By Marange Development Trust

Following reports of gross  human rights violations in Marange Chiadzwa areas  which has been documented and reported by both community human rights defenders ,community based organizations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) this attracted the attention of United Nations on Business and Human Rights who then  sent a Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom peaceful assembly and of association Mr Cle’ment Nyaletsossi Voule to hear for themselves from the communities.

Domboshawa,Betera Primary School and Kusena primary School were three centres visited by the UN delegate. We attended the Betera meeting which started around 1400hrs and was attended by the general members of the community local CBOs.  Mr Clement started by requesting members of the State  security to excuse themselves, since the meeting was intended for the local communities only, this resulted in about a third of the audience present leaving the room ,that alone shows how our freedoms of association and assembly are infringed, one sign that he observed before we even opened up on the violations  of human Rights in our area.

Communities had an opportunity to highlight on challenges that they are facing in the hands of both Private and State Security , the topical issues was that of restrictions of movement, motor vehicles permits ,harassment of communities if found without Identity Document (ID) round up of communities in shopping centers and taken to the torture camp  commonly known as Diamond Base where they are subjected to all forms of torture sometimes one is asked to pay an admission of guilty for trespassing which ranges from sixty bond or eighty bond in ecocash.

Issues to do with dog bites ,shooting of innocent unarmed civilians. Non compliance on EIA by ZCDC was also raised Tinoengana Village where literally gulleys are left unprotected was given as a good example with livestock and human lives are lost. The Rapporteur also wanted to know how State Security is interfering with community social gatherings, the example was of that day’s meeting which had close to a dozen of the dreaded undercover security details who came as local communities, so as many more gatherings in the areas.

He then concluded by thanking the President by allowing him to meet with the communities and hearing first hand information, he further highlighted  that he is going to write a report on his findings. Marange Development Trust, (MDT),Chiadzwa Community Development Trust (CCDT) and Bocha Development Community Trust (BDCT) were also represented. The meeting ended on a high note