N AT I O N A L I N Q U I R Y R E P O R T ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION For Human Dignity to be rectified. I also cannot benefit from presidential pardons because I do not have an ID”, 33-year-old inmate from Marondera Prison, Mashonaland East Province. male GUKURAHUNDI AFFECTED COMMUNITIES “In 1983 my husband passed on. He died because of Gukurahundi. I cannot obtain a death certificate. When my children were of school going age, I fled to my maternal home. I came to Lupane and tried to acquire a death certificate. They told me that I cannot acquire a death certificate for a person who died during Gukurahundi. I approached RG office. When I told them my story, I was told not to say the word Gukurahundi. They told me that I could get arrested if I say that. I then went back home. My children are complaining because they carry my surname and not that of their father”. Female witness from Tsholotsho. Matabeleland North Province “Citizens were failing to get presumption of death certificates from the RG’s office in cases of missing persons from the Gukurahundi period in the 1980s and this has resulted in generations of un-documented persons”. Male representative, Habakkuk Trust, Matabeleland South Province. TONGOGARA REFUGEES “The challenge for those without any refugee status is that they will not be issued with temporary residence permits, cannot acquire national IDs and their children cannot obtain Birth Certificates and national IDs and on release from Tongogara Camp will pause them challenges in life due to lack of any national documents… most of these unregistered people face the risk of statelessness.” Male witness Tongogara Refugee Camp, Manicaland Province DISASTER-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES “My parents died when l was very young, and l was told that their identity documents were destroyed during the cyclone Idai. I stay with my paternal grandmother, who is very old and when I ask her to assist with getting me and my young brother registered, she says she has no money and strength to go to Chipinge.’’ 18-year-old Witness, Mapungwana Community Chipinge, Manicaland Province. BORDER COMMUNITIES “In our community, we are at the border with Mozambique. Love knows no boundaries and our children from Zimbabwe and Mozambique interact resulting in intermarriages between them. The challenge is that when a Mozambican wife is undocumented, even when the husband has documents, the children cannot be registered”. 54-year-old Village Head, Rushinga, Mashonaland Central Province “We are at the border of 3 countries. Love has no border and our children are intermarrying with Zambians and Mozambicans who come without Birth Certificates and IDs. On registration, the mother’s ID is required and most of foreign origin do not have and children are not registered. I witness as Councilor for people within my jurisdiction, but sometimes the papers are not accepted. The embassies where people are referred to for assistance are far away. We are requesting that the government considers communities that are near the borders to get assistance in registration.” Male Councilor, Mbire, Mashonaland Central Province. “Manicaland borders with Mozambique (Chipinge, Chimanimani, Mutasa, Nyanga and Mutare) – There are intermarriages. There are no distinct borders. It could be a hill or a river. When they bear children, one parent will have documents from this side of the border and the other is un-documented. Mozambique has its laws and Zimbabwe has its laws. They stay long in Zimbabwe. Thus, they need to be cleared first by immigration. There are immigration fees. Owing to the financial constraints, citizens cannot afford the immigration fees.” 54-year-old Female Provincial Registrar, Manicaland Province. 90 90