The Zimbabwean government has deployed several police anti-riot units, which will be bolstered by army forces in the lead-up to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, scheduled for August 17th in the capital, Harare..The deployment has extended to various areas of the country, with Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, head of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), assuring "all foreign dignitaries, visitors and Zimbabweans that the ZRP had deployed adequate police officers and resources to ensure that peace prevails not only in Harare but in all parts of the country.".The statement comes as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned the increasing crackdown on opposition party members in the lead-up to the event. Currently, 78 members of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), including a nursing mother and her infant, remain incarcerated after they were arrested during the African Day of the Child and charged with bigotry..What You Need to Know.The ZANU-PF party, currently led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been accused of committing gross human rights abuses throughout its history. However, arrests and allegations of ill-treatment of detainees have increased massively in the lead-up to the SADC Summit, which will see the arrival of the heads of state of all 16 of its members. President Mnangagwa is also currently the leader of the Bloc..The Zimbabwean government's response to its opposition has prompted the Democratic Alliance (DA)–South Africa's second largest political party—to call for the relocation of the summit's venue..In a statement released on Augst 2nd, the DA claimed they had made "this call following multiple reports of yet another state-sponsored clampdown on pro-democracy activists by a paranoid ZANU-PF regime, fearing public protests in the lead-up to the summit.".The statement came as four political activists, including Namatai Kwekweza—a prominent Zimbabwean human rights defender—were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct..According to the Kofi Annan Foundation, which Kwekweza is a member of, "[the four] were held incommunicado and tortured for several hours before being handed over to police.".Idriss Ali Nassah, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch has claimed that "the Zimbabwe authorities' intensified crackdown and the dismantling of fundamental freedoms is directly linked to the government's hosting of the SADC summit in Harare.".ZRP Commissioner Matanga announced today that the increase in security is the result of the upcoming 'Heroes and Defense Forces' holiday which will take place on August 12th—five days before the SADC main event..As such, "there will be a heavy police presence in residential and industrial areas, as well as central business districts. Patrols, stop-and-search blitzes and monitoring of suspects will also be conducted," said Matanga..Armored vehicles, with scores of riot-police atop have been witnessed rolling into the country's cities in recent days, with increasing calls from international rights organizations for the members of the SADC to speak out against the wave of targeted violence sweeping the nation.
The Zimbabwean government has deployed several police anti-riot units, which will be bolstered by army forces in the lead-up to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, scheduled for August 17th in the capital, Harare..The deployment has extended to various areas of the country, with Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, head of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), assuring "all foreign dignitaries, visitors and Zimbabweans that the ZRP had deployed adequate police officers and resources to ensure that peace prevails not only in Harare but in all parts of the country.".The statement comes as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned the increasing crackdown on opposition party members in the lead-up to the event. Currently, 78 members of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), including a nursing mother and her infant, remain incarcerated after they were arrested during the African Day of the Child and charged with bigotry..What You Need to Know.The ZANU-PF party, currently led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been accused of committing gross human rights abuses throughout its history. However, arrests and allegations of ill-treatment of detainees have increased massively in the lead-up to the SADC Summit, which will see the arrival of the heads of state of all 16 of its members. President Mnangagwa is also currently the leader of the Bloc..The Zimbabwean government's response to its opposition has prompted the Democratic Alliance (DA)–South Africa's second largest political party—to call for the relocation of the summit's venue..In a statement released on Augst 2nd, the DA claimed they had made "this call following multiple reports of yet another state-sponsored clampdown on pro-democracy activists by a paranoid ZANU-PF regime, fearing public protests in the lead-up to the summit.".The statement came as four political activists, including Namatai Kwekweza—a prominent Zimbabwean human rights defender—were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct..According to the Kofi Annan Foundation, which Kwekweza is a member of, "[the four] were held incommunicado and tortured for several hours before being handed over to police.".Idriss Ali Nassah, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch has claimed that "the Zimbabwe authorities' intensified crackdown and the dismantling of fundamental freedoms is directly linked to the government's hosting of the SADC summit in Harare.".ZRP Commissioner Matanga announced today that the increase in security is the result of the upcoming 'Heroes and Defense Forces' holiday which will take place on August 12th—five days before the SADC main event..As such, "there will be a heavy police presence in residential and industrial areas, as well as central business districts. Patrols, stop-and-search blitzes and monitoring of suspects will also be conducted," said Matanga..Armored vehicles, with scores of riot-police atop have been witnessed rolling into the country's cities in recent days, with increasing calls from international rights organizations for the members of the SADC to speak out against the wave of targeted violence sweeping the nation.
