• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should urgently follow up on recommendations in the UN Special Envoy’s report on the evictions, in particular the deployment of monitors to observe compliance with human rights standards. Background Political and economic crisis Zimbabwe is in the midst of a profound political and economic crisis. Parliamentary elections held in 2000 and presidential elections in 2002 were marred by political disturbances and violence between the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).3 The government has routinely used repressive legislation and other violent means to suppress criticism of its political and economic policies by civil society activists and the opposition. The most recent parliamentary elections were held on March 31, 2005. Human Rights Watch reported on the conditions leading up to the elections and documented a series of human rights violations including political intimidation of opponents by ruling party supporters, electoral irregularities and the use of repressive legislation by the government.4 ZANU-PF won the elections by a majority but the MDC declared that the elections were not free and fair.5 The elections were widely criticized by local civil society organizations, international organizations and the international community including the European Union (EU), and the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States.6 The elections, however, were endorsed by the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and South African observer teams.7 3 Human Rights Watch report, “Under a Shadow: Civil and Political Rights in Zimbabwe,” June 2003; Amnesty International report, “Rights Under Siege,” May 2003. 4 Human Rights Watch report, “Not a level playing field: Zimbabwe’s parliamentary elections in 2005,” March 2005. 5 MDC preliminary report on 2005 elections, March 31, 2005. 6 BBC Online, “Straw condemns elections,” April 5, 2005. 7 News 24.com, “SADC endorses elections,” April 3, 2005; see also News 24.com, “SA accepts Zim election result,” April 2, 2005.