16 “Do you think disciplined forces like the CIO, the army and the police would not listen to orders or let Tsvangirai have his way?” “If Tsvangirai is brave as he says he is, then he should march alone, along Samora Machel Avenue to the Head of State’s offices. Then he shall see that we mean business.” (Source: Zimonline 25 April 2006) Statement by Minister Moven Mahachi [The late Minister of Defence] In its complaint in connection with the lawsuit against President Mugabe in America, the plaintiffs allege that Moven Mahachi the Minister of Defence told a crowd on 2 June 2000 that “we will move door to door, killing like we did to Chiminya. I am the minister responsible for defence therefore I am capable of killing.” (Source: Newsweek 11 December 2001.) Statement by Elliot Manyika [Political commissar for ZANU PF] On 28 March 2007 Elliot Manyika called on party youths and war veterans to prepare for a campaign of violence against the opposition, which he said had to be "silenced at all costs”. Speaking at a hotel in the farming town of Karoi about 180km north-west of Harare, he said the MDC had to be taught that Zimbabwe's independence "was won through blood". The youths and veterans of the country's 1970s independence war would spearhead ZANU PF's campaign for next year's election while the army and police would back the ruling party, according to Manyika. He said: "We have to gear up for violence against the opposition and we have to silence them at all costs especially here in the home province of our President (Karoi is in Mugabe's home province of Mashonaland West). We have the army, police on our side and let's teach them lessons that this country was won through blood." War veterans and the youth militias have been the centrepiece of Mugabe and ZANU PF's electioneering machine since 2000, unleashing violence, terror and murder against MDC supporters to ensure victory for the ruling party. On the other hand, the army and police have been accused of either aiding ZANU PF youth militias or war veterans in committing violence against government opponents or simply turning a blind eye. (Source: Zim Online 30 March 2007). In April 2007 it was reported that Elliot Manyika told party members at gatherings in the Mashonaland West Province towns of Zvimba and Karoi that they should not tolerate opposition parties in their areas and they should "beat up" opposition members and silence them in the approach to the presidential, parliamentary and rural council elections slated for March 2008. He exhorted them to ensure that ZANU PF won these elections. (Source: Voice of America 24 April 2007) Their words condemn them: The language of violence, intolerance and despotism in Zimbabwe.