Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report on violence against peaceful protestors in Harare Among those speaking up was Musa Kasimonje, who runs a shelter for nearly 400 street kids. He said he had overheard police officers during the march speaking over radios in Shona, giving the location of the march to the mob assembling at the ZANU (PF) headquarters. Five NCA supporters were still in custody in Harare central police station yesterday, after being arrested on Saturday for disobeying police orders to disperse, even though they had a court order affirming their right to demonstrate, and directing police to protect the marchers. The mood among those injured continues to be defiant. On Saturday I saw a young man run at 52-yearold Trish Swift as she stood in First Street in a daze after being beaten with sticks. He head-butted her at full tilt and sent her flying. She had to have stitches. “I don’t think it spoiled what was achieved by the march,” said Ms Swift, who helps runs a Buddhist centre. “ZANU (PF) ended up looking stupid.” Statements from senior police and government officials have been uncompromisingly threatening. Tim Henwood, President of the Commercial Farmers’ Union, was told in a meeting with senior officers from the army and Mr. Mugabe’s secret police that whites should keep out of politics, sources said. “They said if whites stick their heads above the parapet, they will get shot at. More, they will be aimed at,” he said. Sources also confirmed yesterday that Mr. Henwood was warned by Joseph Msika, the second VicePresident, that if white farmers wanted the thousands of belligerent guerrilla war veterans off their farms, they would have to stop supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. ”He said if they do, it [the campaign of farm invasions] will stop tomorrow,” the source said. Many are pessimistic. “I believe a decision either has been made or is about to be made, that if I [Mugabe] cannot have it, I will destroy it,” said Mr. Neill. “The addiction to power is so strong there is no way he will go towards a general election without throwing everything at the electorate.” Poppy McComish, 34, and her husband, Jim, 39, had to be treated in hospital after she was whipped with sticks and he had rocks hurled in his face from close range. “I couldn’t sleep last night,” she said. “Every time I closed my eyes I saw this woman with crazy eyes lashing me with branches. What we saw yesterday is that ZANU (PF) will grab at anything on their way down. “That’s why I am frightened. It can get really ugly. Mugabe is dangerous.” No 12 – By a female who participated in the march Here is my account of the march last Saturday. I have written a fact based ‘history’ as well a heart response ‘her story’. I think that having them both fills out the picture more fully. I set off at 10 o’clock, but as I was approaching 2nd Street, I saw that the road was blocked by police. I guessed it was police stopping people going into town to the march, and went down Mazoe Street and into 4th Street. The march started outside Causeway Post Office. There were very few people there when I arrived at about 10.15am (maybe 30). There were a small number of riot police there initially – about a dozen. Some drove off after a while. Maybe they thought the march would not happen with so few people, or maybe they went to Africa Unity Square, where other marchers had apparently gathered? Someone arrived with posters and banners of various kinds, some in Shona, some in English, some with messages related to peace, some about the war vets, some about the land going to chefs. I took one with ‘Peace in our time’. We then progressed a short way down Central Ave towards 2 nd Street, but were blocked before we reached 2nd Street by a wall of riot police. Perhaps about 20-30 of them. I am not sure where they came from, as I had not noticed so many before. The crowd meantime had swelled to about 70-100 people, I would guess about half black, half white. Because the police were blocking our way, we sat down on the road opposite the Southgate and Bancroft offices. Mike Auret said a prayer about the need for peace in Zimbabwe. Then a black man addressed the crowd briefly, saying that if we were tear gassed and dispersed we should reform at Causeway post office. - 20 -