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The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) on Monday petitioned Parliament to ban the deployment of soldiers to curb civic disturbances, the 'Daily News' reported on Friday.
David Jamali, ZimRights’ acting national director, was quoted as citing the incident of a soldier who opened fire on strikers at the Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company in Redcliff on 8 August. Two workers were killed and several others injured.
The petition was quoted as saying: "Some people have been killed, others injured, others forced to wash their bodies in raw sewerage and muddy water, and to eat raw meat and rotten tomatoes, while others had their hair uprooted, at times for supporting the opposition MDC. We feel that government should come up with recommendations that would bar the use of the army in the maintenance of law and order." The statement lists dozens of alleged assaults by the army on civilians in different parts of the country.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions