Mugabe’s youth militias continue to terrorize Zimbabweans

ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images

As if the world needed another reason to loathe Mugabe & Company, recent reports reveal that militia members of his Zanu-PF party continue to terrorize and rape innocent Zimbabweans — even with last month’s flawed presidential contest now behind us.

After Mugabe’s defeat in the first round of elections in late March, Zanu-PF reportedly set up 900 camps around the country, using them as bases to intimidate local residents into voting for the party’s favorite thug in June’s one-man “runoff” election. Party militia members reportedly hijacked schools and houses to serve as camps, while some bases consisted of just a tent or two. Rapes and beatings were allegedly commonplace at the camps prior to the elections — a 21-year old girl named Asiatu tearfully told an LA Times reporter about how militia members had taken her captive, beaten and then raped her for her mother’s connection to the opposition MDC party.

I’m still at the base. I’m being raped by four or five men daily… Any time they want, night or day.”

Mugabe’s electoral “victory” in late June apparently wasn’t enough to convince Zanu-PF to pack up camp just yet. Many are still holding citizens — including MDC supporters like Asiatu — at these camps, continually subjecting them to rape and torture.

Although Mugabe apparently plans to keep the camps open, a camp commander acknowledged that a lack of government funds is making it harder to support the young militia men who run them. This could spell big trouble for Mugabe, since most of these guys are only working for the chance to make a buck and get ahead. Soon, perhaps, they’ll realize that their corrupt leader isn’t trying to help anyone but himself. Until then, innocent bystanders like Asiatu will suffer.