Last update: 29-07-2008 20:19

Pictures of the murdered Gift

12 July 2008

Hie

Attached is story of another MDC activist Gift, reported missing in Kuwadzana, a residential area in Harare, tortured and murdered by suspected state security agents.

I will send the pictures in another email due to problems with my email service provider. Mind the camera work, the photographer is an amateur and was shaking from fright as he took the pictures, yesterday. Hope you find them useful.



Post Election Violence for week ending 06/07/08 (Manicaland Province)

Despite calls by the MDC for the ceaseation and withdrawal of youth militias and closure of several torture bases around

Manicaland, Zanu PF thugs are still terrorizing people, marking an end to democracy in Zimbabwe.

Deaths:

Dickson Sibamba 60, MDC activist from Buhera South, Ward 28. He was murdered by armed war veterans and youth militias on 03/07/08at around 2200hrs at his home.  The militias had made him pay a goat as form of punishment after which they murdered him.  He issurvived by a wife and 5 children, 3 of which are soldiers under Zimbabwe National Army.  His body is still at Murambinda Mortuary.

Masitafundikera Gumura 72, and his wife Aqualine Sanzvemgwa 61, all from Headlands, were abducted on 25/06/08 by Zanu youths ataround 2100 hrs.  Gumura died on the spot after severe torture while his wife Aqualine died three days later on 28/06/08  They were all buried on 03/07/08.

Maxwell Machasi 40, from Mararakuenda Village, Chief Nyashanu was murdered on 06/07/08 by War veterans lead by Gapu and

Chimbara.  His body is still at Murambinda mortuary.

Alex Kazembe 42, of Dekeya Village, Ward 26 in Makoni South, died on 06/07/08 after sever assault by Zanu PF youths at Nyazura River.

Rape Cases:

Memory Mufambi 32, from Nhamo Village, Buhera Central was abducted to Baravara Torture Base on 19/06/08, where she spent 3 days subjected to severe torture in being gang raped.  She had unprotected sex with various of the youth militias and war vets at

Baravara.  She was released and dumped days later on the road near her home.  She is currently at SASU recieving treatment.

Janet Jekesa from Nyazura, Makoni South, was abducted at her house on 30/06/08 at around 2100hrs by armed soldiers, she was later gang raped by the same group along the road near her house.

Abductions:

Maggie Mangwiro Chirao from Makoni South, was abducted on 06/07/08 at her house by Zanu militias, she is said to be kept atNzvimbe Torture base in Makoni South.

Rachel Mhandu 34, from Mutare North was abducted on 01/07/08 by Zanu militias, she was released on 03/07/08, after she was forced

to pay 50billion and going through severe torture.



Thanks

Please find below the Statement by the Botswana Observer Team of the
SADC Election Observer Mission that was read out at this morning's Press
Conference Gaborone, which was also addressed by Hon. Minister of
Foreign affairs and International Cooperation (Statement Previously
forwarded)

STATEMENT OF THE BOTSWANA OBSERVER TEAM ON THE JUNE 27, 2008 ZIMBABWE
PRESIDENTIAL RUN-OFF ELECTIONS

On behalf of the Botswana Team that took part in the observation of the
Zimbabwe Presidential run off elections I would like to start off by
thanking the Government of Botswana for having given us the opportunity
to be part of the SADC Election Observer Mission otherwise known as
SEOM.

Due to time constraints what we are going to present here today is a
brief summary of our report to the Botswana Government concerning our
observations, findings, and conclusions as we saw the situation on the
ground.

The main objective of our mission was to ensure that the Zimbabwe
Presidential run-off elections were held in accordance with the SADC
Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.  These
principles constitute on essential tool for determining the validity,
integrity and credibility of elections.  The expectation was that at the
end we should be able to make a determination as to whether or not the
elections were free and fair.  Briefly stated and to the extent material
these principles are as follows:

* Full participation of the citizens and political process
* Freedom of association
* Political tolerance
* Equal opportunity for all political parties to access the state media
* Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
* Independence of the judiciary and the impartiality of the electoral
institutional, just to mention but a few

The team which represented Botswana was made up of 50 persons drawn from
the three political parties represented in the National Assembly, Civic
Bodies, Civil Servants and Academics.

I believe ladies and gentlemen as you can see the team is well
represented in terms of gender balance, age and background.  All in all,
the SADC Observer Mission had 413 observers from 12 of the 14 SADC
member states.  You will note that the number was quite large compared
to the number sent in the March 29 elections.  The Government of
Botswana also availed 8 vehicles to be used by the Mission.  The
increase in the number was to allow for a better coverage of the
election process taking into account the nature of these elections.  You
will note with the benefit of hindsight ladies and gentlemen, that this
approach by Government has benefited the Mission and SADC as well as all
those concerned about the situation in Zimbabwe.  Because of the
numbers, we were able to cover all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe and this
gave us the opportunity to observe first hand what transpired during the
run-up to the elections.


OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS

Coming to the observations and findings I will start with the campaign
process.

1. CAMPAIGN PROCESS

In terms of the SADC principles, contesting parties are entitled to
equitable access to the state controlled media.  We however observed
that the state media prominently featured ZANU-PF political
advertisements and messages to the exclusion of MDC-T.  In the few
instances where reference was made to the MDC - T in the state media,
the messages were ZANU -PF sponsored and intended to disparage,
de-campaign and discredit the MDC-T.  A case in point was a TV
advertisement depicting Morgan Tsvangirai's head alongside those of some
three known heads of state from the Western world and is entitled the
Loser's club.  On inquiry by the observers as to why MDC-T was not
covered, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission responded by saying ZBH which
controls the state media declined to flight MDC advertisements on the
basis that they were uncomfortable with the language used.

I will now move on to the observations we made under the right to vote
and be voted for.  Voting in Zimbabwe is in two ways, there is postal
voting which is conducted some days prior to the actual voting day and
the voting that takes place on polling day.  Postal voting is intended
for members of the disciplined forces, foreign missions and any other
applicant whose nature of duty may take them away from their wards on
polling day. Under postal voting ZEC informed the observers that in the
March 29 elections 8000 people had applied for postal voting, but that
in the Presidential run-off elections this number had increased to
64000.  The Observer Teams were however, not able to observe the postal
voting process because information about it was not forthcoming from
ZEC.  Even where the Observer Teams got information about postal voting
taking place they were denied access to the polling stations by the
Commanders at the Police Stations where most of this postal voting was
taking place. When the Observer Teams enquired about this with ZEC we
were informed that it was within the discretion of the Commanding
officers to either grant or refuse such authority.  Worth noting
however, was that the Observer Teams received reports that postal voting
took place in the presence, and under the directions of Commanding
Officers who instructed their juniors to vote for the ZANU-PF candidate
or risk losing their jobs.

2. HOLDING OF RALLIES

The Team observed that the holding of rallies was a preserve of the
ruling ZANU - PF, whilst the MDC-T political rallies were systematically
disrupted by the ZANU-PF militia and youth.  For instance, on Sunday
22nd June 2008, the Team witnessed first hand how a planned "star rally
organized by Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai  was  prevented from taking place by
a group of youth wearing ZANU-PF regalia armed with sticks, stones and
sjamboks.  They chased and indiscriminately beat all the people in the
vicinity of the venue where the rally was taking place.  All this was
done in full view of SADC observers including some members present here.
Riot police passively witnessed these attacks making no attempts
whatsoever to intervene.  After completing their task these youth
retreated to the ZANU-PF headquarters where they were treated to food.

Other incidents of politically motivated violence by the Team included
the following:

People believed to be associated with the MDC-T party were subjected to
severe beatings, harassment, torture, killings and general threats of
violence.  The Police also appeared not to be enforcing law and order,
and the ZANU-PF youth and militia mounted illegal road blocks, forcing
people to attend ZANU-PF rallies and had bases where they tortured
perceived opponents under the guise of re-educating them.  In contrast
ZANU-PF supporters received the full protection of the Police as their
rallies were never disrupted nor did they report any incidents of
harassment to the Observer Teams.

3. LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE ELCTORAL PROCESS

During the campaigns, the observer mission noted with concern the
uncompromising positions adopted by the contesting political
parties/candidates to accept the outcome of the electoral process.  The
MDC-T Presidential candidate Mr. Tsvangirai, on the one hand made it
clear that he will not accept a win by ZANU-PF Presidential candidate,
Mr. Mugabe, citing politically motivated violence among other things.
On the other hand, ZANU-PF President Mr. Mugabe made it clear at most
political rallies and meetings he addressed that he would not accept the
outcome of the election if MDC-T presidential candidate won.  His
reasons were also supported by the leadership of the party, the Military
and Police Commanders.

4. POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIOLANCE

The team observed high level of intimidation and politically motivated
violence that escalated with the approach to the run-off elections
leading to injuries to persons, internal and external displacements of
people, abductions, loss of property, loss of lives, theft and looting.
In short, the may hem observed by the team, had the effect of depriving
the people of Zimbabwe, the opportunity to fully participate in the
electoral process.

5. POLLING DAY VOTING

Generally speaking there was an apparently calm atmosphere on voting
day.  But beneath this calmness was a noticeable voter intimidation
where voters were required to record the Serial Number on their ballot
papers and later submit that information to functionaries of the ruling
ZANU-PF.  One actually came and asked where the serial number is. This
was intended to induce some voters into believing that the information
pertaining to how they voted would be accessible and used against them.

In some rural polling stations, Chiefs/Headmen were used to record the
names of their subjects who were then required, against their will, to
go and queue behind their chief / headmen on voting day and vote in a
pre-determined sequence.  In this way voters were made to believe that
their voting patterns were capable of being verified as to whether they
indeed voted for ZANU-PF. We noticed a high number of those who said
they could not read and write and in such cases they were  "assisted" by
the Presiding Officers in the presence of two other Polling Officers and
a Police officer.

6. WITHDRAWAL OF MR. MORGAN TSVANGIRAI FROM THE RACE

It is now common knowledge that on 22 June 2008 Mr. Tsvangirai announced
his withdrawal from the Presidential race citing among other things the
prevalence and escalating politically motivated violence.  It is also
common knowledge that ZEC did not accept his withdrawal from the
elections arguing that it was not in accordance with the Zimbabwe
electoral laws and regulations.  The bottom line however, is that for
all intents and purposes the election effectively became a one-horse
race, pitting Mr. Robert Mugabe against a non-participating Mr. Morgan
Tsvangirai.  It is worth noting however, that even after Mr.
Tsvangirai's withdrawal from the race the level of violence did not go
down.  Voter harassment and intimidation, beatings and displacements
continued unabated.


7. HARASSMENT OF OBSERVERS

The Team noted with that some Observers were subjected to harassment.
On different occasions, some members of the Team were chased away from
rallies addressed by ZANU-PF and prevented from carrying out their
observer duties.  In some instances, Observers were threatened with
violence and instructed to leave such rallies.  The Team was in
particular singled out for harassment on account of perceptions that
Botswana was anti-ZANU-PF.

CONCLUSION

The level of intimidation and political violence that escalated with the
approach of the June 27 Presidential run-off elections has been clearly
catalogued.  There were many victims of violence in the form of
injuries, displacements, abductions, loss of property, and loss of
lives.  The atrocities have been corroborated and constitute the
necessary evidence to conclude that the credibility and integrity of the
election process was compromised.

Notwithstanding the apparent orderly conduct that prevailed on voting
day, the entire election process was marred by a wave of violence.  The
Team therefore concludes that the Presidential run-off election was not
free and fair and does not represent the will of the people of Zimbabwe.

Last update: 29-07-2008 20:10