07 Jul 2005: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: Operation Murambatsvina: The Role of Zimbabwe`s Defence and Security Services

ISS SEMINAR:
OPERATION MURAMBATSVINA: THE ROLE OF ZIMBABWE’S DEFENCE AND SECURITY SERVICES
Thursday, 7 July 2005

 

DEFENCE SECTOR PROGRAMME

 

(Picture: Church refugees in Zimbabwe, courtesy http://www.sokwanele.com)

Map to ISS Offices >>>

 

[SAPA Report on the seminar]

 

Also see: Report of the Fact-Finding Mission to Zimbabwe to Assess the Scope and Impact of Operation Murambatsvina by the UN Special Envoy on Human Settlements Issues in Zimbabwe, July 2005 (PDF 1.63MB)

 

Guest Speaker: Mr Pritchard Zhou, Minister Counsellor, Zimbabwe Embassy

 

Since the parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe earlier this year, nothing appears to have brought such intense focus on the country like its campaign code-named “Operation Murambatsvina”. Even the meaning of the campaign itself is in dispute. While the government has called it “Operation Restore Order”, others have referred to it as “ Operation Drive out the Rubbish”.

 

It has been estimated by the opponents of the Zimbabwe government that up to 1.5 million people have become homeless; forty two thousand people been arrested or fined or have had their good confiscated; and that the campaign has left six people dead, amongst them children – one of whom was crushed to death in the demolition of one of the properties. How many of these reports are factual has been rather difficult to ascertain. Also not clear is what the Zimbabwe government is doing to alleviate the difficulties the affected people are going through. However, what would appear to be in no doubt is that many people have been adversely affected by the campaign; enough to warrant a United Nations envoy, Anna Tibaijuka (head of UN-Habitat) to seek clarity. Clarity is therefore the major aim of this public briefing by the Zimbabwe government. Of particular interest is the role of the Zimbabwe defence and security services in this campaign beyond the scanty information about their role in the reconstruction programme associated with the campaign. Instead much has been written about their lack of hesitation in using force and the generally poor state of civil-military relations.

 

The presentation will interrogate these issues and will be followed by a question and answer session.

 

Venue ISS Conference Room

Block C, Brooklyn Court

361 Veale Street

New Muckleneuk

(Parking in Brooklyn Mall and ABSA court, at own cost)

 

Time 10h30 (tea and coffee)

11h00 (seminar starts)

12H30 (seminar ends, followed by a finger lunch)

 

RSVP Ms Dorette de Jager

Fax (012) 346 4569

E-mail [email protected]

 

Please note that discussions occur under Chatham House rules, i.e. no attribution without specific permission.