Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum Report — Of Stuffed ballots and Empty Stomachs face and an irritant powder was then applied to his face. He was then handcuffed, dragged to a dark corner near a community hall where a military truck was parked. Here four uniformed soldiers assaulted him with handcuffs, batons, iron bar, open hands and fists. He was kicked with booted feet all over and was later taken to a cabin where ZANU(PF) supporters were stationed and left there until released in the early hours of the morning. 3. On 3 April 2005 at a business centre in Gokwe, another victim of reprisals claims he was with friends drinking beer at a shopping area when he saw a lorry and two Mazda vehicles coming towards them. The vehicles were full of people who were singing. They disembarked, approached the victim and told him that this was the day they would kill all MDC people. The victim claims he never answered back but one of the persons allegedly took a small bench, on which he had been seated and struck the victim on the head with it. The victim was also struck with the bench over the left eye, in the head, hand and on the back. Others beat the victim with sticks. The victim then fell down and was trampled on with booted feet. The victim claims he does not know what happened thereafter as he fainted and only gained consciousness while on the way to the hospital. The victim went to Zhombe Clinic where he claims he was refused treatment because he is an MDC member. 4. In this instance the victim’s husband was an election agent for the MDC. Prior to the election ZANU(PF) supporters had been trying to find her husband and were clearly intent on assaulting him. On a previous occasion they had approached her to find out his whereabouts, had assaulted her, told her that she must leave her husband and they would find her a husband who was a ZANU(PF) supporter. On 20 April 2005 three trucks arrived at her home with people who were celebrating the winning of a parliamentary seat. The victim never took any precautions as she presumed that, with the elections over, her husband was no longer a threat to them. However, three of people left the trucks and assaulted her. The victim was slapped in the face with such force that she fell. She does not recall what happened thereafter, but believes she was unconscious for about half an hour following the assault. 5. On 29 April 2005, in Zengeza 3, another victim was in company of other MDC activists when they were surrounded by about 100 singing ZANU(PF) supporters who started throwing stones at them. The MDC activists were all wearing their party regalia. When the victim tried to run away she was hit with stones on her chest, thighs and legs. She tripped, fell and was booted on the back. She eventually managed to stand up and run away. 6. On 8 April 2005, another victim claims he went to Maringa Shopping Centre in Buhera South to buy maize. As he was waiting for his turn, two men pointed at the victim and 35