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Africa Subsaharan
Mugabe's hospital ward for MDC activists
2008-07-14
No painkillers, no visitors and no way out
This is what happens in a thugocracy. Anyone surprised?
Ward B3 of Gokwe general hospital looks much like any other in Zimbabwe's decaying medical establishments, denuded of medicines, equipment and doctors by the country's dramatic economic collapse. But many of its patients are prisoners in a "torture centre" for abducted opposition supporters who, on the orders of the army, are denied painkillers and treatment for terrible injuries sustained at the hands of Robert Mugabe's henchmen.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says that at least 13 of its members are held in the ward. Medical staff say they are mostly kept prisoner in side rooms. "They have all been heavily assaulted," said one of the staff. "Some are burned beyond recognition. Some have broken limbs. They are in serious agony. They have no drugs. They are not allowed to leave. When doctors from the outside tried to bring the medicines they were turned away. So were ambulances to take them to private hospitals with drugs. It is all on the orders of the army and Central Intelligence Organisation."

Zimbabweans with a first-hand knowledge of Ward B3 say an army major called Ronald Mpofu and a war veteran, David Masvisvi, have ordered medical staff not to allow the men held there to be moved or permitted access to outside doctors or visitors. Occasionally the prisoners are visited by intelligence officers who have photographed and threatened them.
Posted by:Steve White

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