Straffrihed for politisk betonet vold er dagens orden i det økonomisk hårdt ramte sydafrikanske land
HARARE, 20 September 2011 (IRIN): Earlier this month Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe was telling MPs in parliament – to loud cheers from both side of the house – that there would be “zero tolerance” of political violence.
At the same time – outside the building – supporters of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were being severely beaten by Mugabe supporters, as police stood by.
About 11 MDC supporters needed hospitalization, including MDC councillor Victor Zifodya who sustained head injuries.
– The police know that ZANU-PF supporters are behind this but they appear to be afraid to arrest them, MDC youth spokesperson Maxwell Katsande told IRIN.
Tadiwa Choto, a victim of political violence during the 2008 elections, told IRIN if ZANU-PF can engage in violence while Mugabe addresses parliament, it illustrates “either they do not listen to him [Mugabe] any more or that he is aware of these acts of violence while saying the right things in order to please SADC [Southern African Development Community].”
The disconnect between political realities on the ground and public statements was also evident during the SADC security troika meeting in Zambia some six months ago which called for “the immediate end of violence, intimidation, hate speech, harassment and any other form of action that contradicts the letter and spirit” of the unity government – but the violence continues.
Brian Raftopoulos, a senior researcher at the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape, told IRIN political violence was the domain of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF and sporadic acts of violence by the MDC paled into insignificance by comparison.
Violence has been a central electoral tool [of ZANU-PF] since 2000 [when the MDC emerged as a viable opposition to ZANU-PF rule], as it has been for most of the post-independence period. Since 2000 it has intensified, he said.
But he said SADC was “keeping a closer-eye” on political violence and it was unlikely there would be a repeat of it in any forthcoming election, potentially as early as next year.
Violence peaked during the disputed 2008 election in which ZANU-PF lost its majority in parliament for the first time since independence, and Tsvangirai narrowly missed securing the presidential vote in the first round, amid widespread claims of vote-rigging.
Tsvangirai subsequently withdrew from the second round in protest against political violence.
The MDC says about 200 people were killed, thousands injured and tens of thousands displaced during the 2008 electoral violence.
The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) said in a recent statement it was “appalled by the ongoing use of violence and brutal attacks on members of the public” and the failure of police “to respond in timely fashion and arrest all those responsible.”
The ZPP said in July 2011 it recorded 910 incidents of violence and human rights abuses.
Raftopoulos said ZANU-PF does have levels of support, but when “confronted with losing power”, as in 2008, political violence becomes “a central part of ZANU-PF’s capacity to rule”.
ZANU-PF had also become “fractious”, he said – illustrated by its desire to hold early elections, as the party had no “national figure” to replace Mugabe amid mounting reports of the 87-year-old’s deteriorating health.
Election announcement sparks violence
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