On a brighter note, however, unlike what is usually documented in reports, action was
recorded to have been taken in some instances of violence which were reported to the
police in January. While a great many of reported cases do not record decisive and
corrective actions being taken in instances of political violence, this month’s report
carries two incidences in Mashonaland Central where perpetrators of the violations were
punished by the law. In one instance where a victim’s maize crop was slashed on the
grounds that he supported the opposition, the perpetrator was charged and fined by the
police. In the second incident, a Zanu-PF supporter who had stolen a bag of fertilizer
from an MDC-T supporter simply because he was from the opposition and so, according
to the perpetrator, should not have received this state assistance, the matter was reported
to the police and taken to court and the perpetrator was reportedly sentenced to time in
jail.
Though these sparks be bright, they are too few and far between, and so clearly the
struggle for peace continues!
Data Gathering Methodology
Information contained herein is based on reports from ZPP long-term community based
human rights monitors, who observe and record cases of human rights violations in the
constituencies they reside. ZPP deploys a total of 420 community-based primary peace
monitors (two per each of the 210 electoral constituencies of Zimbabwe). The monitors
compile reports that are handed over to ZPP coordinators who man the different ZPP
regional offices in the ten administrative provinces of Zimbabwe. Upon receipt and
verifications of the reports from the monitors, the Regional Coordinators compile
provincial monthly monitoring reports, which are then consolidated at the national office
into the ZPP monthly monitoring reports published in retrospect.
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