polls despite clear evidence it has failed to break a vicious inflation cycle that has left consumers impoverished and the economy in deep crisis. 

Mugabe - who turns 84 next week and is seeking another five year term to complete more than three decades at the helm - denies his government is responsible for Zimbabwe’s collapse and has promised a landslide victory in March to once again prove he has the backing of ordinary Zimbabweans. – ZimOnline