When a State Turns on its Citizens: 60 years of Institutionalised Violence in ZimbabweLloyd Sachikonye traces the roots of Zimbabwe's contemporary violence to the actions of the Rhodesian armed forces, and the inter-party conflicts that occurred during the liberation war. His focus, however, is the period since 2000, which has seen state-sponsored violence erupting in election campaigns and throughout the programme of fast-track land reform. The consequences of this violence run wide and deep. Aside from inflicting trauma and fear on its victims, the impunity enjoyed by its perpetrators has helped to mould a culture within which personal freedoms and dreams are strangled. At a broader social level, it is responsible - both directly and indirectly - for millions of Zimbabweans voting with their feet and heading for the diaspora. Such a migration 'cannot simply be explained in terms of the search for greener economic pastures. Escape from authoritarianism, violence, trauma and fear is a large factor behind the exodus'. Sachikonye concludes that any future quest for justice and reconciliation will depend on the country facing up to the truth about the violence and hatred that have infected its past and present. |
Contents
1 | |
Chapter 2 Political Violence and the Scramble for Resources | 28 |
Chapter 3 Systemic Violence and the 2008 Election | 45 |
Chapter 4 Violence and Political Culture | 62 |
Chapter 5 Wider Impact of Political Violence on Society | 86 |
Conclusion | 100 |
Afterword | 105 |
111 | |
Appendix 1 A Note on Methodology | 119 |
Back cover | 123 |
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Common terms and phrases
abducted activists African Afrobarometer amongst army assaulted authoritarian beaten beatings Border Gezi brutal Buhera Bulawayo CCJPZ cent Chapter Chitungwiza civil society civilians clashes colonial confiscated contest CSOs Democratic deployed detention economic election campaign electoral process factions farm-workers farms fear Freedom House guerrillas Gukurahundi Gweru Harare harassment human rights Ibid impunity independence instance institutionalized violence institutions inter-party violence Interview intimidation killed land leaders leadership liberation Mabvuku major Mashonaland West Masvingo Matabeleland MDC supporters military Morgan Tsvangirai Mugabe regime National nationalist Nkomo observed ofthe Operation Operation Murambatsvina opposition parties organizations People’s period perpetrators police political culture political violence post-independence presidential protests regime forces repression retribution ruling party rural areas Sachikonye Sithole student targets threats torture trauma Tsvangirai Union University of Zimbabwe urban veterans victims voted voters women WOZA youth militia ZANLA ZANU ZANU-PF ZANU-PF supporters ZAPU ZCTU ZHR NGO Forum Zimbabwe’s political Zimbabwean ZIPRA