Zimbabwe: More human rights violations reported, as SADC is called upon to act

Latest reports indicate that at least 10 people have been killed by Zimbabwean security forces, while more than 600 people including civil society leader Pastor Evan Mawirire have been arrested as part of a clampdown on violent protests triggered by a 150 percent fuel hike.

And Internet services have been restored in Zimbabwe following a shutdown that lasted more than 24 hours, although social media access remains blocked.

Prominent Zimbabwean journalist and cultural analyst Admire Kudita spoke to the Zambian Eye and described the violent nature of the protests as unprecedented in the country’s recent history but decried the heavy-handed nature with which the authorities have dealt with the protesters.

“In the past few days what we’ve witnessed is sort of unprecedented in the country in terms of the violent nature of the protest,” Kudita told the Zambian Eye this afternoon.

“600 people have been arrested as a result of the protests. There have been reports of abductions, beatings and shootings. Reports are filtering in that 10 people have died as a result of being shot by security forces in the clampdown. The arrests have been for various crimes such as arson, looting…there’s also been burning of official cars, police cars, police stations…even vehicles of Zanu-PF officials have been targeted by the rioters in the orgy of violence and expression of their anger at the regime with regards to the economic downturn.”

He added: “The impact of the clampdown is that it is teaching Zimbabweans that violence is the way to resolve issues. Government shouldn’t do that, it should assume the moral high ground but it is not. Arrest people. You lay charges, you give them their day in court.”

Queues forming today as stay away winds down

Kudita doubts the Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s willingness to urgently move in and restore calm to the former British colony.

“I don’t know if SADC can do anything but there seems to be a worrying trend among African leaders right now to copy each other’s nefarious acts, by that I mean this is not the first time we have heard of internet shutdown in Africa, recently it was the DRC. So I fear and I suspect that African leaders are copying each other and that this becomes a cascading thing and quite cancerous for the African political landscape.”

The Bulawayo-based multimedia journalist still hopes SADC will intervene, nonetheless.

“SADC needs to intervene because really the nation is divided on the basis of the july 31 result. There are intriguing and unresolved questions such as the ones I’ve already raised before  the economic trajectory because what happens in Zimbabwe affects the region in terms of refugees and when the situation escalates then it becomes a problem for everyone, so people can’t afford to remain aloof and say this is a Zimbabwean matter.”

Meanwhile, leading civil society figure Evan Mawirire who posted a video that was circulating on social media urging people to stay away has reportedly been charged with treason.

“He was urging people to stay away only but they have arrested him for being the organiser of the riots,” Kudita explained to the Zambian Eye. “So I don’t know how legally they are going to make it stick on him that he created this environment.

“He is one of the prominent figures that have been arrested and I’m sure they are brutalizing him. Soldiers have been moving from house to house drawing out the men and beating them and smashing property, from the reports that are filtering in which is again arbitrary and violation of human rights.”

Arrest of civic society leader Pastor Evan Mawarire who called for the stay away

Background

Zimbabweans took to the streets from Monday to Wednesday protesting a 150% fuel increase announced by President Mnangagwa last Saturday, a day before he left for a five-nation visit to Europe.

Zimbabwe has been suffering chronic shortages of US dollars, which were adopted as the official currency after the country abandoned the Zimbabwean dollar in 2009 due to hyperinflation. The country has suffered shortages of consumer goods in recent months, with some shops shutting their doors due to the shortage in US dollars.