Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe

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Statement from ROHR Zimbabwe on the outbreaks of violence

Fri, 02 Apr 10 13:42 administrator
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ROHR Zimbabwe condemns in the strongest terms the rekindled acts of violence and intimidation campaigns that are resurfacing in some parts of the country targeted at innocent vulnerable community members. It is regrettable that violence brings untold suffering mostly to women and children, against their wishes and aspirations.

We call upon the principals to the Global Political Agreement to be responsible and accountable for the actions of the different political parties they are representing in the negotiations. Cognizant of the fact that at the top level the principals are negotiating in peace and comfort, we do not condone a situation whereby their constituencies at the community level are up in arms against each other.

The widespread indescribable internal displacements of March- June 2008 election violence represent a sad chapter of our legacy, the largest man made catastrophe and fierce proportions of crimes against humanity. It is our collective responsibility as a nation that, the sad chapter should never be revisited even in the worst of times when we have differences as a people.

We reiterate that the ministry of home affairs has a pertinent role to play in guiding the nation from a legacy of violence and cancerous impunity into a post conflict non discriminatory society that is build upon values of liberty, fairness, and respect for humanity, justice, freedom, transparency, accountability and trust.

The biggest threat to the writing of a people’s constitution and achieving sustainable national healing is the thriving self serving culture of impunity that blinds our country from visionary leadership. It is disgusting that whilst people are still smarting from the wounds from the past orgy of election violence, they are now being subjected to fresh wounds by the same system, infrastructure and mechanism that were responsible for promoting widespread organized and sponsored violence.

We submit as a matter of principle in the best interest of the people at large that the infrastructure of violence, intimidation and torture should be disbanded forthwith by all responsible parties as a gesture of goodwill towards rebuilding our beloved country. Violence begets more violence and a country cannot be built on a doctrine or culture of fear.

We challenge the guarantor of the talks, SADC and the chair President Zuma to guarantee first and foremost the peace and security of the people who should be the ultimate beneficiaries of the outcome of the prolonged talks in the midst of the progress that is being avidly reported against reports of fresh rounds of politically motivated violence.

ROHR Zimbabwe remains indebted to the meritorious cause of fighting for the rights and redress of the welfare of the neglected and trampled victims of politically violence.

For Peace, Justice and Freedom
Last Updated ( Fri, 02 Apr 10 13:52 )
 

ROHR Zimbabwe News Alert 01 April: More reports of internal displacements

Fri, 02 Apr 10 13:40 administrator
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ROHR Zimbabwe received another sad report from its partner organization Victims Action Committee (VAC) on seven families that were forced to flee their homes yesterday around 0800 hours following a threat of violence made by Ishmael Jeni at a prayer meeting held at Zhanda village of Chishapa area in Shamva.

Information made available to VAC by one of the displaced victims, Mrs.Honzeri is that Jeni threatened to descend on them with a group of ZANU Pf youths at night to destroy their houses to drive them from the village for being supporters of the MDC. Among the displaced group are seven men, seven women, ten children under the age of twelve and two teenagers.

The families faced a similar fate during the round of violence in March 2008 and now they are squatting in the nearby bushes with no access to food, water and shelter.

For Peace, Justice and Freedom

Last Updated ( Fri, 02 Apr 10 13:47 )
 

ROHR Zimbabwe News Alert 31 March: Terror breaks out in Muzarabani, 16 families flee their homes last night.

Wed, 31 Mar 10 19:15 administrator
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16 families from Hoya ward 17 in Charunda village of Chief Kasekete in Muzarabani yesterday fled their homes at night to seek refuge at St Albert business centre to avert organized terror from a group of more than 200 ZANU Pf youths hired from Chiwenga ward.

Earlier this weekend, in an insidious criminal act of impunity that has left the village paralyzed, Paradzai Chabayanzara and a group of unidentified ZANU Pf youths are reported to have burnt down the Charunda village AFM church and Kafuramutowa's house member of the MDC. Speaking to ROHR Zimbabwe, the district chairman for Muzarabani, Freddie Matonhodze said the church was burnt because the ZANU Pf supporters are alleging that it's a church for the MDC people.

Reliable information made available to ROHR Zimbabwe this morning by Matonhodze, is that 55 members from Charunda village; man, women and children including the herd-man aged 70 had to walk for more than 84 kilometers during the night and are now destitute following an arrangement that was made by the ZANU Pf district chairman to hire youths from a neighboring village to come and assault all members of the MDC.

The unraveling terror incident is linked to the sprouting rekindled reports of violence and intimidation campaigns targeted at MDC supporters ahead of the constitutional outreach program. "They don't want people from the MDC speaking about the constitution; they are claiming that only the chief and the herdsmen are authorized to speak on behalf of the people" said Matonhodze.

Commenting on the plight of the stranded 16 families who are in dire need of food, water and shelter, Matonhodze said he was not impressed by the behavior shown by ZANU Pf supporters in the inclusive government." ZANU Pf is not in the inclusive government because of the will of the people but as a result of negotiations. They want to impose their shameful constitutional position on the people by force forgetting that the majority spoke resoundingly on March 29."

He also criticized the partisan behavior exhibited by Chief Changara Kasekete for promoting a discriminatory society bent on disempowering community members on grounds of political affiliation.

For Peace, Justice and Freedom
 

More arrests on charges of undermining the president in Mashonaland Central

Fri, 26 Mar 10 21:48 administrator
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ROHR Zimbabwe News Alert 26 March:

Bindura police yesterday in separate incidents arrested two supporters of the MDC on allegations of undermining the office of the president under section 186 of the codification act.

MDC Councilor for ward 3 Makesure Mafukidze was picked up in Bindura town around 0800 hours and locked up at Bindura central police station for utterances he is alleged to have made during a political rally early this year.

In another separate incident, Saymore Mhene was arrested on alleged charges of undermining police authority. Information made available to ROHR Zimbabwe is that, during a New Zimbabwe lecture series organized by the Research Foundation of Zimbabwe, Mhene passed a comment criticizing the police for being partisan and willfully arresting members of the MDC party on falsified charges.

Commenting on the arrests, the provincial secretary for Mashonaland Central province expressed deep concern towards efforts he described as illicit, targeted at weakening the activities of their party in Mashonaland Central. “They are desperately trying to find faults from every rally to use as basis for arresting our party members. They say that our songs insult the head of state but our party president Morgan Tsvangirai has been a victim of vilifying demeaning hate speech from ZANU Ps party supporters and ironically none of the culprits has been arrested.’’

He chronicled the persistent arrest as vindicating the suspicions that the police in Mashonaland Central are feared to be on a decreed order to intimidate the outspoken MDC activists on rallies. 

The two arrests came barely a few days after the MDC Member of Parliament for Mazowe central, honorable Mushonga was quizzed and summoned to attend a court hearing on allegations of insulting the office of the head of state.

ROHR Zimbabwe views the arrests as relentless and tantamount to denying the citizenry the much needed right to freedom of expression and free political activity, silencing the voices of all those agitating for accountability, fairness, justice and transparency.

For Peace, Justice and Freedom

Last Updated ( Fri, 26 Mar 10 21:50 )
 

MP detained for expressing doubts on Mugabe contesting in the next election

Tue, 23 Mar 10 19:47 administrator
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Mazowe Central Member of Parliament and MDC national executive member Honorable Shepherd Mushonga was on Saturday 20 March detained for five hours at Bindura central police station on what appears to be tramped up charges. Bindura law and order section quizzed the Member of Parliament for undermining the office of the president during a political rally in February for saying, ‘’Mugabe might not be around come the next election.’’

After being pursued for over a month, Mushonga was arrested and detained for five hours over the weekend by the Bindura Law and Order section only to be released on summons for a court hearing at around 1500 hours. MDC party officials have slammed the repressive, partisan behavior of the police and criticized the harassment of their party members as tantamount to stifling their efforts on constitutional outreach program in the province. The latest arrest brings to 26 the number of MDC leaders and activists arrested on trumped up charges by the police in Mashonaland Central over the past two months.

Inconceivable infringements on the right to freedom of expression by the security forces remains a perilous threat casting a shadow of doom on the envisaged constitutional outreach program in which the majority of Zimbabweans are expected to air their divergent views freely without fear of reprisal or persecution.

Meanwhile 4 MDC activists are on the precipice of an imminent eviction from Foothills farm after magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka passed an eviction order on Friday the 19th of March In Bindura. Linos Zakeyo, Lazarus Malunga, Gift Mhembere and Musona have less than 14 days to appeal to the High court against a controversial order to oust them from their lifetime place of residence now occupied by ZANU Pf party member and liberation war veteran Jacob Chiripanyanga.

The decision against the MDC party activists was passed despite the applicant’s failure to produce a valid offer letter for the piece of land that he has forcibly occupied. Speaking to ROHR Zimbabwe, Linos Zakeyo expressed his uttermost disgruntlement, describing the judgment as unfair and susceptible to external influence on the bench. He further appealed for financial assistance for legal fees to apply for an appeal at the High court to block the eviction order which is bent on eroding his legitimate right to a place to shelter.

For Peace, Justice and Freedom

 
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