Violence continues in Zimbabwe

VIDEO Correspondent Paul Tilsley reports on violence in Harare (June 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

By By Paul Tinsley
Special to CNN.com

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Here the country's capital is seething. The calm face of the city barely conceals the tremors of violence that are undermining the country's democracy and it's economy.

A year ago, Zimbabwe's farmers were hit. Today, it is workers and business owners who are fending off blows.

"I was doing my normal duties, and a group of about 10 people can into the office and grabbed me, starting beating me up ... someone grabbed an iron bar and hit me on the head," describes local worker John Slade.

The culprits in the farm occupation and the attacks on businessmen appear to be the same: Zimbabwe's self-styled war veterans. Even the government admits they're not all veterans and their ranks include the unemployed and even criminals. What they all do have in common is their loyalty to the ruling party, ZANU-PF. They gather at party offices in Harare. The opposition claims they are now attacking and abducting politicians of the Movement for Democratic Change, the party that aims to unseat President Mugabe in elections next year.