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24-29 February 2016

Media Monitoring Report for Zimbabwe
Posted on March 2, 2016

Contents

Compiled by MIGS Desk Officer for Zimbabwe

  1. Human Rights
1. Human Rights
State-Owned Media

"Rotten Apples tarnish the police’s image" The Herald, February 2016

  • While it is acknowledged that ZRP has become a brand, the dignity of the force has recently been question because of some ‘rotten’ apples
  • The complexity of Zimbabwe’s political landscape makes it often for citizens to distinguish genuine from fake police interventions. For this reason, the media should investigate thoroughly before it blames the authorities for allegedly abusing the population’s rights.
  • A good solution to these programs would be for the police to engage in awareness training sessions with the population to help the people understand why the police perform roadblocks and how to recognize the true ones from the fakes ones.

"Thieves attack  police base…Brave Cops fight off five-man gang" The Chronicle, February 27, 2016

  • Two female officers resisted a five-man gang armed with knives during an attack on a police base. A squad with canine units from a nearby section arrived within minutes to help fight off the assailants.
Independent media

"‘Increasing cases of human rights violations worrisome’" NewsDay, February 25, 2016

  • Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) expressed their concerns over escalating human rights violations before the Parliamentary Thematic Committee on Human Rights
  • “Human rights defenders have been arrested while doing their work and in 92% of the cases the arrests were unjustified and victims acquitted. We have 224 cases of human rights defenders including lawyers, members of civic society organisations, journalists and student activists arrested and charged,” said program manager Dzimbabwe Chimbga

"Zimbabwe: Mugabe Battles to Contain Army" Zimbabwe Independent, February 26, 2016

  • President Robert Mugabe’s lavish birthday party, amidst severe government austerity, has sparked a new peak of tension between the ruling family and security services after the president’s wife, Grace Mugabe, accused them of supporting vice-president Emmerson in his bid for the presidency.
  • Privately, Grace Mugabe was met by the military to discuss the repercussions of her violent remarks on the security services in an attempt to de-escalate between the services.
  • Relations between the President and the army, which have been strong ever since the independence, have recently soured after senior intelligence officials were accused of intervening in the ruling party Zanu-PF.
International media

"Zimbabwe: Stranded in Stasis" International Crisis Group, February 29, 2016

  • Zimbabwe is currently undergoing a vast change for the worse, with its economy heavily beaten down by fallen commodity prices and a severe drought.
  • Political crackdown has seemed to be growing in the country despite all alleged efforts by the government to address human rights issues. Since former vice president Joice Mujuru has been expelled from the party  by her rival, Emmerson Mgangagwa, more than 140 officials known to have connections with Mujuru were either expelled or suspended from the party. With Mnangagwa has since consolidated his new power by establishing strong ties with security elements.

"Amnesty International Concerned About Human Rights Abuses in Zimbabwe", Voice of America Zimbabwe February 24, 2016

  • Amnesty International’s annual reported issued last week indicated a lack of progress in human rights in Zimbabwe. Among other things, the report mentioned the disappearance of activist Itai Dzamara in March last year as ‘’one of the gross human rights abuses that are dogging the country’’
  • The organization also condemned the ongoing eviction of houses in Harare’s suburbs as well as the police abuses as well as the use of food aid as a political tool

"Zimbabwe deploys police to diamond mines amid reports of violence allegations" Cihan, February 25, 2016

  • Zimbabwe's Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa said earlier this week that police had been deployed to six strategic diamond mines across the country after the mines abruptly ceased all operations
  • This comes after an ultimatum by Harare to shut down all operations due to the expiration of all companies license.
  • Amidst numerous reports of theft and looting, companies worry this operation is part of a broader plan by the government to nationalize their activities. Diamond Mining Company (DMC) told CiHan that it planned to sue the Zimbabwean government for breach of contract by seizing concessions.

 

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