11 Reports from the Human Rights Forum indicate that the “war veteran” militia were the second most common perpetrators of gross human rights violations. Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) There are most likely between 8-10,000 personnel in this agency of the government. They are constituted within the Office of the President, and are ostensibly under his direct control. The budget for the CIO is not subject to audit by the Auditor-General. The Director and the Deputy Director are currently both war veterans. CIO agents had a role in organizing and participating in the farm invasions, and, as evidenced in court testimony, were involved in the perpetration of gross human rights violations. Witnesses described incidents that involved members of the CIO and the police force taking part in perpetrating violence. The police force was even described in testimony as capturing members of the opposition to be beaten or tortured by CIO agents. Witnesses spotted CIO agents, because many of these agents developed a reputation by consistently operating in the particular constituencies. In the Buhera North election petition, a witness testified that he was approached by a CIO agent after he attended an MDC meeting, and was beaten about the head and neck with empty beer bottles. Another witness testified that she was approached by a CIO agent who beat her about the face and the body with booted feet and fists for chanting MDC slogans. Peter Tsumele, the MDC candidate for Chiredzi South, describes in testimony how CIO agents threatened him, and the MDC candidate for Makoni East, Nicolas Mudzengerere testified that he discouraged a member of the CIO from shooting his MDC supporters. Members of the ZRP along with two members of the CIO, Chiyangwa and Mutisi, told Tsumele that he could disappear if he continued his involvement with the MDC. Tsumele was told that it was a crime to issue MDC t-shirts to people and support opposition politics because it created divisions in the population. Tsumele was told that the country was “won by blood” so he “must be careful” of what he does and says. Mudzengerere testified that before the end of April, the MDC had conducted several meetings, with attendance ranging from 800-1,000 people. The MDC was unable to hold meetings after the end of April. Meetings were called, but people were chased away by Zanu (PF) supporters, resulting in the cancellation of meetings. The majority of the voters voted ‘no’ in the referendum, and many supported Tsvangirai. On 21 March, Mudzengerere was at a shopping center with supporters who were singing songs praising the MDC. Mavera, a CIO member, and a prominent member of Zanu (PF) arrived and ordered people to stop singing, but the singing continued. Mavera drew a gun and threatened to shoot them if they kept singing. Mudzengerere emerged from the shops upon hearing that Mavera had a gun. Mudzengerere asked him what he was doing with the gun. Mavera said to him, “Had it not been for you, Mudzengerere, I would have shot all these children today.” The most brutal incident that CIO officers were involved in was the summary execution Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabika, both MDC supporters. Sanderson Makombe gave distressing testimony in the Buhera North election petition. He witnessed the beatings and subsequent killings of Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabika by petrol bomb by Zanu (PF) supporters. Makombe was also presented as a witness in the Makoni West election petition, because he and Chiminya had performed MDC campaign work in Makoni West during February and March - meeting with constituents, organizing MDC committees, reaching about 90 per cent of the Makoni West constituency. In April, he and Chiminya were asked by MDC leadership to focus their campaign efforts in Buhera North. AMANI Trust: Organised Violence and Torture in the June 2000 General Election in Zimbabwe