• the intentional infliction of severe pain and suffering, whether physical or mental; • the purpose of inflicting the pain or suffering must be— • to obtain from the victim or another person information or a confession; • to punish the victim for an act that the victim or another person has committed or is suspected of having committed; • to intimidate or coerce the victim or another person; or • for any reason based upon discrimination of any kind; • the pain or suffering must be inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. According to both of these definitions, a very large number of persons experienced torture during the Food Riots. This can be seen from the interviews in Mabvuku and in the cases assisted by the Human Rights Forum. Torture can be classified in various ways, but it is by no means synonymous with physical abuse only. The Amani Trust, one member of the Human Rights Forum, has had considerable experience with torture in Zimbabwe, and has provided evidence of the very number of persons who experience long-term, persistent psychological disorders as a consequence of both physical assault and psychological torture.13 The classification used by the Amani Trust can be described briefly as set out below, but a more comprehensive explanation can be found elsewhere.14 Impact torture Psychological torture Witnessing Physical abuse and deprivation Sensory over-stimulation and psychological abuse Witnessing of torture or executions In addition, disappearances should be mentioned, for this is a method of traumatising political opponents and communities which is being used more frequently. However, we do not deal with disappearances here because this was not mentioned by any informants or in the press. Obviously, physical assaults can lead to long-term disability and persistent pain, but what is less well known is the very frequent long-term consequence of psychological disorders. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the most common acute disorder, but Depression, Somatisation Disorder and even Brief Reactive Psychosis are common long-term consequences as well as PTSD. It is also common for survivors to have a combination of physical and psychological disorders. As regards the life consequences of psychological disorders due to Organised Violence and Torture (OVT), social and occupational functioning are frequently affected, with survivors having their social relationships, including the family, and their work life impaired to a degree. The degree that a person is affected depends upon the severity of the trauma, the frequency of the trauma, and the vulnerability of the person.15 13 See Amani Trust, Survivors of Torture and Organised Violence from the 1970s War of Liberation (Harare: Amani Trust, 1998); A. P. Reeler, ‘Is torture a post-traumatic stress disorder?’ Torture, 4 (1994), 59–65; A. P. Reeler, ‘Trauma in Mozambican refugees: Findings from a training programme for refugee workers’, Torture, 5 (1995), 18–21; A. P. Reeler, ‘Epidemic violence and the community: A Zimbabwean case study’, Community Development Journal, 33 (1998), 128–139; A. P Reeler, ‘Compensation for Gross Human Rights Violations: Torture and the War Victims Compensation Act’, Legal Forum, 10 (1998), 6–21. 14 See Amani Trust, Assessment of the Consequences of Torture and Organised Violence: A Manual for Field Workers (Harare: Amani Trust, 1997, revised). 15 See Reeler, ‘Is torture a post-traumatic stress disorder?’ 11