US Embassy Hands Over Dossier on Victims of Political Violence to Zimbabwe Gov’t

The United States government has handed to Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs a dossier containing evidence of state-sponsored political violence and human rights abuses, the US embassy said on Thursday.

The US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee said the dossier contained pictures and affidavits narrating the ordeals of supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party allegedly assaulted by ruling party activists and state agents.

“It’s sad that Zimbabwe’s political crisis has now turned into a human rights crisis,” said McGee who also called for international intervention to resolve a month-long electoral stand-off.

Resolution of Zimbabwe’s post-election crisis has divided the world, with this week’s United Nations Security Council failing to agree on the best way to avert an impending humanitarian crisis.

The MDC and human rights groups have alleged widespread violence targeted at opposition supporters in the aftermath of the March 29 combined presidential and parliamentary elections.

The MDC says more than 20 of its supporters have been murdered since the elections by ruling ZANU PF activists allegedly backed by soldiers and wants the United Nations to send a mission to investigate human rights abuses in the southern African country.

ZANU PF and the police deny the charges and want the MDC to prove its claims. They instead accuse the opposition party of fanning violence in order to justify international intervention.

Source African Press Agency

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