REPORT ON FORCED EVICTIONS IN BULAWAYO Forced evictions and demolitions of residential properties have now started in earnest in Bulawayo. At the start of the exercise, only Makokoba and Killarney area had been affected. A lot of people were affected by the initial operation, and eighty individuals have taken refuge at the Methodist church. The next areas to be targeted were Iminyela (excluding the flats) and Mzilikazi suburbs. In fear some residents have started to demolish their backyard structures and the people who were living in them are starting to become homeless. House and other fixed property rents are reported to have suddenly jumped up by up to three hundred percent. However, there appears to be a complication arising as the police are reportedly putting pressure on the church leaders to stop sheltering these people. The Agape ministries have reportedly taken in some of the people who have been affected by the police operation in Bulawayo. Their number, condition and intentions as regards their situation have still to be ascertained. A later follow-up indicated that the number of displaced persons had continued to increase. Churches in the area continued to offer shelter and assistance to these people. However, they now appear overwhelmed with the situation, and are likely fail to cater for the affected people, many more of whom are still coming looking for assistance. The problem in Bulawayo has the added dimension of a number of disabled persons, who have also been affected by the situation. At present nineteen of these people have sought assistance at one of the Methodist Parishes, and the church was scrambling around trying to get something for them. The breakdown of affected displaced persons in Bulawayo who were in need of assistance at the time of this report was as follows: Place Number Affected Hillside 107 Church of Acension 108 Agape Ministries 226 Baptist Church 161 Disabled persons 19 In addition to these displaced persons, the inner City Methodist Church had opened a drop-in centre, but the numbers being assisted were unknown.