Human Rights Forum Report: Who was responsible? Case 1: M.M. (Male) - 12 May 2000 They took me to Hunzvi’s surgery and beat me badly. This was on 12 May. They said, „you are the secretary for MDC and the one who knows where Sithole stays‟. I said, „I don‟t know where he lives but I work with him‟. They caught me by the hands. There were 12-14 of them. I was beaten on my buttocks till they were bleeding. They tortured me on both sides of my body using short circuit electrics plugged in. This was for about two days. There were about 9 women and 14 men involved. They were always coming and going. There was one controlling the gang. He was wearing a yellow tracksuit and had dreadlocks. He was the commander that hit me. He was middle aged and could be a war veteran. Three women said leave him or you may kill him. At night they put us in a toilet. There were nine victims when I was there. There was also a commuter driver and a conductor. They were taken because they refused to stop on the orders of the war veterans. I was beaten and tortured on the first day and the second morning. Then someone just turned up and said, „leave him as he may not be one of the MDC supporters‟. When I was released I reported to police but they said they couldn‟t do anything with these war veterans. The following Tuesday they were arrested but later released. Case 2: M.S. (Male) — May 2000 I was coming from work. I am self-employed. I had gone to Ziggy‟s place and was drinking. It was around 8:00 pm. There were five Zanu (PF) youths who came there and abducted me. They took me because they knew my brother was a supporter of MDC. I don‟t know who identified me. They asked me my name and I said, „(name withheld)‟ and then I regretted it. They dragged me, beating me and I called for help. There were two or three who arrested me and they squeezed my private parts. It was less than fifty metres to the surgery (Hunzvi’s). When I saw the direction I was going I realised I was in great danger and tried to escape. Some were kicking me and one guy was holding my neck. When we got to the surgery I was thrown into the crowd and then beaten. It was in what would have been the reception room. One woman shouted from behind that this is (name withheld). Later I was given into custody of the top guys. Ndlovu, who is Ndebele is the commander-in-chief. Chanurwe is another one. I was kept there being ill-treated for four days. A woman called Mai Mahenda was very rough with me. I was bleeding that time through my nose and mouth. I was either in the vehicle, a land cruiser where 16 others were also locked, or I was kept in the toilet. I was beaten firstly then they took a broomstick broken where the broom bit was and the beat me with that on my back, my buttocks, my hands or under my foot. They asked, „who has a heart to finish him off‟, and they produced a knife. There was one volunteer. I knew him as the quartermaster. He was responsible for feeding them. Then one old man from the rural areas asked them to spare me. He was part of the Zanu (PF) war veterans. He was Ndebele, light-skinned with a bulging head. They took me to the bathroom and made me swing round and round until I saw “Smith‟s eye”. I was dizzy and I vomited. Then they made me lie in the bath under the shower water and took off my shirt and rolled it and tied it round my mouth. They took me to the toilet bowl and put my head in it. Then they called others and told them to relieve themselves in it. I pretended to be unconscious. And on the third day during the night, a Zanu (PF) lady went to the surgery and told them to release me. Case 3: E.M. (Male) — 11 May 2000 On a Thursday last (11 May) I happened to be moving around. I was on my way back from Zioja church in Budiriro 5. After paying money there I went to Budiriro 4. I wanted to meet someone who had asked me to plaster his house. On my way from where I was to my job, I saw Zanu PF people were at the shops having a meeting. They asked me: “Where do you come from.” I said, “Budiriro 2. I‟m here to see a person.” I was not wearing an MDC T-shirt, but I am an MDC member. They said I was an MDC spy. I was taken to Dr Hunzvi’s surgery and there I found two young boys, aged about 17-20 who had been caught on a rally. They had no T-shirts or cards. They were also from Budiriro. When I got inside I was given a paper to write all of the structures of MDC, the Chairman, organising secretary, MP etc. As a member I have never participated and didn‟t know anything. They detained me from just before 12 midday on Thursday to around 1pm on Friday. They were beating me and using electric wires. They changed over; sometimes there were three, sometimes two. They took our clothes. Three of us were locked all naked in one room. Three people could be hitting one person at a time. I have wounds of wires all over my body. At around 11 p.m. on Thursday night, they took us out into the yard inside the wall around the premises, but outside the house. There were a good number of them, more than forty. They wanted us out so they could sleep inside. We were guarded outside. I was beaten. I can‟t hear with one of my ears now and someone stuck his finger in my eye. I could identify only one person who resides in Budiriro. I have known him since about 1996. Most of the guys are Ndebele speakers. Some of the people at the surgery are war veterans, others are not. The last guy who released me is a soldier from Mutare. When MDC started campaigning, I participated. I was chosen to be vice organising secretary in the ward of Budiriro 2. A policeman was standing there. Even around 12 midnight where we were. He 9