24 One news agency alleged that the police were under orders to use live ammunition against civilians attempting to resist. It said that “sources” had told it that Harare police commander said to about 2 000 police officers at a police depot in Harare about to be deployed: “Why are you letting the people toss you around when you are the police? From tomorrow, I need reports on my desk saying that we have shot people. The President (Mugabe) has given his full support for this operation so there is nothing to fear. You should treat this operation as a war. Those people fighting back need to be taught bitter lessons because that is the only way to avoid further confrontation.” 4 (Source: Zimonline 28 May 2005) The Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri, went so far as to say that Operation Murambatsvina was meant to “clean the country of the crawling mass of maggots bent on destroying the economy”. Times (UK) 17 June 2005. Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri is quoted addressing a workshop “jointly organised by the ZRP and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in Harare.” Chihuri is quoted saying: “I would want to warn any miscreants within our society who may wish to show their discontent against the current clean-up operations to stop the day-dreaming forthwith…. Let no one be used as cannon fodder by criminals whose illegal source of livelihood has been haemorrhaging the economy.” Court orders and the rule of law Statements by Robert Mugabe In his independence speech in 1980, Robert Mugabe said: “Only a government that subjects itself to the rule of law has any moral right to demand of its citizens obedience to the rule of law. Our Constitution equally circumscribes the powers of the government by declaring certain civil rights and freedoms as fundamental. We intend to uphold these fundamental rights and freedoms to the full.” In 1999 after two journalists had been tortured by army personnel, an order was sought from the High Court for the release of the journalists from detention. The Permanent Secretary for Defence retorted that the military did not take orders from the court. Members of the judiciary 4 Zimonline 28 May 2005 Their words condemn them: The language of violence, intolerance and despotism in Zimbabwe.