36 Mutasa: I don’t know that people were beaten at Fourth Street. But if they were indeed beaten then I would assume that the police were responding to provocation. I think it was a genuine response to a genuine threat to public security. I am happy with the work they did. Interviewer: Minister, you were not there when it happened. I was there and I can tell you that there was no provocation. People were waiting for transport to go home after work when the police pounced. Mutasa: If you were there, were you beaten, do you have any scars? Interviewer: No, minister, the fact that I was not beaten does not mean that people were not beaten. I am merely saying I witnessed it happen. Mutasa: So you see, police don’t just beat up people. You were not beaten because you did not provoke them and you were not loitering aimlessly. Those who were beaten had obviously provoked the police. Police are not mad. I believe they are doing a very good job in that regard. It is you journalists from the independent media who are trying to damage the reputation of this country. Every week your paper demonises the government giving a negative impression about this country. (Source: Interview with reporter of Zimbabwe Independent 20 April 2007) Statement by Nathan Shamuyarira Speaking about the torture in police custody of the leaders after their arrest on 11 March 2007, he said: “The beatings are a function of the interaction of the police.” (Source: Interview with SA FM on 13 March 2007) Political discrimination in food distribution Statement by Abednico Ncube The Deputy Minister told villagers in Matabeleland that maize “will be available only to those who dump the opposition and work with ZANU PF”. The party would “start feeding its children before turning to those of the MDC”. (Source: Standard 23 July 2002) Statement by Chief Charumbira Speaking in Masvingo in January 2007 Chief Charumbira said that the Zimbabwe's Council of Chiefs has ordered traditional leaders in rural Chiredzi South constituency to deny state-supplied food aid to opposition supporters. Chief Charumbira said in addition to denying food to opposition supporters - who he described as the enemy - chiefs had also been instructed Their words condemn them: The language of violence, intolerance and despotism in Zimbabwe. to campaign for