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Zimbabwe: Activities of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Bulawayo (1999-2001), including demonstrations and events related to this party

Little information on the activities of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Bulawayo (1999-2001) could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. However, the MDC was at the centre of the events described in the following paragraphs.

According to an 8 April 2001 report of the London-based Sunday Times, Chenjerai "Hitler" Hunzvi, the leader of the "war veterans" linked with the Zanu-Patriotic Front, the party in power, indicated that his troops were about to launch a campaign of violence in the cities of Zimbabwe to make the MDC lose ground. An article in the Parisian daily Libération of 18 May 2001 reported that the MDC had won all the urban constituencies in Zimbabwe in the legislative elections of June 2000 and that it was no accident that the businesses and non-governmental organizations suspected of having MDC members among their employees were being targetted in the [translation] "current campaign of urban terror." Thus, on 16 May 2001, Zanu-PF supporters and "war veterans" forced 100 employees of the Fawcett Security firm in Bulawayo to march through the streets of the city and chant Zanu-PF slogans in front of the party's offices (Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum May 2001). The Merspin firm, which specializes in the manufacture of textile products, was surrounded by "war veterans" (Sunday Times 8 Apr. 2001). The "war veterans" brutally assaulted the company's executives (ibid.).

The provincial MDC offices in Bulawayo were raided on 6 July 2001 (ZWNews 6 July 2001). This incident is part of a new campaign of intimidation by the authorities (ibid.).

Gibson Sibanda, the vice-president of the MDC, was arrested in Bulawayo in February 2001 for remarks he made during a rally (AFP 6 Feb. 2001).

More than a thousand members of the MDC marched through the centre of Bulawayo in September 2000 to protest against the appointment of a Zanu-PF supporter as governor of the province of Matabeleland (SAPA 9 Sept. 2000).

Violent confrontations pitted the "war veterans", who support President Mugabe, against MDC militants in the suburbs of Nketa and Nkulumane during the election campaign of June 2000 (Africa News 23 June 2000). An MDC polling officer was admitted to Bulawayo's central hospital after being beaten unconscious by Zanu-PF supporters during that same election campaign (SAPA 22 June 2000).

A parliamentary polling agent from the MDC, Patrick Nabanyama, was abducted from his home in Bulawayo on 19 June 2000 and has not been seen since (ZWNews 12 June 2001). A supporter of the MDC died after being beaten in Bulawayo on 28 July 2000 (ibid.).

No further information about the activities of the MDC in Bulawayo and on the acts of violence perpetrated against its members could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Africa News [London]. 23 June 2000. Busani Bafana. "Zimbabwe; Intimidation Preceded Mugabe's Bulawayo Rally Opposition Says." (NEXIS)

Agence France Presse (AFP). 6 February 2001. "Top Opposition Leader, Two Party Members Arrested in Zimbabwe." (NEXIS)

Libération [Paris]. 18 May 2001. Maria Malagardis. "Campagne de terreur urbaine au Zimbabwe : entreprises, hôpitaux, ONG sont ciblés." (NEXIS)

SAPA [Johannesburg, in English]. 9 September 2000. "Zimbabwe: MDC Supporters March Against Appointment of ZANU-PF Governor." (FBIS-AFR-2000-0909 9 Sept. 2000/WNC)

_____. 22 June 2000. "Zimbabwe: MDC Polling Officer Reportedly Beaten in Bulawayo." (FBIS-AFR-2000-0623 22 June 2000/WNC)

Sunday Times [London]. 8 April 2001. R.W. Johnson. "Mugabe's Thugs Set Up Urban Terror Squads." (NEXIS)

Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. May 2001. "Political Violence Report May 2001." <http://www.hrforumzim.com/index.htm> [Accessed 9 July 2000]

ZWNews. 6 July 2001. "MDC Treasurer Arrested." <http://www.mdczimbabwe.com/archivemat/other/police/zwn010706txt.htm> [Accessed 9 July 2001]

_____. 12 June 2001. "Daily Chronology of Atrocities." <http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=1537> [Accessed 9 July 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential [London]

Africa Research Bulletin [Oxford]

IRB Databases

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Country Reports 2000

Country Reports 1999

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

Search engines including:

Copernic

Fast

Google

MetaEureka