‘Crimes against humanity’
Human rights group details abuses in Zimbabwe and further turmoil is in store
AZimbabwean human rights group has said the death toll following an army crackdown in the country has risen to 17 and warned that the killings may amount to crimes against humanity.
The most recent death was on February 3.
State security forces launched the crackdown after protests erupted on January 17, triggered by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s announcement of fuel hikes of more than 100%. The state claims the crackdown was in response to looting, though this has been disputed by civil society groups.
As the army descended on neighbourhoods, the government effected an internet blackout to prevent infor- mation spreading. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said the dominant actors are the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), the Zimbabwe Republic Police and a militia suspected of being aligned with the ruling Zanu-pf party.
“To date, the violations include at least 17 extrajudicial killings, 17 cases of rape or other violations of a sexual nature, 26 abductions, 61 displacements, 81 assaults consistent with gunshot attacks, at least 586 assaults and torture,” the NGO forum said in its report.
It said it had verified 81 reports of gunshot wounds in Harare, Chitungwiza, Marondera, Bulawayo, Gokwe and Epworth.
“The violations are systematic, unleashed mainly by male perpetrators whom the victims identified as wearing either military or police attire, armed with AK rifles and/or baton sticks, travelling in army and police vehicles. The targets of attack were initially [the] male population in high-density suburbs but later became indiscriminate to include women and young girls,” said the report. It added: “The current violations have become so gross and systematic so as to warrant being treated as crimes against humanity.”
The NGO forum has received a total of 17 reports of sexual assault, including rape. Most victims were said to be afraid to come forward, but the perpetrators were identified by the victims as ZNA officers who either raped the victims or instructed others to do so in their presence.
It expressed concern about dragnet arrests, including mass arrests of groups of people as large as 60, some rounded up from their homes.
The military has said it will only return to its barracks once the situation normalises.
There seems to be little chance of that happening anytime soon. This week, teachers embarked on strike action after their wage demands were not met, leading to school closures across the country. The Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association has said that teachers were being intimidated by members of the Central Intelligence Organisation and the police in an effort to persuade them to abandon their strike action. Intimidation by the state would not put food on teachers’ tables, the union added.
Another major strike is in the offing from Zimbabwe’s civil servants, who are demanding salary adjustments relating to the rapidly rising cost of living.
An ultimatum from the Apex Council, which represents all state employees, has expired. The government is hoping last-minute talks will prevent industrial action.
In an effort to resolve the crisis, Mnangagwa attempted dialogue with opposition leaders, but the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change boycotted the talks, saying that soldiers must first return to their barracks, and demanded that a neutral mediator be appointed.
Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans should resolve their differences through peaceful means, that his electoral victory last year is a legitimate expression of the will of Zimbabweans and they should focus on the next polls in 2023. Opposition groups and analysts have raised serious concerns about the legitimacy of those results, but they were endorsed by the Southern African Development Community.
The current unrest takes place against the backdrop of worsening economic hardship in the country. According to a survey by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, many families have been forced to eat fewer daily meals. “In response to these challenges including reduced incomes, many households have largely altered their expenditure patterns. Cutting expenditure has become one of the most popular coping mechanisms,” it said.