Political violence amounts to crimes against humanity

May 10, 2008

By Ntando Ncube

JOHANNESBURG, (TheZimbabweTimes) – The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) on Friday urged the African Commission to condemn the atrocities and political violence perpetrated by armed youth militias loyal to President Robert.

The forum said the outbreak of post-election violence in Zimbabwe would soon amount to crimes against humanity if regional leaders failed to censure Mugabe and his ruling party Zanu-PF.

The Pretoria-based rights group which last year attempted but failed to have Mugabe prosecuted in Canada accused him for unleashing terror against opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters ahead of forthcoming presidential run-off polls.
In a letter addressed to the Africa Commission on Human and people’s Rights (ACHPR) Gabriel Shumba, the ZEF executive director said the violence against the opposition was swelling and over 32 civilians has been killed in gruesome deaths.

‘ZEF calls upon the African Commission to further condemn the atrocities in Zimbabwe, and to work with the African Union to ensure that loss of life in the country is prevented because of the alarming instances of post-election violence that could amount to crimes against humanity in Zimbabwe.” Shumba said

“In the aftermath of elections, violence against opposition MDC supporters and civil society actors has escalated with the result that to date, about 32 people have died gruesome deaths, while thousands of people have been displaced, after their homesteads and villages have been burnt down and destroyed. “he added

ZEF also called upon the AU Special Rapporteur for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons to assess the human rights situation and treatment of Zimbabweans in South Africa and Botswana in the context of continued violence in Zimbabwe.

“The post election atrocities in the country have inevitably let to yet another exodus of Zimbabweans to South Africa and Botswana. ZEF calls upon the AU Special Rapporteur for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons to renew his call to visit South Africa and Botswana to assess the human rights situation and treatment of Zimbabweans in these countries,” he said