When I jumped out of the fire for the third time they tied my hands on my back and one of them inserted a burning log into my anus, at which point I passed out. The militia then took me to an army base at Tsanzaguru where I was handed over to members of Zimbabwe National Army who also beat me for two days. After that the… army… handed me over to Rusape Police Station where I was promptly charged with committing political violence, endured a further two weeks in custody before being released on bail.140 On June 25, 2008, 63 Mbare families were evicted from their homes by the Chipangano militia. The militia told them that they were being evicted because they supported the MDC in the March 29 elections. On June 26 three family members went to file a report at Matapi police station in Mbare. When the report was made, the officer-in-charge allegedly first phoned the ZANU-PF youth leader in the area before directing complainants to go and meet with the youth leader at Mudyanadzo Bar in Shawasha Flats, Mbare.141 One of those bringing a complaint told Human Rights Watch: When the Chipangano youths came at Mudyanadzo, they said, “We now want to teach you that we are above the police—they can do nothing about us, they cannot help you.” Then they proceeded to beat us using hosepipes, iron bars, knobkerries and sjamboks from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., after which they let us go. They remained in their office laughing. We went to hospital and reported the assault, this time, at Mbare Police Station. Since that day no arrests have been made and yet I know the people who evicted us and beat us and these people are also known to the police in Mbare. Even now, ZANU-PF activists are staying in our homes from where they evicted us.142 A police officer based in Harare told Human Rights Watch that police had no control over ZANU-PF youths operating in Harare: 140 Human Rights Watch interview with victim, Marondera, August 25, 2008. 141 Human Rights Watch interview with victim, Harare, August 23, 2008. 142 Ibid. “Our Hands Are Tied” 40