Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report on violence against peaceful protestors in Harare Ms Barbara Vitoria Mr and Mrs McComish Richard Calder A woman called Patricia At least three black people, the names of whom are unknown. The Standard report on the incident says that eight people, most of them Saturday shoppers, were injured. “Five of them – four women and one man – were taken to the Baines Avenue 24 Hour Emergency Rooms where they were treated before being discharged. Three others were taken to the Avenues Clinic, where two were discharged in the afternoon and one was said to have been admitted to the High Dependency Unit. He was, however, said to be in a stable condition.” 2.5 The response by government officials and the police Following this incident Minister Dabengwa, the Minister of Home Affairs, made a statement which was reported in a local newspaper22 in this way: Clarifying developments prior to the violent clashes in Harare last Saturday, Cde Dabengwa said the National Constitutional Assembly had been advised to postpone their march to another date since war veterans had already made prior arrangements to hold their meeting on that day. The NCA co-ordinator, Mr Isaac Maphosa, rejected the advice given by the police and the NCA demonstration went ahead as planned. During their demonstration, Cde Dabengwa said, the NCA members started shouting derogatory remarks about the Government and the war veterans for occupying whiteowned farms. “The war veterans, who were monitoring the situation, were incensed by these derogatory remarks. A violent clash ensued between the two groups numbering about 3 500 NCA members and 1 500 war veterans. The police who were on stand-by quickly intervened and restored relative order. No lives were lost and injuries were kept to a minimum.” Cde Dabengwa said he was disturbed by the violence that reflected election campaign strategies based on fear and intimidation. He appealed to leaders of all political parties to restrain their members from engaging in violent activities.” Speaking in a BBC interview, the Minister of Information, Chen Chimutengwende said that it was a lie that the violent attackers had come from ZANU (PF) Headquarters. 23 -8-