9 3. Perpetrators As evidenced by testimony, violent crimes and threats were perpetrated in 13 of the 15 election petitions that were observed in the High Court from February 2001 through October 2001. In most cases of violence, the perpetrators were Zanu (PF) supporters and members of “war veteran militias”. These groups would sometimes work cohesively together, and there seemed to be a tacit understanding that each would be supported in committing these crimes. Leaders of the war veterans, such as Joseph Chinotimba and the late Chenjerai Hunzvi, and many of the Zanu (PF) candidates, who were running for a Parliamentary seat, were enlisted in the strategy. In eight cases that were observed, the Zanu (PF) candidates either perpetrated violence themselves; gave direct orders for Zanu (PF) supporters to perpetrate violence; made threats against opposition party members in rallies or statements to their supporters; or knew that violence was being perpetrated and did nothing to stop it. Members of the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) were also involved in the perpetration of crimes. We will deal with each of the alleged groups in turn. Zanu (PF) supporters The Zanu (PF) supporters who committed these crimes were often young men, unemployed, travelling in groups – witnesses referred to them in testimony as ‘Zanu (PF) youths’. Zanu (PF) most often provided these youths with money and food to meet their daily needs. After testifying about her husband’s death, Mavis Tapera told the court in the Mberengwa West case about her own assault and subsequent torture on 4 July 2000. Assailants led by ‘Biggie’ Chitoro, a prominent member of Zanu (PF), ordered her out of her house at night and used a knife to cut off her petticoat. At this point she was clad in only her pants. They began to assault her with logs, concentrating on the buttocks. She testified that one of the assailants asked her if MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai bought her the pants she was wearing. Her attackers then forced an iron rod into her genitals and ordered her to imitate sexual positions. Breaking down numerous times on the witness stand, Tapera testified that the ordeal was extremely painful but she was forced to continue. She then was taken to Texas Farm with her husband but was returned the same night. When her assailants returned her to her homestead, they urinated into a cup and forced her to drink from it. She told the court that one of the assailants threatened to force her to eat his stool if she refused. A witness in Buhera North was identified as an MDC supporter as he was passing by Zanu (PF) rally. According to testimony, a Zanu (PF) supporter pointed an assault rifle at him and made him take off his MDC shirt, which the assailant then burned. A witness testified that he was approached by Zanu (PF) supporters who made him relinquish his MDC card and t-shirts. He was then assaulted with bicycle chains, sticks, fan belts and fists. Later that day, he was kicked and made to sing Zanu (PF) songs. He lost sight in his right eye due to his injuries. Shaidy Ali stated that he was stopped at a roadblock in Zvishavane manned by Zanu (PF) youth. He was asked for a Zanu (PF) card, which he did not produce. The youth then took his national identity card and proceeded to beat him. He also witnessed numerous other assaults at the roadblock. Livingstone Muswati, an MDC branch chairman in Makoni West, testified that he could not execute his duties because Zanu (PF) supporters would prevent him and other MDC members from holding meetings. Zanu (PF) youths chased people from their communal homes and threaten them. They arrived at a school where Muswati was organizing a meeting and informed him he was not allowed to hold a meeting there. On another occasion, Zanu (PF) youths chased AMANI Trust: Organised Violence and Torture in the June 2000 General Election in Zimbabwe