Journal of African Law

Table of Contents - March 1993 - Volume 37, Issue 01  

Articles

Zimbabwe: Drawing a Line Through the past

Richard Carver*

Abstract

“We were trying to kill each other; that's what the war was about. What I am concerned with now is that my public statements should be believed when I say that I have drawn a line through the past.” (Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, on retaining the head of Rhodesian intelligence in charge of Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organization).

“Nothing the police are doing now is new. The police have learned all their bad habits from the Rhodesian police. The beatings, the electric shock …” (former Rhodesian police officer).

Footnotes

* Richard Carver is a researcher and writer on Africa who has worked for a number of human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Africa Watch and ARTICLE 19. An earlier version of this paper was presented to an Amnesty International conference on political killings and “disappearances” at Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, 4–6 September, 1992.