THE CASE OF HENRY DOWA human rights violators being brought to justice in the country or for the many thousands of human rights victims to receive effective reparations.4 The Zimbabwe - United Nations - Kosovo connection After the NATO intervention in the former Yugoslavia, war-ravaged Kosovo came directly under the control of the United Nations in 1999.5 The civilian presence known as the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) was established, headed by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG).6 Within UNMIK an international police force was established, comprising a Civilian Police Unit (CIVPOL), a Border Police Unit and a Special Police Unit. The role of CIVPOL was and is to oversee civilian police operations and to supervise the establishment of the Kosovo Police Service. One of the main responsibilities of UNMIK (and thus of all three Police Units) is specifically protecting and promoting human rights.7 Zimbabwe is one of the UN Member States contributing police officers to Kosovo. The number sent has varied since UNMIK was set up, but at present there are over sixty Zimbabweans in a total force of more than 4000.8 The usual tour of duty is 12 months, although officers can serve for six or nine months.9 All CIVPOL officers continue to receive their normal salaries from their home countries, but in addition the UN pays them a daily Mission Subsistence Allowance (MSA) of US$71 a day to defray the cost of room and board and other personal items required by the officers during their tour.10 At present the Zimbabwe economy is in a state of collapse, with an official annual inflation rate of 620%, and one US dollar fetching around 6000 Zimbabwe dollars on the parallel market.11 In these circumstances postings to Kosovo are highly desirable. If an officer sets aside only 10% of his MSA over a 12 month period, the sum of US$2591 saved would be worth about Z$15,549,000 on the parallel market – enough to buy a house in Zimbabwe. There is little doubt that Zimbabwean police officers, used to harsh 4 For a comprehensive survey and analysis of Zimbabwe from the perspective of torture survivors see: Reparations for Torture: A Survey of the Law and Practice of Reparation for Torture in 30 Countries: Zimbabwe Country Study, REDRESS, London, March 2003: http://www.redress.org/publications/Audit/Zimbabwe.pdf. The Zimbabwe Country Study covers the preindependence (UDI) period, the Gukurahundi of the 1980s, and the present gross and systematic human rights violations which commenced in 2000. It shows that Zimbabwe has had a culture of impunity under both white-minority rule and under black-majority rule. 5 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) adopted 10 June 1999 [S/RES/1244 (1999)]. 6 For general as well as detailed information on the establishment, aims, functions, responsibilities and operations of UNMIK see http://www.unmikonline.org, last accessed December 2003. 7 S/RES/1244 (1999), para. 11 (j). 8 In mid-2002 there were 49 participating countries contributing 4468 international police, of whom 61 were Zimbabweans: http://www.unmikonline.org/civpol/factsfigs.htm According to information REDRESS received the number of Zimbabweans serving in CIVPOL during 2003 remained more than sixty. 9 Ibid. According to information REDRESS received Zimbabweans serve for 12 months and are then replaced by a fresh contingent. 10 Ibid. The daily MSA for the first month is $95, and thereafter $71 a day. An additional $200 clothing and equipment allowance is paid for each full year of service. A junior police officer in Zimbabwe earns about Z$140 000 a month – about $23. 11 These figures are as at December 2003. Inflation continues to grow at the rate of some 100 percentage points a month. Unofficially, annual inflation is more than 1000%. There is a semi-official parallel market in foreign currency, while the official exchange rate is US$1=Z$824. 3