Source: Nqobani Ndlovu, NewsDay
THE Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has singled out the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), as one of the worst perpetrators of human rights violations, particularly during the past few months.
ZPP in its September violations report titled, State Institutions as Purveyors of Violence said the majority of the victims were anti-government protestors.
“State-sponsored violence is pervasive in Zimbabwe and the statistics recorded in September point to a shocking reality of how violence is perpetrated by State institutions.
“In September, the ZRP accounted for 46,7% of violence perpetrators followed by 7,3% from the Zimbabwe National Army and 1,8% from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO),” ZPP said.
“The ban (on protests) revealed that police officers did not know their role in the face of protesting citizens. The police, it seems, thought their role was to stop at all costs any form of protest and yet the Constitution in section 59 gives citizens the right to demonstrate and petition, as long as it is peaceful.”
The ruling Zanu PF, ZPP said, also had the “highest number of perpetrators of violence at 39,7%”.
“This indicates a growing tendency by the ruling party to use violence in settling political scores. In August 2016, Zanu PF, accounted for 42% of the perpetrators.”
ZPP also expressed concern over increased cases of enforced disappearances by member of the CIO.
“The uniformed forces attacked some of the victims, while they were in their homes, shopping centres and beerhalls. There has been growing concern about the targeting of those mobilising citizens for protests through abductions and torture is a trend that Zimbabweans fear and loathe.
“This largely contributed to the number of victims recorded in September, a total of 1 320 victims and 967 perpetrators. In July and August the victims were 647 and 1 416, respectively. Of late, another trend has emerged in September, where victims are subjected to enforced disappearance and torture.”
Source: Nqobani Ndlovu, NewsDay