AT LEAST 180 people have been murdered and more than 9,000 tortured in Zimbabwe since the general election last March by people loyal to the ruling regime, according to a new Amnesty International report.
Many of the people subjected to violence in the months leading up to the June 27th presidential election run-off between opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and President Mugabe were taken to torture camps by the army and police to be brutalised by people they often knew, the report reveals.
"The bulk of the victims reported being attacked because they were accused by security forces, war veterans [a Mugabe militia] and Zanu-PF [ruling party] supporters of having voted 'wrongly' in the March election.
"Although it was difficult to quantify the number of internally displaced people, an estimated 28,000 people fled their homes as a result of the violence. The majority fled to urban areas to seek medical attention and refuge," states the report.
State-sponsored violence erupted in Zimbabwe following the March election once it became apparent the ruling regime had lost its parliamentary majority and Mr Mugabe was forced into an election run-off for the presidency.
As well as physical beatings, the report claims many men and women accused of supporting the opposition party were also subjected to sexual violence, including rape, and their property and possessions were uniformly destroyed or stolen.
Released today, the Amnesty report is likely to cause further friction between the rival parties in the new unity government because it calls for the perpetrators of the violence to be brought to justice as a matter of urgency.
Tensions between the Movement for Democratic Change and Zanu-PF are already high because the parties have been unable to agree on how key ministries should be divided since a power-sharing deal was signed nearly seven weeks ago.
"In extensive interviews in Zimbabwe, Amnesty International has found an overwhelming desire on the part of the victims of human rights violations that perpetrators should be brought to justice.
"Victims also want to be able to access effective remedies including reparations for the human rights violations they have suffered," states the report, Zimbabwe: Time for Accountability.
Zimbabwe's recent power-sharing deal contains no clause relating to amnesty for the perpetrators of political violence, which means, in theory, their prosecution would be possible.
However, such a move in the short term could further jeopardise the already fragile power- sharing arrangement as senior members of the military and police loyal to Mr Mugabe, who could have prominent positions in the new government, are said to have orchestrated the violence.
Despite this, Amnesty International says the power-sharing deal has created a rare moment of opportunity for the Zimbabwean authorities to tackle the long- standing legacy of impunity for human rights violations and build a culture of accountability.
The NGO recommended the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to look into all aspects of human rights violations that have occurred since 2000.