Poor are cleared away
Peter | 17.06.2005 08:36
Flickering light from scores of small fires illuminates the jumbled piles of furniture, roofing sheets and bundles filling the darkened grounds of a church in a Harare township. Around the flames, small groups of people sit in silence or talk in undertones. Occasionally a child cries. There are about 300 people in all - mothers nursing babies, pregnant women, the elderly, children, the sick - their belongings scattered around them. All have been rendered homeless by President Mugabe’s campaign to demolish the country’s shantytowns and drive away the urban poor who resolutely support the opposition. All are distraught. “No job, no money, no food and nothing in the shops. Our brains are going cockeye,” says Crispen Musanhi, warming himself by the embers against the midwinter cold. Next to him is all he owns - a wardrobe, a few sacks of maize for a bed, blankets and two suitcases. “My friend, this is a tsunami disaster.” Now in its fourth week, Operation Murambatsvina (“throw out the rubbish”) has indeed created misery and devastation on the scale of a natural disaster.
The ruthless “clean-up” operation in Zimbabwe’s urban areas has driven possibly a million people from their homes. In nearly every poor township of the country it has left thousands of acres of grey concrete rubble where homes and small businesses stood, and created a vast tide of refugees seeking shelter and food. In Hatcliffe, a squatter camp in north Harare, the police destroyed not only a Catholic refuge for Aids orphans, a secondary school and a World Bank-funded public lavatory, but on Wednesday, under the grim eye of two local imams, they completed the destruction a Sunni mosque. Mussa Mukwinda, 81, the secretary of the Hatcliffe Islamic Organisation, is sleeping in the nearby bush. “The police said, ‘we do what we want to do’. Sick people, children have no blankets, no food.” The Mugabe regime has provided no temporary accommodation or assistance to the victims of the mass demolitions. Everyone has been told to go to the rural areas that are now enduring their third year of famine. Charities and Western donor organisations have been threatened, harried and intimidated against helping the homeless, or even doing surveys of the dispossessed. This particular church is one of the few institutions in Zimbabwe that has dared to provide sanctuary to the refugees and cannot be named lest the police drive them out.
By night the streets of Zimbabwe’s townships are alive with small fires as people cluster in the ashes of their homes or anywhere that provides shelter. By day they dodge policemen armed with automatic rifles and batons who return repeatedly to drive them out. Others have managed to find shelter with relatives in houses that escaped demolition because they were built with officially approved plans, but rents have more than trebled since the operation began. Most are joining the stream of overloaded buses and lorries taking refugees and their possessions to the rural areas. Fuel is in desperately short supply and transport charges have soared. At the township church the priest, carrying a single candle, was supervising the loading of a large lorry to prevent fights breaking out between people desperate to fit their possessions on board. But there is scant prospect of a welcome in the tribal areas. Rural poverty has deepened dramatically in the past five years and the sudden influx of hundreds of thousands of destitute city dwellers is certain to intensify the crisis. Church and charity officials cite reports of families being ordered back to cities by village headmen, many of whom are loyal to Mr Mugabe and hostile to urban dwellers who are seen as opposition supporters. George Mashayamombe, 56, had his jaw broken in 2000 when Mugabe supporters near his home in northeast Zimbabwe discovered that his wife was an opposition supporter. They fled to Mbare. “Now we are going back there. We will be lucky if they do not throw us out. But there is nothing else to do,” he said.
At St Peter Claver’s Catholic Church in the Mbare township of Harare about 100 people were pleading yesterday for bus fares to the countryside. “We have been sleeping in the open for three weeks,” said Rindai Chekesese, cradling her limp three-year-old daughter who has a severe cough. “At 1am you hear the babies start to cry. They go on the whole night because of hunger and cold. We have to beg for food and for water,” she said. Father Oskar Wermter, the parish priest, said: “These are the lucky ones. They have relatives in the communal areas to take them in. There are thousands who are city born-and-bred, or have foreign parents. They have nowhere to go.” Last week Father Wermter found a young women with tuberculosis, probably HIV positive, on the verge of death after spending the night in the open. “This is infinitely cruder and more brutal than anything the (white minority) Rhodesian administration did,” he said. Augustine Chihuri, the Police Commissioner, said yesterday that Operation Murambatsvina was meant to “clean the country of the crawling mass of maggots bent on destroying the economy”. He thanked the people who had their homes destroyed “for not going wild during the exercise”.
Peter
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Contact Details
17.06.2005 09:10
The situation in Zimbabwe is worsening by the day. There are several things that you can do to help - you can raise awareness both locally and internationally or you can donate your time and money to help alleviate the suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Here are just some of the things you can do -
Support the vigil – every Saturday outside the Zimbabwean High Commission (12.00 – 18.00)
Attend the Zimbabwe forum - Mondays at 19.30 at the George, opposite the Law Courts in the Strand
Put pressure on government, EU & UN for stronger action
To find your MP either phone the House of Commons enquiry line on 020 7219 4272,
visit www.faxyourmp.com or visit www.locata.co.uk/commons
To find your MEP contact the UK Office of the European Parliament
at 2 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AA
e.
t. 020 7227 4300
f. 020 7227 4302.
Peter
Homepage:
http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/
Roll of Honour
17.06.2005 09:14
Below is a list of all the brave men and women who have been killed in political violence in Zimbabwe since April 2000. This is not a comprehensive list and does not include the thousands who have been raped, tortured and lost their homes and all their belongings. Nor does it include the thousands that lost their lives during Gukurahundi.
They have not died in vain.
1. Edwin Gomo. (MDC) Bindura. 26th Mar 2000
2. Robert Musoni. Mazowe West. 26th Mar 2000
3. Doreen Marufu. (MDC) Mazowe. 2nd Apr 2000
4. Tinashe Chakwenya. (Z.R. Police constable) Marondera.4th Apr 2000
5. Tichaona Chiminya. (MDC) Buhera North. 14th Apr 2000
6. David Stevens. (MDC) Commercial Farmer. Murehwa.15th Apr 2000.
7. Talent Mabika. (MDC) Buhera North.15th Apr 2000.
8. Martin Olds. Commercial Farmer. Bubi-Umguza. 18th Apr 2000.
9. Julius Andoche. Farm Foreman. Murehwa South.20th Apr 2000
10. Peter Kareza. (MDC) Shamva. 23rd Apr 2000
11. Mr. Banda. (MDC) Shamva. 24th Apr 2000.
12. Nicholas Chaitama. (MDC) Kariba. 25th Apr 2000
13. Luckson Kanyurira. (MDC) Kariba. 25th Apr 2000.
14. Matthew Pfebve. (MDC) Mount Darwin. 30th Apr 2000.
15. Tapera. Macheke. 6th May 2000.
16. Laben Chiwara. Harare. 7th May 2000.
17. Allan Dunn. Commercial Farmer. Seke. 7th May 2000.
18. Alex Chisasa. (Z. R. Police) Chipinge South. 13th May 2000.
19. John Weeks. Commercial Farmer. Seke. 14th May 2000.
20. Takundwa Chipunza. (MDC) Budiriro, Harare. 16th May 2000.
21. Joseph Mandeya. (MDC) Mutasa. 17th May 2000.
22. Mationa Mushaya. (United Party) Mutoko. 17th May 2000.
23. Onias Mushaya. (United Party) Mutoko. 17th May 2000.
24. Kufandaedza Musekiwa. Marondera West.27th May 2000.
25. Thadeus Rukini. (MDC) Masvingo. 29th May 2000.
26. Tony Oates. Commercial Farmer. Zvimba North. 31st May 2000.
27. Leo Jeke. Masvingo.10th June 2000.
28. Fainos Zhou. (MDC) Mberengwa. 10th June 2000.
29. Mr. Chinyere. (MDC) 19th June 2000.
30. Constantine Mafemeruke. Kariba. 19th June 2000.
31. Patrick Nabanyama. (MDC) Bulawayo. Abducted, presumed dead. 19th June 2000.
32. Zeke Chigagura. (MDC) Gokwe East. 20th June 2000.
33. Tichaona Tadyanemhandu. (MDC) Hurungwe. 20th June 2000.
34. Wonder Manhango. (MDC) Gokwe North. 23rd June 2000.
35. Matyatya. (MDC) Gweru. 27th June 2000.
36. Mandishona Mutyanda. (MDC) Kwekwe. 29th June 2000.
37. Nhamo Gwase. (MDC) Murehwa South. June 2000.
38. Willem Botha. Commercial Farmer. Seke. 23rd July 2000.
39. Itayi Maguwu. (MDC) Harare. 27th July 2000.
40. Samson Mbewe. Farm Worker. Goromonzi. 9th Aug. 2000.
41. Obert Guvi. Hurungwe West. 14th Sept 2000.
42. Lemani Chapurunga. Marondera West.19th Nov 2000.
43. Rimon Size. Marondera West. 19th Nov 2000.
44. Henry Elsworth. (Commercial Farmer) Kwekwe. 12th Dec 2000.
45. Howard Kareza. (MDC) Shamva. 13th Dec 2000.
46. Bernard Gara (Zanu PF) Bikita West, Masvingo. 31st Dec 2000.
47. Ropafadzo Manyame. (MDC) Bikita. 16th Jan 2001.
48. Peter Wayner (Fr.) Masvingo. 22nd Feb 2001.
49. Gloria Olds. (Commercial Farmer) Bubi-Umguza. 4th Mar 2001.
50. Eswat Chihumbiri. Muzarabani. 23rd Mar 2001
51. Ndonga Mupesa. (MDC) Muzarabani. 30th Mar 2001
52. Robson Chirima. (MDC) MuzarabaniMar 2001
53. Peter Mataruse. (MDC) Muzarabani.Mar 2001
54. Richard Chikwenya. (MDC) Buhera North. 1st May 2001
55. Misheck Mwanza. (MDC) Zvimba North. 4th May 2001.
56. Winnie Nyambare. Guruve. 18th May 2001.
57. Zondani Dumukani. (Farm worker) Harare. 9th June 2001.
58. James Nyika. (MDC) Hatfield, Harare. 3rd July 2001.
59. John Chakwenya. Epworth, Harare. 2nd July 2001.
60. John Manomera. (MDC) Hatfield, Harare. 3rd July 2001.
61. Peter Mandindishi. Bindura. 22nd July 2001.
62. Gilson Gwenzi. (MDC) Mwenezi. 27th July 2001.
63. Thomas Katema. Harare. 2nd Aug 2001.
64. Robert Cobbet. (Commercial Farmer) Kwekwe. 6th Aug 2001.
65. Vusumuzi Mukweli. (MDC) Gokwe South. 9th Sept 2001.
66. Alexio Nyamadzawo. Wedza. 15th Sept 2001.
67. Fanuel Madzvimbo. Wedza. 16th Sept 2001.
68. Osbon Ziweni. (MDC) Masvingo. 18th Sept 2001.
69. Nyathi Mbuso. (ZNLWA) Nkayi. 27th Sept 2001.
70. Felix Zava. (MDC) Headmaster. Chikomba. Sept 2001.
71. Hilary Matema. Guruve South. 15th Oct 2001.
72. Limukani Lupahla (Zanu PF) Lupane. 29th Oct 2001.
73. Mhondiwa Chitemerere. (MDC) Murehwa South. 30th Oct 2001.
74. Cain Nkala. (ZNLWA) Bulawayo. 5th Nov 2001.
75. Ravengai Sikhucha. (MDC) Mberengwa East. 10th Nov 2001.
76. Johannes Sikele. (Resettled farmer) Masvingo. 11th Nov 2001.
77. Kufa Rukara. (MDC) Silobela, Gokwe North. 19th Nov 2001.
78. Lameck Chemvura. (UZ Student) Manicaland. 24th Nov 2001.
79. Michael Mugodoki. (Farm Guard) Chikomba. 6th Dec 2001.
80. Augustus Chacha. (MDC) Gokwe. 9th Dec 2001.
81. Titus Nheya. (MDC) Karoi. 20th Dec 2001.
82. Milton Chambati (MDC) Magunge. 20th Dec 2001.
83. Trymore Midzi. (MDC) Bindura. 23rd Dec 2001.
84. Rambisai Nyika (MDC) Gokwe South. 24th Dec 2001.
85. Willis Dhliwayo. (ZNLWVA) Chipinge North. 25th Dec 2001.
86. Moffat Soka Chiwaura (MDC) Bindura. 29th Dec 2001.
87. Shepherd Tigere. (MDC) Gokwe South. 31st Dec 2001.
88. Laban Chiweta. (MDC) Bindura. Dec 2001.
89. Mr Chitehwe. (ZNLWA) Hatfield, Harare. 9th Jan 2002.
90. Amos Mapingure. Bikita East. 9th Jan 2002
91. Gibson Masarira. (Zanu PF) Zaka East. 9th Jan 2002.
92. Kenneth Matope. (MDC) Guruve. 13th Jan 2002
93. Simwanja Mijoni. Kwekwe. 15th Jan 2002
94. Isaac Munikwa. (Zanu PF) Zaka East. 17th Jan 2002.
95. Kuziva Sanyamahwe. (MDC) Murehwa South. 18th Jan 2002.
96. Muchenje Mpofu (MDC) Mberengwa East. 19th Jan 2002.
97. Richard Chatunga. (MDC) Bikita East. 20th Jan 2002.
98. Richard Maphosa. (Zanu PF) Bikita East. 20th Jan 2002.
99. 2 unnamed farm guards. Mwenezi. 23rd Jan 2002
100. Solomon Nemaire. (MDC) Makoni. 23rd Jan 2002.
101. Mthokozisi Ncube. (MDC) Bulawayo. 26th Jan 2002.
102. Fungisai Mutemaringa (MDC) Murehwa. 27th Jan 2002
103. Halaza Sibindi. (MDC) Tsholotsho. 30th Jan 2002.
104. Jameson Sicwe. (MDC) Lupane. 30th Jan 2002.
105. Joseph Sibindi. (MDC) Bulawayo. Jan 2002.
106. James Sibanda (MDC) Nkayi. Feb 2002
107. Newman Bhebe (MDC) Nkayi. Feb 2002
108. Stephen Maphosa (Zanu PF) Budiriro, Harare. 2nd Feb 2002
109. Tichaona Katsamudanga. (MDC). 4th Feb 2002.
110. Shepherd Ngundu (MDC) Mount Darwin. 5th Feb 2002
111. Khape Khumalo (MDC) Mhondoro. 6th Feb 2002.
112. Henry Moyo (MDC) Masvingo. 7th Feb 2002
113. Tariro Nyanzira (Zanu PF) Buhera North. 8th Feb 2002
114. Munyaradzi (Surname unknown) Marondera East. 14th Feb 2002
115. Tubadamo Mukakarei (MDC) Masvingo. 14th Feb 2002
116. Takatukwa Mupawaenda Zvimba South. 16th Feb 2002
117. Takesure Nhitsa (MDC) Rushinga. 20th Feb 2002
118. Unnamed Makokoba. Bulawayo. 26th Feb 2002
119. Lloyd Shelton (Zanu PF) Chikomba. 27th Feb 2002
120. Lawrence Kuvheya (MDC) Chikomba. Mar 2002
121. Edwin Romio (MDC Polling agent) Mutoko. Mar 2002
122. Nqobizita Dube (MDC) Nkulumane Bulawayo. 1st Mar 2002
123. Charles Sibanda (MDC) Zhombe. 2nd Mar 2002
124. Peter Jeftha Harare South. 3rd Mar 2002
125. Noah Gwidzima (Zanu PF) Makoni North. 4th Mar 2002
126. Amos Maseva (ZNLWVA) Gutu North. 8th Mar 2002
127. Tafirenyika Gwaze (MDC Polling Agent) Mutoko. 12th Mar 2002
128. Funny Mahuni Kwekwe. 13th Mar 2002
129. Darlington Vikaveka (MDC) Marondera East. 15th Mar 2002
130. Unnamed (MDC) Chipinge. 16th Mar 2002
131. Unnamed (MDC) Chipinge. 16th Mar 2002
132. Unnamed (MDC) Chipinge. 16th Mar 2002
133. Sambani Ncube (MDC) Hwange. 17th Mar 2002
134. Owen Manyara (MDC) Mount Darwin. 17th Mar 2002
135. Terry Ford (Commercial Farmer) Mhondoro. 18th Mar 2002
136. Ernest Gatsi (MDC) Guruve. 19th Mar 2002
137. Donald Jeranyama (MDC Polling Agent) Mutasa. 25th Mar 2002
138. Simon Pilosi (MDC) Zvimba. 26th Mar 2002
139. Fanuel White (MDC Polling agent) Guruve. 29th Mar 2002
140. Micah Chidari (Zanu PF) Mhondoro. 2nd Apr 2002
141. Petros Jeka (MDC Polling Agent) Masvingo. 4th Apr 2002
142. GWIDZIMA, Noah, (Zanu PF), Manicaland, Makoni North. 4 April 2002,
143. Davis Mtetwa (MDC) Zengeza. 27th Apr 2002
144. MADHOBHA, Tipason, (MDC polling agent), Midlands, Gokwe Central. 2 May 2002,
145. NGAMIRA, Genus, (MDC), Mashonaland Central, Bindura. 15 May 2002,
146. MUDZIMUIREMA Cosamu, (MDC), Manicaland, Buhera South. 16 July 2002,
147. NCUBE, Richard , (MDC), Midlands, Zhombe. 18 July 2002,
148. MANJENGWA, Khan Ali, (Zanu PF), Harare, Mbare West. 22 August 2002,
149. CHIBVAMUDEVE, Nikoniari, (MDC), Mashonaland West, Hurungwe West. 21 September 2002,
Dorian