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Amnesty International Report 2004 - Tanzania

Covering events from January - December 2003

Police and armed forces officers responsible for unlawful killings of demonstrators and torture, including rape, in Zanzibar in January 2001 continued to benefit from impunity. Violence against women was a major human rights concern, with high levels of female genital mutilation, and continued killings of elderly women suspected of witchcraft. Police used excessive force, including by firing live ammunition to disperse demonstrators. Prison conditions were harsh. Several death sentences were imposed. There were no executions.

Zanzibar

Reconciliation (Muafaka) talks between the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Party of the Revolution, and the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) throughout 2003 continued to lower political tensions in semi-autonomous Zanzibar, headed by President Amani Abeid Karume. Many issues raised by the 2001 protests remained unresolved, however, in particular legal, judicial and electoral reform. CUF ended its boycott of the national (Union) and Zanzibar parliaments, and won 15 and 11 seats respectively in by-elections in May.

The government had made no public response by the end of 2003 to the findings of the public inquiry into the January 2001 demonstrations. The inquiry's report, made public in November 2002, found that the security forces had unlawfully killed over 31 people, tortured and ill-treated hundreds of arbitrarily detained prisoners, and raped dozens of women. However, it failed to recommend bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Violence against women

Female genital mutilation continued to be practised widely in several regions, despite campaigning by the government and non-governmental organizations against this harmful traditional practice. In October, three women were jailed for 30 years each after being convicted of involvement in the death of a teenage girl from an infection linked to female genital mutilation.

Killings of elderly women for alleged witchcraft were still being reported, but the authorities took little action to prosecute those responsible.

Freedom of association and expression

Police used live ammunition on at least three occasions against banned demonstrations: a Muslim demonstration over a religious issue in Zanzibar in February and opposition party rallies in the towns of Mwanza and Bukoba in June and July respectively. Several demonstrators were shot and wounded in these incidents, and many were beaten and arrested.

Opposition parties, non-governmental organizations and the privately-owned media operated with greater freedom than in 2002 on the mainland, but less so in Zanzibar. There was no new use of the sedition law against government critics. Several ongoing sedition trials were halted while the law was challenged before the Constitutional Court. The Zanzibar government continued to refuse registration to the Zanzibar Association for Human Rights without providing a reason.

'Terrorism' trial

The trial continued throughout 2003 of a suspect in the 1998 bombing of the US embassy in the capital, Dar es Salaam, in which 11 Tanzanians were killed.

Two people were reportedly deported to their home countries under the 2002 Anti-Terrorism Law, which gives the government sweeping new powers.

Human rights commission

The Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance continued its investigation into harsh prison conditions but did not publish a report. It began a public hearing into human rights abuses in Serengeti district, including forced removals and deportations. It had not opened an office in Zanzibar by the end of 2003.

Death penalty

Several death sentences for murder were reported during the year, although there were no executions. The government continued to keep secret the number of people awaiting execution, which was believed to be over 100.

Refugees

Government threats to force the last remaining 2,300 Rwandese refugees to return to Rwanda were not carried out. Conditions in refugee camps for over 350,000 Burundians, including tens of thousands of new arrivals during 2003, were poor. Refugees were prevented from leaving the camps and were often subject to arrest.