Zim report makes shocking rape revelation

10 December 2009 - 15:45
By Marisa Oosthuizen

This report is not suitable to sensitive readers / viewers.

"As they raped me, they said I must join the ZANU-PF and defect from the MDC party. As this was happening, I could see and hear other women being raped simultaneously."

This is but one of the testimonies that make out a 64-page report that detail the stories of 72 women who are survivors and witnesses of what appears to be a systematic campaign of rape carried out on members and supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in 2008.

As the world commemorates International Human Rights Day, AIDS-Free World launched the report ‘Electing to Rape: Sexual Terror in Mugabe's Zimbabwe' in Johannesburg this morning.

"The evidence is incontrovertible: [Robert] Mugabe believes he can sanction rape without fear of consequences. Zimbabwe is perhaps the greatest test for ending impunity," said Stephen Lewis, co-director of AIDS-Free World.

AIDS-Free World Co-Director Stephen Lewis

Betsy Apple, Legal Director of AIDS-Free World says various patterns emerged from the documentation of their report.

"70 of the women whose rapes we documented were MDC-members or supporters... 60 of the women... reported that they were surrounded in their homes by a gang of people wearing ZANU-PF T-shirts, paraphernalia and shouting ZANU-PF slogans," Apple said, claiming that the perpetrators also included members of the "youth militia" and "war veterans who identified themselves to their victims.

AIDS-Free World Legal Director Betsy Apple

Zimbabwean Human rights activist Elinor Sisulu in turn underscored the report's focus on shared responsibility. She says countries in the Southern African region is obligated by the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights ‘to protect the lives and security of women and girls'.

"My appeal really is to SADC leaders, South African leaders... to actually pay serious attention to this... the absence of accountability and the complete impunity has consequences not only for Zimbabweans, but has consequences for people in this country," said Sisulu.

Zimbabwean human rights activist Elinor Sisulu

Lewis meanwhile welcomed South Africa's mediation team tasked with examining the functioning of the Zimbabwean coalition. The team includes Charles Nqakula, Mac Maharaj and Lindiwe Sisulu who are currently still in Zimbabwe.  Lewis said that they were ‘unusually tough minded, signaling a change in South Africa's approach'. But Lewis especially called on President Jacob Zuma to take action.

"If President Zuma were to condemn outright the behaviour of Robert Mugabe and make it clear that South Africa will no longer tolerate the destabilization of Southern Africa by Zimbabwe, then Robert Mugabe's days will be numbered. He would not be in power on his 86^th birthday."

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