Rights groups under the banner of Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) have called for the immediate disbanding of militia groups called “Chipangano” to curb political violence in Zimbabwe ahead of the country’s presidential run-off, SOAWR said in a communiqué on Sunday that militia groups consisting of youths, security agents and a gang called “Chipangano”, had “caused terror and havoc in the rural and urban areas exacerbating the humanitarian situation by creating internal refugees”. “We demand the disbanding of torture bases where gross abuses of women are taking place including forced labour and sexual abuse.” The coalition further requested the African Union, Southern African Development Community (SADC) and United Nations to get ZANU-PF government to “stop using violence against its people and foster a violence-free election”. They have also called for the immediate resumption of operations of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) whose work has been stopped by the Harare government.
