freedom of movement, and take immediate action to provide legal remedies and necessary compensation including alternative accommodation to those that have been affected by the evictions in compliance with national, regional and international human rights standards. The use of excessive force by the police and other human rights abuses related to the evictions should be immediately investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice. The international community, especially regional bodies such as the African Union and the Southern Africa Development Community and neighbouring countries must exert far more sustained political pressure on the Zimbabwean government to rein in the government’s excesses and to call for accountability for those responsible for planning and executing Operation Murambatsvina. Given the lack of credibility of the Zimbabwean justice system, only an independent, international inquiry can be trusted to establish the truth and identify the perpetrators. In June 2005, Human Rights Watch spent two and a half weeks in Harare and Mutare in Zimbabwe, and interviewed ninety-three Zimbabweans including sixty victims and witnesses to the evictions, representatives from nongovernmental organizations and international humanitarian organizations including the United Nations; lawyers, church representatives, local city council officials, human rights activists and monitors, and embassy representatives. Names of victims and witnesses have been changed to protect their identities. Recommendations To the Zimbabwe government • Allow local and international humanitarian organizations full and unimpeded access to all parts of Zimbabwe to ensure that humanitarian assistance is delivered to all those in need and in accordance with humanitarian principles. • Protect all victims of the evictions, in particular women and vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and chronically ill persons, including those living with HIV/AIDS. • Take immediate steps to provide assistance including alternative accommodation to those affected, and legal remedies including appropriate compensation or other forms of reparation to all those affected in a speedy, impartial and transparent manner. 3