54 of these cases occurred in Harare, Chitungwiza or Epworth, 20 in Glen View alone. 13
more occurred in Mudzi and Murewa, 4 in Mount Darwin, and 6 in different areas of
Manicaland.
By far the commonest alleged perpetrators are now the uniformed forces (ZRP and ZNA).
Fourteen (17%) of these 81 patients were women. They include a 7 year old girl who
suffered a fracture of her right radius and ulna on falling down while running after her father
who was being chased by members of the security forces, and a 10 year old boy with a
probable dislocation of the right elbow resulting from being kicked by a soldier who was
trying to kick someone else. One 47 year old woman reported being sexually assaulted.
Soft tissue injuries again predominate, with 6 probable fractures. These include the case of a
39 year old man who was abducted from his home at midnight, was beaten and suffered a
fractured left ulna, fractured ribs on the left side, and a pneumothorax underlying the rib
fractures. A pneumothorax is when air leaks out of the lung through a hole in the lining of the
lung, caused for example by a broken rib, and collects in the virtual space between the
linings of the lung and the inner surface of the chest wall. It can rapidly threaten life because
it may enlarge and cause collapse of the lung itself and distortion of the large blood vessels
arising from and draining into the heart. This patient required a tube to be inserted into his
chest to prevent that complication.
4 cases of falanga were recorded. Falanga is torture in which the soles of the feet are
repeatedly beaten with a hard object such as a baton or bar. There is often severe tissue
damage beneath the skin, within the sole of the foot, which never fully heals, resulting in
walking being painful for the rest of the victim’s life.
Physical injuries are the most visible. Many of these patients report extreme psychological
stress which itself results in both mental and physical symptoms. The stresses reported
include many having had their homes and property completely burnt, being forced to roll in
muddy or sewage-containing water, running and hiding in ‘the bush’ from fear of assault,
being abducted and detained with beatings continuing over several days with no knowledge
of when it will end, and having no knowledge of the safety of spouse or children. One 64 year
old man presented with full-blown ‘Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder’, the major manifestation
of which was his being incapable of speech.
Some of the reported physical and psychological wounds will take a long time and require
much care and attention to heal.
16
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