DEAR FRIENDS
Yesterday, 15.5.08 the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) gazetted a Statutory Instrument making provision for the Presidential Run-off election to be held within 90 days of the announcement the Presidential Election results on May 2nd. The Bill Watch Special of 15.5.08 explains, the Statutory Instrument invoked the powers given to ZEC in the Electoral Act in order to extend the 21 day period for the run off. Today, 16.5.08 a further Bill Watch Special confirms that the date for the run off was announced today and will now take place on the 27 June 2008 .
In a further update from the region about Zimbabwe, the report made by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum to the 43rd Session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) on 11.5.08 in Swaziland . The report was made under Item 7 on the ACHPR agenda and concerns torture in Zimbabwe . Our statement echoes that made by NGOs in the run up to the ACHPR Session and calls upon the ACHPR to set up a Fact Finding Mission to Zimbabwe and to condemn; in the strongest possible terms; the post election violence adversely affecting the people of Zimbabwe
The Media Institute for Southern Africa also made a ubmission to the ACHPR.
Yesterday, 15.5.08 the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) gazetted a Statutory Instrument making provision for the Presidential Run-off election to be held within 90 days of the announcement the Presidential Election results on May 2nd. The Bill Watch Special of 15.5.08 explains, the Statutory Instrument invoked the powers given to ZEC in the Electoral Act in order to extend the 21 day period for the run off. Today, 16.5.08 a further Bill Watch Special confirms that the date for the run off was announced today and will now take place on the 27 June 2008 .
In a further update from the region about Zimbabwe, the report made by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum to the 43rd Session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) on 11.5.08 in Swaziland . The report was made under Item 7 on the ACHPR agenda and concerns torture in Zimbabwe . Our statement echoes that made by NGOs in the run up to the ACHPR Session and calls upon the ACHPR to set up a Fact Finding Mission to Zimbabwe and to condemn; in the strongest possible terms; the post election violence adversely affecting the people of Zimbabwe
The Media Institute for Southern Africa also made a ubmission to the ACHPR.
Zimbabwe was mentioned in the Final Communiqué issued after the 1st regional meeting of the African Caribbean Pacific – European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly for Southern Africa which took place in Windhoek Namibia on 28 – 30 April 2008. Please see the following web link to read it
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/acp/10_01/pdf/windhoek_communique_en.pdf
Turning to further distressing reports of unabated violence engulfing the country we refer you to the following items:
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) issued a statement yesterday, 15.5.08, to mark the International Day of Families. ZLHR notes that the ongoing political violence, internal displacement of individuals and families means that there is need for the immediate protection of families in the country.
The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) released the Information Alert on 14.5.08. ZPP notes with regret and utter shock the state sponsored violence which they report is unabated. ZPP reports recording politically motivated murders in the in Gokwe Chireya and in Mount Darwin where it alleges four people have been killed over the last few days.
We should like to draw your attention to the following 7 items from the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN). Please find these on the ZESN website at http://www.zesn.org.zw/ we are happy to send any of these items on request to anyone unable to access them.
· On 16.5.08, there were continued attacks on ZESN observers who have been under siege from suspected ZANU PF supporters in various parts of the country. Some have been abducted, severely assaulted and injured whilst others have had their homes burnt.
· On 16.5.05, ZESN released an updated chart from that circulated yesterday showing the total number of local authority seats by political party and province which have so far been published by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
On 15.5.08, an Alert reported alleged abduction of a ZESN observer from Kotwa in Mudzi by known ZANU PF supporters and unsettling reports of his torture at a ‘military style base’ located behind a local primary school. There is also confirmation of the confiscation of the accreditation cards of 8 ZESN observers in the same area.
On14.5.08 an Alert reported attacks on ZESN observers in Mount Darwin who are apparently under siege from ZANU PF supporters and have been forced to flee.
On 14.5.08, ZESN released a statement setting out minimum conditions for a run off of the presidential election.
The Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) issued a News Update concerning the setting of a trial date for two of their members arrested last week for distributing materials ‘likely to cause a breach of the peace’. Further information can be found on the WOZA website at:
http://www.wozazimbabwe.org/
Three Alerts issued by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition on 13.5.08 and 14.5.08. On 16.5.08 contain further distressing summaries of recent reports and incidents taking place in the country.
- The first reports that the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe was briefly detained by armed police.
- Amongst other concerning items, the second reports that the MDC claims that 32 of its activists and supporters have died since the announcement of the presidential election results.
- An Alert was issued exposing the plight of the detained leaders of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trades Unions and gives chilling details of the lice infestation in Harare Remand Prison and the complaints by the two of ill treatment there.
In another disturbing report from Bulawayo Agenda, The Daily Agenda of 14.5.08 documents distressing incidences of political violence taking place throughout Matabeleland .
Finally, from Harare , the Combined Harare Ratepayers Association (CHRA) also report escalating levels of human rights abuses on its members and on the general residents of Harare . CHRA states that its members face death threats and abductions.
The Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) issued a News Update concerning the setting of a trial date for two of their members arrested last week for distributing materials ‘likely to cause a breach of the peace’. Further information can be found on the WOZA website at:
http://www.wozazimbabwe.org/
Three Alerts issued by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition on 13.5.08 and 14.5.08. On 16.5.08 contain further distressing summaries of recent reports and incidents taking place in the country.
- The first reports that the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe was briefly detained by armed police.
- Amongst other concerning items, the second reports that the MDC claims that 32 of its activists and supporters have died since the announcement of the presidential election results.
- An Alert was issued exposing the plight of the detained leaders of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trades Unions and gives chilling details of the lice infestation in Harare Remand Prison and the complaints by the two of ill treatment there.
In another disturbing report from Bulawayo Agenda, The Daily Agenda of 14.5.08 documents distressing incidences of political violence taking place throughout Matabeleland .
Finally, from Harare , the Combined Harare Ratepayers Association (CHRA) also report escalating levels of human rights abuses on its members and on the general residents of Harare . CHRA states that its members face death threats and abductions.
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