Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report on Organised Violence and Torture in 1999 He was dropped off by a commuter bus a few kilometers from his home as the roads had been blocked by rioters. He was caught by a stray bullet as he was passing near a shopping centre in Kuwadzana 4. This case is the high water mark as it will guide us in the other cases involving shooting. Seven other cases were referred to trial in 1999. As at end February 2000, a further 2 cases are set down for trial and another 6 cases for pre-trial conference. 5.4 Missing/Deceased In November 1999 an advertisement was placed in the papers for clients we could not locate. Many of them responded. They had all changed their residences and were very happy to know that their claims were still pending in court. We have however not been able to locate AM who we are reliably informed is now staying in Botswana. We have not been able to get information on the whereabouts of one MM who was staying in Mbare during the time of his assault by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Two of our clients passed away before their cases were concluded. FR was unlawfully assaulted and detained by the army. We were advised by her daughter soon after assuming agency that she passed away in February 1999. Apparently there was no causal link between her death and the assault. After an advertisement in the newspapers for missing clients, we were advised of the death of JM by his widow and brother. 6. Cases from 1999 During the year we saw a number of cases which fall within the ambit of the international definitions of organized violence and torture. The most notorious case involved the kidnapping and torture of the two Zimbabwe Standard journalists Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto. This case has been widely reported and all the facts are known (see above). It is however distressing in the extreme that little has been done to bring the perpetrators to book, most particularly when Ray Choto and Basildon Peta received highly credible deaths threats in November. This was taken very seriously by the State and it was gratifying that approaches to the Minister of Home and the Commissioner of Police by the Human Rights Forum and the Zimbabwe Independent Newspaper produced a supportive response. The threats were nonetheless very worrying and the AMANI Trust and the Human Rights Forum immediately instituted an urgent appeal for support from international partners. In particular the support from the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) and Amnesty International seemed to provide the kind of pressure necessary to get a good local response. One other case involved the harassment by government agents of GM who had survived a murderous attack in June 1998. Subsequently he and his family were harassed and threatened by government agents on a regular basis. He was accused of conniving with elements of ZANUPF to make linkages to the labour movement especially the emerging political wing of the ZCTU. He sought the assistance of the Human Rights Forum and was helped to seek asylum outside the country. The harassment of his family continued after his leaving the country with the last reported incident taking place on the eve of the launch of the Movement for Democratic Change. State agents burst into the family home in the early hours of the morning searching for GM, examining documents and even threatening his young son. JK This women was severely tortured by officers of the ZRP. On very flimsy grounds, she and her husband were arrested on suspicion of having murdered their maid. JK received very severe treatment, including beatings, suspension, electrical shock, and beatings to her genitalia. The Human Rights Forum is following up this case in order to get accurate details, but she and her husband are being assisted by a private lawyer in making charges against the ZRP and claiming damages. - 10 -