Amnesty International visited Zimbabwe in February and June 2004 to undertake
research for this report. Although Amnesty International was able to speak with a
wide range of sources, many were unwilling to place comments on the record for fear
of reprisals. The repression of civil society, and the government’s attempts to block all
information which is seen as critical, has characterized the Zimbabwe crisis for four
years. It has also been extremely difficult to travel in many rural areas since the
inception of the government’s fast-track land reform programme.