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| Africa: Subsaharan | |
| Zimbabwe plans more youth camps | |
| 2004-11-14 | |
| The Zimbabwean government has announced that it plans to set up more of its controversial youth camps in the run-up to elections scheduled for next March. The youth minister said the number of camps would rise from six to 10. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says the camps are used to indoctrinate young people to intimidate and attack government opponents. The announcement of new training camps makes the prospect of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe even more remote.
The opposition says its no coincidence that the youth programme is being expanded shortly before Zimbabwe is due to hold parliamentary elections. "These new camps are simply meant to ensure the further militarisation of elections in Zimbabwe," said Tendai Biti, an opposition member of parliament. "They are meant to ensure that the opposition, the MDC, does not have access to those provinces where the new bases will be set up," Mr Biti said. The youth training camps were first set up in ahead of the presidential election of 2002, which saw Robert Mugabe returned to power after a campaign punctuated by violence. The government said the scheme was intended to instil a sense of national pride, as well as providing vocational skills. But the human rights group Amnesty International said youth trainees were involved in various crimes directed against the opposition, including murder, torture and arson. Former trainees have talked of widespread sexual abuse within the camps. The MDC has yet to make clear whether it will contest the general election due to be held in March. The expansion of the youth training programme makes it more likely that the party will refuse to take part. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 gotta feed the |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-11-14 1:07:33 AM |