Internal Displacement: Global Overview of Trends and Developments in 2009 - Zimbabwe

 

RefWorld

 

17 May 2010

 

Operation Murambatsvina and Operation Chikorokoza Chapera

 

Many farm workers who were displaced to the towns and cities were later caught up in Operation Murambatsvina [and also in] Operation Chikorokoza Chapera

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A child gazes in disbelief across the chaos caused by the destruction of homes during Operation Murambatsvina.  Photo added from Research & Advocacy Unit displacement report*

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A substantial proportion of Zimbabwe's population is internally displaced, but in the absence of a comprehensive survey it is impossible to say with confidence exactly how many people are affected.

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The UN estimated that 570,000 people were made homeless by the urban demolitions of Operation Murambatsvina ("clear the filth") in 2005, while the government destroyed the homes of thousands of informal mine workers in Operation Chikorokoza Chapera ("stop the gold panning") in late 2006 and early 2007.

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In 2008, UNDP estimated that a total of a million farm workers and their families had lost their homes and livelihoods as a result of the fast-track land reform programme which had led to the almost complete collapse of commercial farming in Zimbabwe since its inception in 2000. Estimates of the number of people displaced in 2008 by the electoral violence ranged between 36,000 and 200,000.

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Farm invasions continued in 2009, leading to the displacement of 15,000 farm workers and their families. Urban evictions also continued, notably in Victoria Falls where the homes of 157 families were destroyed for failing to comply with building regulations. The families in question had previously been made homeless by Operation Murambatsvina, and had since been given permission by the authorities to stay in shacks.

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In addition, by the end of 2009, local communities in the Marange diamond area were under threat of arbitrary displacement in contravention of the law to make way for mining operations. By the end of the year, the majority of the people displaced in 2008 by electoral violence had been able to return to their homes, but some people were unable to return because their homes had been burnt down or because they feared further violence against their person.

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A significant number of people have been displaced repeatedly by successive operations, making it even more difficult to produce reliable estimates for the total number of IDPs. Many farm workers who were displaced to the towns and cities were later caught up in Operation Murambatsvina. Many of the people internally displaced may have since been among the estimated three to four million Zimbabweans who have left the country due to violence and economic hardship....

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To read the full report, click on the following link:

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http://www.refworld.org/docid/4bf25270d.html

 

Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC), Internal Displacement: Global Overview of Trends and Developments in 2009 - Zimbabwe, 17 May 2010, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4bf25270d.html [accessed 26 July 2016]

 

*To view Zimbabwe’s Research and Advocacy Unit report, click on the following link:

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https://researchandadvocacyunit.wordpress.com/tag/operation-murambatsvina/