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45-464: However, the campaign was met with harsh condemnation from Zimbabwean opposition parties, church groups, non-governmental organisations, and the wider international community . The United Nations described the campaign as an effort to drive out and make homeless large sections of the urban and rural poor, who make up much of the internal opposition to the Mugabe administration. Amnesty International and

90-414: A 'Look East' ideology and is evidence that Zanu-PF has embraced an Asian model of government where individual rights are often subverted for the good of the masses, or the regime . Robert Mugabe's approach to governance has prompted regular comparisons between him and Pol Pot . Operation Murambatsvina has been widely condemned by Zimbabwean non-governmental organisations, churches, legal organisations, and

135-478: A Zimbabwean civic action support group, describes Gideon Gono as having played a major role in Operation Murambatsvina. In fact, Gideon Gono's appointment to Governor coincided with the beginning of a crackdown on illegal foreign currency dealings prompting one popular source of independent news to report that "one of his key areas of focus is the illegal foreign currency market". Sokwanele , in

180-490: A different article, explains that the foreign currency market in Zimbabwe is broadly characterised by the formal market , the parallel market and the black market . They describe the black market as follows: Black market transactions happen on the streets, in the flea markets, and in back-rooms; sometimes for small sums of money like 20 US dollars; and the deals often take place between individuals. The government targeted

225-485: A target country. The term is also commonly used to imply legitimacy and consensus for a point of view on a disputed issue, e.g., to enhance the credibility of a majority vote in the United Nations General Assembly . Several prominent legal figures and authors have argued that the term is more often used to describe a small minority of states, and not literally all nations or states in

270-466: A total of approximately 323,385 people (this estimate was based on figures from 45 locations). However, according to the police only 120,000 people have been affected. Whichever figures are correct, large numbers of people have been affected, all of whom are in need of emergency relief and resettlement following the loss of their homes and livelihood. The clearances have been condemned both internally and internationally. A report written by Anna Tibaijuka ,

315-445: Is "nobody in Zimbabwe who does not have a rural home". The Zimbabwean government argued that Operation Murambatsvina was about restoring order (see section above). However, the timing of the clearances, after the disputed parliamentary elections on 31 March 2005, combined with the contradictory nature of the operation, suggests alternative motivations for the demolitions. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) argued that

360-468: Is a combination of two Shona words which are 'muramba' and 'tsvina'. The first word can be interpreted to mean "to refuse" and the second one translated means "dirt". These people were employed by the ministry of health to improve levels of sanitation in these areas, to communicate health information, etc. Police Inspector John Tupiri of Operations Manicaland decided on the name "Murambatsvina". The Zimbabwean police were ruthless in executing their duties with

405-443: Is a term used in geopolitics and international relations to refer to a broad group of people and governments of the world. Aside from its use as a general descriptor, the term is typically used to imply the existence of a common point of view towards such matters as specific issues of human rights . It is sometimes used in calling for action to be taken against an enemy, e.g., action against perceived political repression in

450-699: Is used to refer to the United States and its allies and client states , as well as allies in the media of those states. British journalist Martin Jacques says: "We all know what is meant by the term 'international community', don't we? It's the West , of course, nothing more, nothing less. Using the term 'international community' is a way of dignifying the west, of globalising it, of making it sound more respectable, more neutral, and high-faluting." According to American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington ,

495-601: The University of Warwick suggests that a number of very important states, such as China , Russia and those of the Arab and Islamic worlds, are often distant from the concept of the "international community" and do not necessarily endorse every initiative associated with it, for example, by abstaining from key votes in the United Nations Security Council . Noam Chomsky states that the term

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540-655: The Zimbabwean cricket team of New Zealand in 2005–06. Condoleezza Rice , then United States Secretary of State , called upon African leaders to speak out against the Operation and to increase pressure on the Zimbabwean authorities to end the evictions. The African Union has rejected these calls stating it has 'more serious concerns'. For example, then South African President Thabo Mbeki questioned why Western leaders were so concerned about Zimbabwe while not paying

585-600: The squatter camp clearances. The hypothesis that Operation Murambatsvina was political retribution is strengthened by the recurrence of a similar operation just after the disputed 2018 election. After a demonstration staged by the urban population against the Zimbabwe Government, an order was given to the municipalities to mirror the 'tsunami' operation that saw many demolitions taking place in January 2019, leaving many people destitute. Tererai Karimakwenda noted

630-580: The Derg fell from power , may have given Robert Mugabe the idea, warning the Zimbabwean leader that the swelling slum and backyard population in Zimbabwe was creating a fertile ground for a mass uprising. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum advanced another reason for pre-emptively dispersing citizens living in opposition party strongholds. They point to the fact that the government faces an unprecedented economic crisis of fuel and food shortages, rampant hyperinflation , and virtually no foreign currency. To resolve

675-741: The Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions called on the UN and the African Union to intervene. UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw urged African nations to stop ignoring what was happening in Zimbabwe, while US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged the Africa Union to speak out over the "tragic" events. The word was initially used to refer to a communal village worker by the Shona who lived in "reserves". Murambatsvina

720-492: The Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions and another group, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, sought independent legal opinion. This concluded that the evictions in Zimbabwe were a widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population, as part of state policy. In a 45-page response to the highly critical report by UN envoy Anna Tibaijuka, President Robert Mugabe's government says it acted in

765-603: The United Nations". Excerpts of the report describe the operation as disastrous and inhumane, representing a clear violation of international law . The executive summary stated: Operation Restore Order, while purporting to target illegal dwellings and structures and to clamp down on alleged illicit activities, was carried out in an indiscriminate and unjustified manner, with indifference to human suffering, and, in repeated cases, with disregard to several provisions of national and international legal frameworks. On 23 May 2007

810-573: The ZANU-PF government would find it easier to control an angry population in the event of possible riots or mass protests. David Coltart , the MDC's legal affairs spokesperson, described the operation as a sinister pre-emptive strike to remove the maximum possible number of people from urban areas to rural areas where they are easier to control". The Mail & Guardian suggested former Ethiopian leader Mengistu Haile Mariam , who fled to Harare in 1991 as

855-399: The Zimbabwean government's policy. Kate Hoey MP called on former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to encourage South Africa to use its regional influence to put pressure on Zimbabwean authorities to cease the crackdown. The New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Phil Goff expressed his condemnation of the operation by suggesting in a radio interview a boycott of the planned tour by

900-628: The clearances rests with the ruling party, ZANU-PF . The previous Chairperson of the Harare Commission , Dr. Jameson Kurasha, initiated Operation Murambatsvina weeks after the disputed elections were held there. The Harare Commission led by Sekesai Makwavarara is currently running the affairs of the City of Harare despite the fact that there is a pending application to the High Court questioning its authority to do so. The Commission itself

945-532: The country, and the Zimbabwean government has stated its intention to widen the operation to include rural farming areas. Estimates of the number of people affected vary considerably. The latest United Nations figures estimate that it has led to the unemployment of 700,000 people and affected a further 2.4 million people countrywide. Earlier, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum estimated that 64,677 families had been displaced, representing

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990-488: The country, the government eased up on a few of its repressive tactics in the months immediately preceding the parliamentary elections. The immediate effect was that MDC supporters felt confident and suddenly openly showed their support for their party in a way they hadn't been able to before. In the early 2000s, Zimbabwe fought to keep control of the foreign currency market by adopting a range of measures, usually spearheaded by Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono . Sokwanele ,

1035-479: The crisis, they argued the ZANU-PF government would be forced, against its will, to re-engage with the international community: This means a reversal of its whole style of governing, adherence to the rule of law, an end to political violence and repression, opening of the press and media space, and a cessation of all interference with citizens basic freedoms. They suggested that if totalitarian controls were relaxed – to satisfy international principles and standards –

1080-578: The demolitions, they have been supported by the army and the National Youth Service . Many inhabitants have been forced to destroy their own homes, sometimes at gunpoint. People whose homes have been demolished are being told to return to the rural areas or face further action from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the dreaded Central Intelligence Organization . Education Minister Aeneas Chigwedere claimed that there

1125-485: The economy was beginning to receive serious and significant investments from the Far East: We should not look back, for, looking back, means back to our political enemies and detractors. Industry must recognise this new direction (Look East policy). The destruction of the shanty towns may have supported Chinese business interests in Zimbabwe. A report co-authored by Archbishop Ncube stated that: Speculation over

1170-503: The executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme , was handed to the Zimbabwean government on 21 July 2005. Excerpts from the report, which calls for all demolitions to be stopped immediately, were made public the following day and describe the operation as a "disastrous venture" which has violated international law and led to a serious humanitarian crisis . The actions of

1215-446: The government are described as indiscriminate, unjustified and conducted without regard for human suffering. The Washington Post on 7 February 2008, described how some men and women displaced from Harare are now walking 28 km (17 mi) – 5 hours round-trip every day to work (furthermore without breakfast), because the individual bus fare for one day now costs nearly a week's wages – ZW $ 10 million. Overall responsibility for

1260-587: The government would suddenly be exposed to protest and civic pressure. In other words, Operation Murambatsvina may have been less motivated by fear of protests immediately following the elections (which were manageable by a politicised police and army), instead aiming to control the population after heavy-handed measures were dispensed with: It is predicated on the observation that the greatest risk to repressive governments comes when they seek to liberalise . Zimbabwean 2005 election experiences give some credence to this view. Anticipating electoral observers coming to

1305-596: The government's main reason for Murambatsvina was to punish the urban poor for voting for the opposition during the March parliamentary elections. The cities are traditionally MDC strongholds, and the Harare Commission that initiated the campaign was set up to override the governing powers of the elected MDC City Council. However, the retribution as a rationale is somewhat undermined by the fact that some ZANU-PF supporters, including liberation war -veterans, were in

1350-442: The happenings of the era is a young poet and script writer, Poseidon Tsautsau who wrote his poem:The Uncaring father, who should care. In his poem it seems like Tsautsau is blasting Mugabe the Zimbabwean father for not caring for his children, by "cleaning the mess through adding trash" as he writes in his piece. The international community has also condemned the operation with nations and international organisations strongly attacking

1395-614: The motives behind Operation Murambatsvina has pointed to the removal of local competition threatening newly arrived Chinese businessmen whose stores sell cheap and often poor quality goods. It is estimated that, as a result of the government's aggressive "Look East" policy, up to 10,000 Chinese citizens have moved into the country, and some have moved onto farms taken from highly skilled commercial farmers , notably to grow tobacco for China's 300 million smokers. As well as practical support of Chinese business interests, many have suggested that Operation Murambatsvina also demonstrates an adherence to

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1440-416: The opposition Movement for Democratic Change as well as many other groups in Zimbabwe. The operation also made topics for those in the literature world with Valerie Tagwira with her book The Uncertainty of Hope , which vivified mostly the effects of Operation Murambatsvina on the ordinary female citizens of Zimbabwe and other difficulties faced by that time. The other known literature figure who hand penned

1485-443: The program as an "urban renewal campaign." Chombo has described the operation in terms of 'restoring order': "It is these people who have been making the country ungovernable by their criminal activities actually." The Zimbabwean Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri , said that Operation Murambatsvina was meant to "clean the country of the crawling mass of maggots bent on destroying the economy." While police have carried out most of

1530-461: The public interest, and denied that it was responsible for the deaths of several people during clean-up operation, and was carried out in compliance with the government's laws, the state-controlled Herald newspaper reported on 17 August 2005. The government said Tibaijuka had used value-laden and judgemental language, which clearly demonstrated in-built bias against it and the operation. International community The international community

1575-404: The result that they were dreaded by the local populace. The sense behind the word therefore mirrors the alleged purpose of the operation as asserted by the government of Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans refer to the operation as "Zimbabwe's tsunami ", in reference to the devastation which followed the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake . The crackdown has affected most of the major cities in

1620-559: The rural areas, the cities will be de-populated of MDC supporters, enabling the government to re-populate shanty town areas with ZANU-PF supporters. Further, MDC supporters would be forced to return to areas traditionally viewed as ZANU-PF strongholds. Science and Technology Deputy Minister Patrick Zhuwawo used state media to say that the government had demarcated nearly 10,000 residential stands at Whitecliff Farm for allocation to what he called "deserving people". The Independent interpreted this to mean "ZANU-PF supporters" and supports

1665-494: The same amount of attention to far more dire African emergencies, such as civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Kofi Annan , then UN Secretary-General , dispatched special envoy Anna Tibaijuka to Zimbabwe to study the effects of the campaign and report back her findings. The report is highly critical of the government, prompting one news source to say that the report used "language unusually harsh for

1710-588: The similarity between the operation's name and the Gukurahundi campaign conducted as part of Mugabe's struggle against the Matabele tribe in the early 1980s. The Gukurahundi campaign dissolved Joshua Nkomo 's Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) when it merged with Robert Mugabe's party in 1987. Karimakwenda speculated that the government attempted to force the MDC to merge with the ruling party. Karimakwenda also argued that by forcing urban voters out into

1755-717: The small-scale black market traders through Operation Murambatsvina. The Age , an Australian newspaper, reported on how informal vendors at one market, dubbed "The World Bank", maintains a façade of trading goods when their real business is dealing in hard cash, albeit very small amounts at a time. (Bulawayo's "The World Bank" was targeted when Gono first become Governor of the Reserve Bank in [2003].) ZANU-PF's drive towards resolving its economic crisis has included strengthening its historical ties with China. The state-controlled newspaper The Herald reported on Robert Mugabe 's support for Operation Murambastvina, and on his view that

1800-416: The term is a euphemistic replacement for the earlier propaganda term " Free World ". Augustine Chihuri Augustine Chihuri (born 10 March 1953 ) is the former commissioner-general of the Zimbabwe Republic Police , having led the country's police force from 1991 to December 2017. He was named to the position in an acting on 18 December 1991, following the resignation of Henry Mukurazhizha , and

1845-454: The view by identifying the presence of "ZANU-PF sharks" at the centre where people were meant to sign up for new stands. A different source reported that, in Bulawayo , a ZANU-PF representative was tasked with compiling a list of future stand beneficiaries, and the resulting list was dominated by known ZANU-PF supporters. One opposition supporter, whose name was not on the list, alleges that he

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1890-766: The world. According to International Criminal Court jurist Victor P. Tsilonis , it refers to "the interests of the most powerful states" or "seven to ten states". President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Paik Jin-hyun and co-authors Lee Seokwoo and Kevin Tan argue that it could refer to "some 20 affluent states", giving the example of those not members of the Non-Aligned Movement , while Professor Peter Burnell of

1935-502: Was appointed by Ignatious Chombo , the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, leading one Zimbabwean newspaper to comment that "President Mugabe, through the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Ignatious Chombo, is now effectively in control of the City of Harare". Mugabe said the clearances are needed to carry out "a vigorous clean-up campaign to restore sanity" and he has described

1980-561: Was appointed substantive commissioner-general in September 1993. Chihuri was forced into hiding in 2018 after president Emmerson Mnangagwa took over. In May 2019 it was falsely reported that Chihuri was in Malawi helping the DPP government to rig elections. On 6 December 2017, a rogue police officer attempted to set fire to Chihuri's house during a shootout at the property as a result of

2025-492: Was bluntly told he had supported the wrong party. Potential for mass uprisings was reported in the immediate aftermath of the 2005 parliamentary elections, widely viewed by the west as neither free nor fair. Human rights advocate and outspoken government critic, Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube publicly called for a peaceful uprising before the elections, claiming they had already been fixed. The Sunday Times reported that, by dispersing MDC supporters to remote rural locations,

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