News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International
AI Index: AFR 46/004/2005 16 March 2005
Zimbabwe: Free participation in election process impossible
Amnesty International today warned that the Zimbabwe government's persistent and systematic violations of human rights
in the run up to this month's parliamentary elections is making free participation in the election process impossible.
During a mission to Zimbabwe last month, Amnesty International delegates gathered evidence of continued government
intimidation and arbitrary arrest of opposition candidates and supporters, manipulation of food distribution for
political ends and severe restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression.
The organisation is presenting its latest findings in a briefing to election monitors ahead of the 31 March vote.
"Persistent, long-term and systematic violations of human rights and the government's repeated and deliberate failure to
bring to justice those suspected to be responsible means that Zimbabweans are unable to take part in the election
process freely and without fear. The climate of intimidation and harassment in which the elections are planned is a
serious matter for international concern," said the Director of the Africa program, Kolawole Olaniyan.
In its briefing, Zimbabwe: An assessment of human rights violations in the run up to the March 2005 parliamentary
elections (full briefing online at http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maadii7abfbjBbb0hPub/ ), Amnesty International documents a series of on-going human rights violations committed by the government and its
supporters including:
* Arbitrary arrests to hinder opposition campaigning activities, including the detention of at least eight candidates
of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the MDC's Director of Elections this year as well as several opposition
campaign workers;
* Acts of political violence, including the beating of MDC supporters and the burning of their homes in Chipingi South,
Manicaland in January;
* Continued manipulation of food distribution by the government-controlled Grain Marketing Board, denying opposition
supporters access to maize, the staple food for most Zimbabweans;
* Widespread intimidation and harrassment of opposition supporters, with many afraid of post-election reprisals aimed
at areas which vote for the opposition.
"The use of implicit threats and non violent tactics to intimidate opposition supporters is widespread. Given past acts
of reprisal against opposition voters including eviction, assault, and denial of food, such tactics create a pervasive
climate of fear and threat," said Kolawole Olaniyan.
Amnesty International is calling on all governments and inter-governmental bodies sending election monitors to Zimbabwe
to ensure that they fully take the human rights context into account when monitoring the elections. The monitors must be
given access to all areas of the country and focus particular attention on access to justice, food distribution, freedom
of movement, assembly and expression, as well as equal security for all candidates and supporters.
For a copy of the briefing Zimbabwe: An assessment of human rights violations in the run up to the March 2005
parliamentary elections, please see:
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