Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report on violence against peaceful protestors in Harare course is no justification or excuse for a violent attack upon defenceless protestors. Neither is the fact that some of the protestors were wearing MDC tee shirts. After the attackers had swept past the police they launched a vicious attack upon the peace marchers. People fled in terror. Amongst the fleeing people were shoppers and bystanders who were not part of the peace march. A barrage of stones was flung at the fleeing people. The stones thrown were very large stones. Several people were hit on the head and various other parts of their bodies by the stones. Some were badly injured. People were chased and beaten with sticks and various other implements including in one case a strand of barbwire. Whites were particularly targeted during this attack and a number of women were injured including two women who were trying to assist an elderly black and a blind man to get out of the way of the attackers. 19 Some of the injured had not taken part in the march such as a white man who was attacked after he had come out of his bank. Only after the thugs had swept past did the police intervene by throwing tear gas to disperse people. After the attackers had swept through the city attacking people they first proceeded to the ZANU (PF) Harare Province Headquarters. Thereafter they went to the ZANU (PF) Headquarters in Rotten Row. At least some of the attackers were picked up and transported in white trucks. The chairman of the Harare Province War Veterans Association, Mr Douglas Mahiya, addressed them. He told them: “The NCA and MDC must not demonstrate against us. The NCA and other church members should not provoke us.” 20 He is also alleged to have made the following statements. He said that the war veterans should keep pressure on and should attack MDC supporters wherever they found them. What was happening was only the beginning. “We need to show them that we are the ones who are the legitimate rulers of this country. It’s our legitimate right to rule this country forever whatever the outcome of the elections. What MDC is aiming at is to give this country back to the British. We will not allow this even if it means going back to the bush to stop them.” The mood at this meeting was self-congratulatory and jubilant. The feeling seemed to be that the MDC had been taught a lesson by the attack on the protestors.21 No arrests have been made of any of the persons who perpetrated this violence. There has been no condemnation of this violence by any members of government. This creates the impression that the government either approves what happened or at least condones it. 2.4 Persons known to have been injured The persons known to have been injured in this attack are as follows: Mr Payne Mr A Meldrum Mr A Warner Ms S Jarvis Ms Trish Swift -7-