took us about two kilometers away into the nearby bush, to their base, where they begun to beat us, accusing us of being MDC. They used thick wooden sticks, open palms, clenched fists and booted feet to beat and kick us. We were finally rescued by our colleagues from the MDC who heard our cries and came to our rescue after more than an hour of beatings.61 A 32-year-old man from Uzumba in Mashonaland East told Human Rights Watch that he was taken to a base called Karimbika on April 11 where he was handcuffed and beaten for a whole night with iron rods, barbed wire and logs. He told Human Rights Watch: At the base they were nearly 200 ZANU-PF youths. They said “You people have sold the country to white people, now we are beating you to cleanse you, after this you must repent and apologize because our country cannot go to [UK Prime Minister] Gordon Brown.” I was then ordered to give them all the names of MDC polling agents and I did because I feared for my life. I was released at 11 a.m. the following day and told to go back to my house and not leave.62 Another man abducted by “war veterans” on April 11 in Mashonaland East told Human Rights Watch, “I was taken to a base at Benson Mine. There I saw uniformed soldiers, ‘war veterans’ and ZANU-PF youths. They beat me for an hour and poured water on me and said, ‘Now you are baptized for re-admittance into ZANU-PF, your sins are forgiven.’”63 Human Rights Watch was able to establish that there were at least 11 bases in Chipinge East and Central districts—eight bases in Chipinge East and three in Chipinge Central64 in the province of Manicaland. 61 Human Rights Watch interview, Harare, April 17, 2008. 62 Human Rights Watch interview, Harare, April 17, 2008. 63 Human Rights Watch interview, Harare, April 21, 2008. 64 Human Rights Watch interviews with victim and several eyewitnesses, Mutare, 28 April 2008. 31 Human Rights Watch 2008