National youth service training - Solidarity Peace Trust

D
Other “activities” of youth militia and their implications
during 2000-2003
Youth militia and politicisation of food
The militia and Grain Marketing Board sales
The youth militia played a pivotal role in denying MDC supporters access to food during 2002.
Zimbabwe currently faces a food crisis, with approximately half the population surviving on donor
food from the World Food Programme. During 2002, the government also imported maize, as the sole
licensed importer, and sold this at a controlled price through the parastatal Grain Marketing Board
(GMB). The youth militia were frequently given responsibility for the sale of GMB maize.
There were reports from throughout the country of political discrimination in who was allowed to buy
this maize. On 18 March, Amnesty International expressed deep concern about the political abuse of
maize by youth militia; it stated that “ruling party affiliated militia have taken over food aid
distribution in the province of Masvingo”. 125 On 5 April, Amnesty dealt in more detail with militia and
abuse of access to food: “ZANU-PF affiliated youth militia stationed outside long queues to buy grain
are reported to be targeting MDC supporters for assaults and intimidation to prevent them from getting
food.” Groups of “war-veteran led militia control the GMB facilities in the Matabeleland North
Province. They demand a ZANU-PF card before allowing people to buy maize meal.” Amnesty goes
on to state “similar acts of discrimination in the towns of Masvingo and Gutu”, and that “militia
control food distribution in Kwekwe, Norton, Plumtree, Beitbridge, Victoria Falls, Chipinge, Kariba
and Tsholotsho”. 126
In July 2002, there were further reports of abuse of GMB maize sales in Masvingo by the “terror
militia”. 127 In November 2002, Physicians for Human Rights, Denmark, produced a report entitled
“Vote ZANU-PF or starve”, which details several examples of political abuse of access to food,
including, but not only by youth militia. 128 The report indicates that at times international donors have
been persuaded unwittingly to place their feeding schemes adjacent to the very militia camps where
MDC supporters were tortured during the election campaign. This makes even the process of trying to
access donor food difficult for militia torture victims.
In early 2003, reports of militia abuse of grain once more arose in Victoria Falls, where youth militia
hijacked a truck of maize and insisted it was for ZANU-PF supporters only. Residents complained that
they were forced to buy ZANU-PF cards as the “internal passport” to get maize. 129 In Gwanda, there
was public outrage at the youth militia being in control of food distribution. 130
125 Amnesty International press release, 18 March 2002
126 Amnesty International press release, 5 April 2002
127 The Standard, Harare, 21 July 2002: “Masvingo GMB offers jobs to terror militia”.
128 Physicians for Human Rights, Denmark: Vote ZANU-PF or starve: Zimbabwe August to October 2002, Johannesburg,
20 November 2002, pp. 18ff.
129 The Financial Gazette, Harare, 7 February 2003: “ZANU-PF militia hijacks maize”.
130 The Mirror, Harare, 21 January 2003: “Public says youth service trainees lack control”.
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