Reasons for Operation Murambatsvina As justification for the evictions, city council officials claimed that they were merely enforcing municipal by-laws and getting rid of criminal activity. According to government officials including Sekesai Makavara, the evictions and demolitions were “aimed at restoring order and sanity throughout the capital.”51 Other justifications by government officials responsible for planning the evictions included the need to prevent disorderly urbanization and stopping illegal market transactions in the informal economic sector.52 Others, however, such as local human rights lawyers and local NGOs questioned the government’s motives. They informed Human Rights Watch that they believed the evictions were an act of retribution against those who voted for the opposition during the recent elections in March 2005. Others including local NGO activists and victims of the evictions told Human Rights Watch that it was their view that the evictions were designed to prevent mass uprisings against deepening food insecurity and worsening economic conditions.53 Whatever the government’s justifications or alleged motives, the evictions created unnecessary chaos and misery and even those with valid leases and proper planning permission were unlawfully victimized and suffered extensive damage and suffering.54 Human Rights Watch interviewed James, an employed urban dweller, from New Park in Harare whose house was demolished even though he had a lease agreement from the city council and papers showing that he was a member of a housing cooperative. He said: I borrowed 15 million Zimbabwean dollars from the bank to build the house which I am still repaying. I would not have borrowed that amount of money if I thought that what I was doing was illegal. We all had files showing that we belonged to the cooperative. All the payments we made 51 As stated in an address on Zimbabwe National Television, May 20, 2005. 52 UN Special Envoy on Human Settlement Issues in Zimbabwe, Report of the Fact-finding missions to assess the scope and impact of Operation Murambatsvina, July 22, 2005; see also Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, “Order out of chaos or chaos out of order? A preliminary report on Operation Murambatsvina,” June 2005; International Crisis Group Report, “Zimbabwe’s Operation Murambatsvina: The tipping point?” August 17, 2005. 53 Human Rights Watch interviews, June 2005; See also UN Special Envoy on Human Settlement Issues in Zimbabwe, Report of the Fact-finding missions to assess the scope and impact of Operation Murambatsvina, July 22, 2005; Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, “Order out of chaos or chaos out of order? A preliminary report on Operation Murambatsvina,” June 2005; International Crisis Group Report, “Zimbabwe’s Operation Murambatsvina: The tipping point?” August 17, 2005. 54 Human Rights Watch interviews with human rights lawyers and local NGOs, June 2005. 14