Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum Special Report Enforcing the Rule of Law in Zimbabwe violence associated with the farm occupations and Parliamentary elections during 2000-1. They include: Chigora (Goromonzi); ‘Desmore’, Cuthbert Mapfumo and Assistant Inspector Majora (Chikomba); John Matarakire and Inspector Mabunda (Hurungwe/Karoi); Constable Makore and Sergeant Chidyamakono and either Constable or Sergeant Mazinyani or Mazinyari (Shurugwi). Police details refused to intervene in Matabeleland North, after foot and mouth had broken out in a number of feedlots belonging to the Cold Storage Commission, when, against veterinary regulations, ‘war veterans’ drove cattle off farms, into wildlife areas and across district boundaries, because their actions were also defined as ‘political’.1 Even after the use of the riot squad to break up protests by ‘war veterans’ (eg outside the Mwenezi District Office, against their removal from one of the 600-odd undesignated farms2), no arrests or charges were reported. The ZRP has recurrently ignored court orders, not merely those from magistrates, but equally some from the High Court, such as those from Justices Garwe, Chinhengo, Hungwe, Makarau and Munyira to evict farm invaders; from Justice Chidyausiku disallowing them the right to search MDC offices3; and from Justices Chatikobo and Gwaunza forbidding them to seize Capital Radio’s equipment. ZRP Assistant Commissioner Liberman Ndlovu was convicted of contempt in carrying out what were reported to be Information Minister Jonathan Moyo’s4 instructions to seize Capital’s hired equipment and search its directors’ homes in defiance of court orders. Commissioner Chihuri avoided conviction by dissociating himself from his colleague’s actions. On 17 March 2000 the police were first ordered by Justice Garwe5 of the High Court to remove people occupying commercial farms within 24 hours. They were also instructed specifically to disregard any executive instructions to the contrary. Chihuri said they had exhausted their budget. His subordinate officers followed his lead and recurrently refused farmers’ assistance when requested, even when they were locked into or out of their own property, farmworkers were chased away and production was stopped. The police also recurrently failed to act when farmers, farmworkers, journalists6 and opposition party supporters were assaulted in front of them. Following a clash on Listonshields farm in the Chinhoyi district on 6 August 2001, despite conflicting accounts of what happened, 22 farmers but no farm occupiers were arrested. The 22 farmers were remanded in custody for two weeks, initially in prison clothing, before being bailed on $100 000 each by the High Court. The wife of one of the detained farmers was reportedly 1 Eg. The Daily News 29.8.01 The Daily News 31.8.01. 3 While the ZRP confirmed at the time to local and international journalists as well as the MDC’s lawyers that they had found no arms of war, the Minister of Home Affairs told Parliament that the police had indeed confiscated weapons and grenades found on MDC property. (The Daily News 15.9.00; The Zimbabwe Independent 15.9.00; The Herald 20.9.00; Parliamentary Debates 27,16:1566-1608; 27,17:1609-13) 4 ‘Moyo, in complete disregard of protocol, which prescribes that ministerial orders to the police be made only through the Minister of Home Affairs, had personally instructed the police to raid Capital Radio’s studios. As if that blunder were not terrible enough, Moyo then proceeded to overzealously lodge a complaint directly with the Judge President, Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, registering the government’s displeasure over a High Court ruling in the same Capital Radio saga.’ (The Daily News 17.10.00, Editorial) 5 His order was later confirmed by Justice Chinhengo. 6 Eg. Daily News 28.8.01, citing their Bulawayo-based photographer Mduduzi Mathuthu’s experience on Redwood Farm. 2 33