HARARE – The United States (US) government has accused Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s government of killing more than 193 people in a violent crackdown on opponents as it fought to beat back a determined opposition challenge ahead of elections last year.

The US State Department said in its annual human rights report released Wednesday that leaders and supporters of political opposition parties were killed, beaten, tortured, abducted and arrested in 2008.

At the end of 2008, 32 people remained either in police custody without charge or listed as missing, it added.

There was no immediate reaction to the US report from Mugabe’s office or his ZANU PF party which has since formed a power-sharing government with its former opponents after losing last March’s parliamentary elections to then opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party. 

The report said Zimbabwe's security forces, paramilitary forces such as ZANU PF youths and war veterans, and other supporters had engaged in politically motivated killings, and that there have not been any prosecutions or convictions in any of the nearly 200 cases known to have occurred.

Hundreds of opposition and civil society members were also reportedly abducted and tortured. The report said the majority of the victims were held for one or two days and then abandoned.

The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, first released in 1977, are submitted annually to the US Congress in compliance with the federal Foreign Assistance Act.

According to the report, Mugabe and ZANU PF engaged in "the pervasive and systematic abuse of human rights" during a year in which it was challenged by the MDC in parliamentary and presidential elections.

"The ruling party's dominant control and manipulation of the political process through violence, intimidation, and corruption effectively negated the right of citizens to change their government," the report concluded.

"Unlawful killings and politically motivated abductions increased. State-sanctioned use of excessive force increased, and security forces tortured members of the opposition, student leaders, and civil society activists with impunity," the report added.

The country’s law and order forces, the report said, declined to document cases of political violence committed by ZANU PF loyalists against the opposition.

The State Department said the independence of Zimbabwe’s judiciary was compromised by reports of government bribes and intimidation of judges.

Along with violence, corruption, harassment of minorities and intimidation of political opponents, the report said state security forces also arrested and detained labour leaders, journalists, demonstrators and religious leaders during 2008.

Washington also alleged Mugabe’s government had ordered the killing of diamond panners in the eastern Manicaland province. – ZimOnline