by Erica Smith
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
HARARE, Zimbabwe – Human Rights Watch has issued a new report accusing the Zimbabwean military and security forces of interfering with the upcoming election. The security forces are believed to be working to secure the reelection of current president Robert Mugabe and the Zanu-PF party.
The report comes as Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Mr. Mugabe’s opponent, says there is not enough time to institute security reforms before the court mandated election deadline of July 31st. The current government is a unity government formed between Zanu-PF and Mr. Tsvangirai’s party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) after the 2008 election.
Security forces were also accused of intimidation and interference in the 2008 elections. Mr. Tsvangirai ran against Mr. Mugabe in 2008 and won the first round of voting but did not win enough votes to secure the election. Mr. Tsvangirai boycotted the second round of voting because his supporters were being targeted by security forces. Mr. Mugabe went on to win another term but had to form a unity government with MDC.
The new report details how security forces have openly supported Mr. Mugabe and have refused to meet with Mr. Tsvangirai about his security concerns. On May 4th, the Zimbabwe Defense Forces commander, Gen. Constantine Chiwenga told The Sunday Mail: “We have no time to meet sellouts. Clearly Tsvangirai is a psychiatric patient who needs a competent psychiatrist.” Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri has also said that the security forces would never meet with Tsvangirai and that anyone who reported on the issue risked being arrested.
The Human Rights Watch investigation has found that the army has deployed soldiers across the country to beat and intimidate anyone they believe to be a supporter of MDC. The army has been accused of using food distribution programs and army research projects to gain admission into people’s homes and other areas. One MDC supporter told HRW: “When I said I had voted in favor of the draft constitution they then asked me why I was wearing an MDC t-shirt and before I could respond they began to punch and kick me all over my body. They said I must vote for ZANU-PF in the coming elections without fail or they would come back for me.”
“Zimbabwe’s laws and constitution require neutrality and impartiality from the security forces but the security forces have shown no sign of meeting their obligations,” Tiseke Kasambala, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch said . “The government needs to send a clear message by disciplining and prosecuting security force personnel and soldiers who violate the law for political reasons.”
For more information, please see:
Human Rights Watch – The Elephant in the Room – 5 June 2013
Human Rights Watch – Zimbabwe: Security Forces Pose Election Risk – 5 June 2013
BBC News – Zimbabwe’s Tsvangirai wants polls delayed for reforms – 5 June 2013
Aljazeera – Rights group slams Zimbabwe security forces – 5 June 2013
Zimbabwe Independent – Security reforms: Elephant in the room – 7 June 2013
