12
As can be seen from Table 12, most person were injured by members of the Zimbabwe Republic
Police, but a large number were also injured by members of the Zimbabwe National Army. Some
were injured by more than one branch — uniform branch and support unit of the ZRP — or more
than one agency — ZRP and ZNA.
Table 12.
Alleged perpetrators of human rights violations.
(HRF.1999)
Zimbabwe National Army
Zimbabwe Republic Police
Riot Squad
Criminal Investigation Department
Support Unit
16
23
2
1
4
The medical complaints of these survivors were split between those who had been shot — death,
bullet wound and amputation — and those who had been assaulted — fracture, pain. Two people
complained that they had lost employment as a result of the injuries sustained. One man, for
example, sustained permanent disability — loss of function in his arm — as a result of a bullet
wound, and was unable to continue his employment as a driver due to the disability.
Table 13
Medical complaints of victims of Food Riots
(HRF.1999)
Death
Bullet wound
amputation
fracture
Pain
loss of job
epilepsy
1
10
1
4
12
3
1
As regards the deaths, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum was only been able to obtain
information on the follow-up to one death, that of Kudzai Ndlovu who was shot and killed in
Gweru. The public inquest, which was concluded in March 1999, revealed a wholly unsatisfactory
situation. The presiding magistrate noted that no satisfactory investigations were conducted in
order to reveal the identity of the perpetrator, and went so far as to state that the ZRP in Gweru
were actually stifling investigations. He then recommended that the investigations should be
taken over by an independent team of investigators from a different town. This is clearly at
variance with the assertions of Superintendent Bvudzijena and the ZRP’s own report.
4.1 Torture during the Food Riots
As indicated above, torture can be defined according to various different definitions, the most
common of which are the definitions contained in the UN Convention Against Torture and Other
Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and Punishment (UN.1984) and the
Declaration of Tokyo (WMA.1975). The latter has remained the most complete statement about
torture yet produced by the medical profession. As the WMA definition states:
For the purpose of this Declaration, torture is defined as the deliberate, systematic
or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons acting
alone or on the orders of any authority, to force another person to yield
information, to make a confession, or for any other reason. (World Medical
Association,1975)
AMANI TRUST: Beating your opposition. Torture during the 2002 Presidential campaign in Zimbabwe.