11 November 2009
Update: Reports were received this afternoon that three more soldiers died this morning from severe torture. Two more are in an extremely critical condition.
The dead men are among many soldiers being detained at King George VI barracks in Harare, under allegations of stealing weapons from Pomona barracks.
This is a report Posted By Zimbabwe Democracy Now. Visit their site if you want to support a free and democratic Zimbabwe
Calls for UN intervention as soldiers are tortured in Zimbabwe
Brutal torture is being meted out to 120 Zimbabwean soldiers at KG V1 Barracks in Harare as members of the army’s military intelligence, the military police and the Central Intelligence Organisation intensify interrogation of personnel following the alleged theft of guns from the armoury two weeks ago.
According to news just in from reliable sources, shifts of militia are being transported into the barracks day and night to beat and torture the soldiers.
Today the state-owned newspaper, The Herald, reported that Major Maxwell Samudzi had committed suicide in the military cells. However, the sources warn that he was in fact beaten to death.
Colonel Garira, who is alleged to have master-minded the theft of the weapons, is believed at the time of writing to be close to death.
On October 31, The Zimbabwean newspaper reported that at least 12 soldiers had died the previous week after they were brutally tortured by military intelligence agents following the disappearance of an assortment of guns and bombs from Pomona barracks.
This took place just two days after the government barred United Nations torture expert Manfred Nowak from visiting the country on a mission to probe torture and the treatment of prisoners.
Twelve soldiers died at Two Medical Company Hospital at KGV1 in Harare, while additional soldiers were admitted to hospital following interrogation at the hands of the Military Intelligence Division.
In a sinister twist, soldiers who spoke to The Zimbabwean reported that foreigners were being used for the torture sessions and that they were possibly Congolese or Angolan nationals.
Expressing grave concern for the safety of the soldiers, leading human rights activists warn that once again crimes against humanity are taking place in Zimbabwe.
They are calling on the country’s transitional government to ensure immediate access by medical and legal practitioners to these members of the Zimbabwe National Army.
Calls for UN intervention
The human rights activists are also calling for the urgent intervention of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the highest political body of the UN dealing with human rights.
After Mr Nowak was expelled from Zimbabwe, he told a news conference in Johannesburg that he would ask the UN Human Rights council to investigate the situation in Zimbabwe. He also said the UN would not abandon its work in Zimbabwe.
“I am still very concerned by the serious and credible allegations of torture, ill-treatment and inhuman prison conditions in the country,” Mr Nowak said. “Each hour is critical,” he added.
On December 2, 2008, it was reported that 16 soldiers accused of rioting in Harare had been executed by members of the Presidential Guard death squads. Three additional soldiers were reported to have died during torture sessions.
Torture is used extensively by President Mugabe and Zanu PF in their desperate bid to retain power.
Trial of Roy Bennett
Today the Harare High Court ruled that lawyers representing Roy Bennett, the Movement for Democratic Change Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate, who is facing terrorism charges and a possible death penalty, could raise allegations the main witness against him was tortured.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says the charges against Bennett are trumped-up and politically motivated.
The planting of arms caches in order to jail political opponents on treason charges – or accusations of the theft of weapons – are favoured ploys used by Zanu PF in order to neutralise or eliminate political opponents.
ENDS
News release supplied by Zimbabwe Democracy Now
www.zimbabwedemocracynow.com
Soldiers that commit such crimes are guilty of treason and we all know treason is punishable by death. But we have read elsewhere that the guns were smuggled out to be planted at Biti’s house so that he could be implicated so we are getting a bit confused.
And by the way, where does UN come in in this issue of soldiers? I am sure there is more work for them in other hotter spots of the planet.
What goes around comes around, 27 June VaMugabe muOffice, hevoka varimo muOffice. These idiots should die en-masse we don’t need UN for these idiots. UN should come in for the defenceless civilians who are being tortured and murdered day in day out.
Please contact H Much****tere for an urgent interview for vacant posts at ZBH if you are capable of unashamedly bootlicking our filthy boots and the Zimbabwe Head of Govt, President and Commander in Thief’s backside. Supporting information is a prerequisite for these posts (copies of web postings are accepted). Closing date 18 November 2009 at 4pm.
commander in murder, president of the dying nation, chief of zanu (corrupt party), the first secretary of what what, head of state and government, chief of dynamos and caps, please stop this nonsense you have failed the nation. Nobel winning prize Tutu humble asked asked you to step down for the sake of the ordinary Zimbabwean who are suffering because of your corrupt ways.
Abel Zimbabwe is now a hot spot too. How many people should die for no reason for the diaster to be called genocide? You are expelling people from UN who are politically neutral and that shows that you have a skeleton in the cupboard. We are in the computer age, you cannot suppress the truth.
guseni wataura!!!!!! *****these guys. they were beating the the people big tym in june , crushing peoples balls and all murderous things u can think of .now they can see the other side of the story as well. in the mean tym their commanders are in the comfort zones. it pay back tym
For so long as you want to be saved by outsiders you will always be suppressed Guseni.Which country do you know which has been made safe by foreigners? When Morgan starts oppressing you again like what Mugabe is doing now then you call in the UN again? Is that how it works.We are sissies , myself included and we must bear the consequences of our fear. UN can do nothing about that.All they will do is highlight our country’s plight and give us worse publicity which will ultimately affect us the POVO again, not Mugabe.We should learn to stand up for ourself, not going around lying that we are a peaceful people when in actual fact we are a fearful bunch.
The gospel according to Abel.
Let them die they went around beating people last year,now its their turn ,those who are torturing and killing their fellows will also be killed very soon .,thus Zanu pf , the moment you have too much information concerning how zanu operate you are dead ,what happened to the following people ?Shirihuru , Manyika ,Gezi, Nyagumbo Cain Nkala, Mahachi,there are too many to mention .there is an canabal within this party who survive on blood .Manyika used to like singing Zanu ndeye ropa not knowing kuti ropa racho raidiwa nderake.