afrol News, 9 June - Violence and intimidation directed at the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has "extinguished any chance of a free and fair" presidential poll runoff in Zimbabwe on 27 June, said Human Rights Watch in a new report published on Monday.

The 69-page report - "Bullets for Each of You" - confirms at least 36 politically motivated deaths and 2,000 victims of violence. It blames state security agents, the war veterans and the ruling Zanu-PF militia of attacking MDC activists and perceived supporters.

It examines Zimbabwean government's role in perpetrating and inciting the violence for political gain, and its failure to end the violence and prosecute those responsible.

"If current conditions are maintained, there is no possibility of a credible, free and fair poll," the report says.

But Zimbabwe's government spokesman, Bright Matonga, damns the Human Rights Watch report as "one sided" because both MDC and Zanu-PF supporters were involved in pre-election violence. Matonga blames the report's authors for only relying on the opposition's side of the story alone.

He says the government is getting tough on those who commit violence, which is why they are denying them bail. Mr Matonga says Zanu-PF does not want to "rule a country full of people with scars from the election."

"Since the runoff was announced the violence in Zimbabwe has gotten even worse," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Zimbabweans can't vote freely if they fear their vote may get them killed."

The report blames the ruling party for directing violence in its former rural strongholds for supporting the MDC. "Punishing 'sell-outs,' former ZANU-PF supporters who voted for the MDC, is a clear objective," the report noted.

Zanu-PF and its allies are also accused of carrying out a "campaign of looting and destruction, slaughtering animals, stealing food and property, and burning down homesteads."

The veterans and youth militia have set up roadblocks and taken control of huge swathes of the countryside in order to limit the flow of information on the extent of the violence and to punish those perceived to have voted for the MDC, the report alleges.

Martin Kwainona, Assistant Police Commissioner of the Presidential Guard is blamed squarely for "inciting, leading, and perpetrating violence in Mt. Darwin, Mashonaland Central."

Kwainona is reported to have told a witness that "All MDC members in Mt. Darwin must be made to disappear, we are busy training our youths to do just that."

Gagnon insists that President Mugabe and his government of Zimbabwe bear full responsibility for these serious crimes. "They have shown gross indifference to the plight of the people, allowing senior-ranking security officers, 'war veterans,' youth militia and ZANU-PF free rein to commit horrifying abuses."

The rights body attributes the arrest and subsequent prosecution of more than 100 election officials on fraud was a clear sign of the government's efforts to "strike fear in local election officials and observers."

"Zanu-PF supporters have attacked hundreds of observers from the independent election organization Zimbabwe Election Support Network, forcing many to flee their homes."

Both the African Union and Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders have been urged "to insist on full accountability for politically motivated crimes committed in Zimbabwe since March 29 and to call for an independent and impartial commission of inquiry into the abuses."

"AU and SADC leaders should not turn a blind eye to the serious abuses taking place in Zimbabwe," said Gagnon. "They should make it clear to Zimbabwe that they won't endorse the elections and the result unless the government takes immediate measures to end the violence and other abuses."

By staff writer

© afrol News

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