A local human rights advocacy group, Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has described the month of August as the most complicated in terms of human rights violations.
In its monthly report for August, ZPP said in August, the ruling Zanu PF celebrated two years after its contested electoral victory in August 2018 whilst families of those who were killed and injured were still to get compensation.
“For Zimbabwe, August 2020, has been the most complicated month. During this month, the ruling Zanu PF started off by celebrating two years after its contested electoral victory in August 2018.Amid these celebrations, victims and families of those killed and injured when soldiers opened fire on unarmed protesting civilians on August 1, 2018, were still to get any recourse in the form of compensation, prosecution of perpetrators, or at the very least, an apology,” noted the report
ZPP said the month was characterized with scenes reminiscent of August 2018 as there was repression and brutal attacks on political activists.
“Ironically, August 2020, similarly to August 2018, started off on a bad note. In the same way six people were killed and injured by the army on August 1 2018, on August 1, 2020 the State had moved into full-time repression modem abducting, arresting and brutalising political activists and human rights defenders.
“The month started off with activist Tawanda Muchehiwa having been abducted and missing, only to be dumped three days later after the High Court ordered the police to release him. Several activists, including MDC Alliance spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere, international award winning author Tsitsi Dangarembga, human rights activist Godfrey Kurauone and dozens others started off the month in police custody and while August 1 might have appeared like a hangover moment from the July 31 planned protests, it turned out that for government, the party was just starting.” reported ZPP
With a deepening socio-economic crisis, ZPP said Government responded with unmatched brutality marked by arbitrary arrests, abductions, torture and intimidation.
“This invited international attention, and once again, Zimbabwe was on the spotlight for human rights abuses. The #ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign started early in the month and several local and international politicians, artistes, human rights defenders and citizens used this to air concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe.
“Despite the overwhelming evidence of a mounting crisis, the Zimbabwean government continued to deny there being a crisis. Instead of addressing the concerns, officials in government pulled the excuse that there were ‘some foreign hands’ behind the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign and all the actions calling for government to end corruption and respect human rights,”
The pressure group said the state security agents were the chief perpetrators of human rights violations with police accounting for 42.65 percent of perpetrators, army at 25.11 percent, unspecified state agents at 2.73 percent.
Political parties also had a share with Zanu PF leading the way at 12.92 percent, MDC Alliance at 2.52 percent and MDC-T Khupe at 0.32 percent.
