21
from these Provinces. However, it is also the case that generally very high rates of violations
were reported from the 3 Mashonaland Provinces. 33
3.2.1
Violations against farmers and their families
As can be seen from Table 5, a wide range of violations was reported by the respondents. The
most frequent violations reported are political intimidation, being forced to attend meetings of
Zanu(PF), being forced to join Zanu(PF), and, unsurprisingly, being displaced and dispossessed.
Furthermore, very significant numbers of serious human rights violations are also reported:
assaults, death threats, torture, being held hostage, and unlawful detention were all reported
with high frequency. Related to political intimidation, there were high numbers of reports of
livestock and wildlife being maimed or killed, and also of pets being beaten or killed. Here it is
important to note that livestock and wildlife being killed or maimed does not refer to poaching,
which was rife during the period, but rather to the deliberate killing and maiming of animals in
order to intimidate the owner into leaving the farm. In addition, there was destruction of the
landscape, with an enormous number of trees being cut, and fires frequently being set. Also, it is
important to note that children were frequent witnesses to all these violations.
Table 5
Violations against farmers and their families.
Abduction
Assault
Death threats
Deliberate killing/maiming of wildlife
Denied food if not member of ZanuPF
Disappearance
Displacement
Forced attendance at political meeting
Forced to join political party
Held hostage
Intimidation of key workers
Pet animals killed/maimed
Political intimidation
Murder
Rape
Torture
Unlawful arrest
Unlawful detention
Young person forced to join Zanu(PF)
Number[%]
24[0.5]
297[5.8]
289[5.6]
441[8.5]
0
4[0.1]
730[14.1]
704[13.7]
945[18.3]
131[2.5]
0
66[1.3]
1211[23.5]
12[0.2]
10[0.2]
230[4.5]
59[1.1]
10[0.2]
0
33
See Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (2000), Who is responsible? A preliminary analysis of pre-election violence in
Zimbabwe, HARARE: ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM; Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (2001), Human
Rights and Zimbabwe’s June 2000 election, HARARE: ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM.
A Preliminary Report on Human Rights Violations on Commercial Farms, 2000 to 2005.
Select target paragraph3
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