6 Zimbabwe: An assessment of human rights violations in the run-up to the 31 March 2005 parliamentary elections During February and March 2005 Amnesty International interviewed people from Matebeleland, Masvingo and Manicaland who all reported that MDC supporters had difficulty accessing GMB maize. In order to access GMB stocks in many areas individuals must be on a list which is compiled by the head of the village, and it is at this point that discrimination is reported to occur. Several human rights monitors confirmed to Amnesty International that people in some areas cannot get their names on these lists because they are known to support the MDC. An environment of intimidation and fear There is a pervasive climate of fear in Zimbabwe linked to the elections. Several sources in different parts of the country reported on the threatening presence of organized ZANU-PF supporters and youth militia in rural areas and high density suburbs. These groups are a source of fear because they have been responsible for numerous violations over the past five years and their actions are believed to be sanctioned by the government. 14 In February 2005 Amnesty International spoke to residents of rural areas of Matebeleland and suburbs of Harare who described recent incidents of intimidation by ruling party supporters and youth militia, including demanding that individuals produce ZANU-PF party cards, questioning individuals about their activities and party loyalty, assaulting individuals and damaging property. Many such incidents go unreported because people do not believe the police will act to protect them. A former MDC activist in Matabeleland South, whose home had been destroyed by ruling party supporters, told Amnesty International that intimidation and fear had caused her to “surrender” to ZANU-PF. She described how, in September 2004, she joined ZANU-PF, “to be safe”. She was interrogated by ZANU-PF supporters about her past involvement with the MDC and then “baptised with water”. However, she believes she is still suspected of supporting the opposition and told Amnesty International that she plans to move away from her home for the election period and not to vote “to keep safe”. A significant fear is the fear of reprisal following the elections for those who vote MDC. Following elections in 2000 and 2002 people believed to have voted for the MDC were subjected to acts of reprisal, including eviction, assault, and denial of access to food.15 Fear of reprisal has been exacerbated by the fact that people no longer have any faith in the secrecy of their vote. Two concerns were repeatedly raised with Amnesty International during a visit to Zimbabwe in February: the use of transparent ballot boxes and the counting of votes in-situ. 14 In some cases ZANU-PF supporters have been arrested, charged and brought to justice; however the majority of ruling party supporters who have committed human rights abuses have not been brought to justice. See: Amnesty International, “Zimbabwe: The toll of impunity”, June 2002, AI Index: AFR 46/034/2002 15 Amnesty International, “Zimbabwe: The toll of impunity”, June 2002, AI Index: AFR 46/034/2002 Amnesty International 15 March 2005 AI Index: AFR 46/003/2005