zimbabwe

As inflation rose to over 7000% in Zimbabwe this month, many hoped Southern Africa’s leaders would take decisive action to halt the country’s freefall. Their hopes have been dashed.

Zimbabwe gained its independence on April 18, 1980, a day that was celebrated internationally.

But 27 years on, there is little cause for optimism as Zimbabwe has become synonymous with corruption and chaos and, more recently, with the desperate attempts of President Robert Mugabe to cling to power at any cost.

Amid a devastating economic crisis – the culmination of years of graft and chronic abuses of political power - Zimbabwean citizens are facing an escalating humanitarian crisis. A timeline of recent events in Zimbabwe.

February 13 2007

State security agents detain more than 50 protesting students from Harare Polytechnic who were calling for the state to address the exorbitant fees being charged by state institutions of higher learning and for greater academic freedom.

Marches by the Women Of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) to mark WOZA'a fifth Valentine's Day procession in both Bulawayo and Harare were violently disrupted by armed police. Reports indicate that 274 men and women and 20 infants were held in police custody in Bulawayo and 10 women were held in Harare.

The Catholic Bishop's Conference of Zimbabwe have issued a pastoral letter strongly condemning the Zimbabwean government led by President Robert Mugabe.

The Bishops describe the situation in Zimbabwe as "extremely volatile" and argue that a "new people driven constitution" is needed "to avoid further bloodshed and a mass uprising".

As predictions of the possible collapse of the Mugabe government in Zimbabwe grow, during the first months of 2007 more than 500 anti-government activists have been subject to torture, arrest, ill treatment and harassment by state forces including the police, army and youth militias, writes Otto Saki of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

Political tensions in Zimbabwe have reached new levels as the effects of hyperinflation, surging unemployment and widespread poverty take their toll.  The prolonged economic crisis has precipitated a wave of strikes by groups including junior doctors and teachers.  They are demanding better working conditions and a reversal of the declining public investment in public services.

by Orla Fagan

The people of Zimbabwe live in fear of harassment and victimisation if they voice any criticism of the ZANU-PF government of president Robert Mugabe.  There are daily arrests, with torture and human rights abuses commonplace.  Some, however, refuse to be silenced despite constant surveillance and persecution by the security forces.

Matthew Takaona has been President of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists since 1999. The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists represents all journalists in Zimbabwe's private and public media, and in radio, television and print formats. The union was formed in 1985 from the remains of the Guild of Journalists. Trócaire's Alan Whelan visited Matthew at ZUJ's offices in Harare.

AW: Matthew, could you give us a brief overview of your history in Zimbabwe journalism?

Otto Saki (25), was born and bred in the rural highlands of Zimbabwe. He is a human rights lawyer at the Secretariat of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. Trócaire's Alan Whelan met Otto at their headquarters in Harare.

AW: Otto, could you start by telling us what your motivation was for studying law and how you became involved in human rights work in Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe is in the grip of a complex political emergency.While the economy has been in freefall for five years, with no sign of improvement, the ruling party ZANU-PF employs ever more desperate tactics to maintain its hold on power. Opposition to the ruling party is carefully silenced through repressive laws, intimidation and politically motivated violence.

The opposition party Movement for Democratic Change has struggled for eight years in an ever more repressive environment, and is beginning to show serious signs of the strain.