Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report on political violence in Bulawayo, Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands Case 13 - Area: Mberengwa I am a branch secretary for the MDC in our home area, Mataga. Several threats were being issued by Hlazo Moyo (a headmaster at Chomonyaka Primary School), Judson Hove, Dennis Hove, Ziziso Mutsungi, and Zaranyika Hove, who were the ring leaders. They said they were going to abduct and kill myself and my fellow MDC members. On 3 June, there was a meeting (Zanu (PF)) which was addressed by one Rugare Gumbo, Vunganai Ngezvenyu, Ziviso Mutsungi and Hlazo Moyo, where our names were mentioned so that we could be targeted together with our families. The same day saw my whole homestead being burnt down to ashes, and I lost the whole property. The group which burnt my homestead was being led by Webster Khumalo, and included Judson Hove and Zenias Mutsungi. This all happened when I had gone to Mataga to apply for a liquor license for my young brother. We were both arrested, but I was later released. My brother is out on bail, but I am not being charged with anything. I then sought refuge at the MDC centre in Zvishavane, where I have been staying since 2 June. I only went back to my home together with Australian journalists, who wanted first-hand information. Lost virtually everything, and the property is worth more than $800 000. We were promised some compensation by the MDC. I could manage to go and vote in Chief Mataruse at Chemimwe Secondary School, which is some distance from my home area. The MDC could not campaign in the area, because of the intimidation and the assaults by Zanu (PF) supporters, who could use anything to attack us. After elections I went back to my place and discovered that only a bed and a wardrobe had been spared the fire. My children are no longer going to school, because they do not have uniforms. Case 14 - Area: Mberengwa I am the MDC organizing secretary in the Manyenge area. On 1 May, at around 11.00 pm the Zanu (PF) supporters began to intimidate all the MDC members in earnest. It all began when I had gone to a development meeting in our area. I was approached by Senzeni Mapingire, who is a member of the Zanu (PF) central committee. She also called ward councilor Phillip Chishava and Marias Gambiza (who is the ward secretary). Senzeni then asked me whether I was conducting meetings for MDC and I was mobilizing support for the opposition party. I denied t, and asked them for the source. Previously, I had been the Zanu (PF) secretary in the same area. From then on they asked every MDC member to surrender all MDC material to PP Shumba, who is an ex-combatant and a teacher at a nearby school. Several members were assaulted and had their villages burnt by the Zanu (PF) supporters, who were being led by S Mapingire, Rudo Mabhena, and Madhafu Moyo (Dube), a war vet. They also assaulted severely 2 teachers who suffered serious injuries. When I went back to my homestead after the meeting with Senzeni, my husband told me that the Zanu (PF) people had spent the whole day looking for me. I fled to my parents’ home area, but the problem was even worse there. I went back to m place and spent two days sleeping in the bush. One of my husband’s brothers, Brilliant Zhou, came looking for me, trying to abduct me. I had already fled to Chivi at that time (I left on 1 May). He beat my children, trying to get them to tell him where I was, and was assaulted by my husband before some of his Zanu (PF) colleagues appeared. I heard about this on 22 May. From Chivi I then went to Zvishavane, and was staying at an MDC house. All the MDC members were ordered to surrender their membership cards so that their safety could be guaranteed. I also sent mine from Zvishavane to P.P. Shumba. We were forced to buy Zanu (PF) cards and road blocks were being set up to search for anyone without a Zanu (PF) card. People were being assaulted for not possessing one and I renounced my MDC card and bought a Zanu (PF) card so that I could travel safely. The MDC could not campaign in my home area because of the intimidation and assaults by the Zanu (PF) supporters. I heard from my husband that one time when they came looking for me in early June they took 3 blankets, one bedspread, 2 sets of cups and a set of plates. There were about seven schools which had been closed before the elections because the teachers were being accused of supporting the MDC. Some of the MDC members (11) were assaulted twice in June by Zanu (PF) supporters led by Rudo Mabhena. Also, one Biggie Chitoro, who does not know me, came looking for me and met my husband at Chirovandowo Township. He asked for my whereabouts, but my husband lied to him. Chitoro said that he wanted to get rid of me because of my allegiance to the MDC. They also burnt a car and some clothes of a Mr Mlilo, whose house we were using as a meeting place. I am currently afraid to go back to my place for fear of victimization by the Zanu (PF) supporters. They said, through PP Shumba, that I could come back if I was brave enough, but they could not guarantee my safety. Case 15 - Area: Mberengwa On 28 May, at 11.00 am, 500 Zanu (PF) supporters came to the complainant in Mataga and demanded that he surrender all his MDC property. This included 500 party cards, and 500 T-shirts. 19