JOHANNESBURG, S. Africa — Gangs of young ruling-party supporters beat to death 11 opposition activists in a remote Zimbabwean town Monday, setting a gruesome new standard for the post-election violence surging through that nation, according to opposition party officials.
Two large truckloads of youths, led by two senior members of President Robert Mugabe’s party, marauded through Chiweshe and beat prominent members of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change with branches, gun butts, bicycle chains and whips, party officials said.
Four of the victims were teachers, and at least two were elderly.
The deaths brought to at least 32 the number of opposition activists killed in the past two weeks, said party spokesman Nelson Chamisa. Thousands of others have been beaten, tortured, arrested, kidnapped or chased from their homes since the March 29 election, opposition officials say.
Shepherd Mushonga, a lawyer and newly elected opposition member of parliament, said the violence was intended to weaken opposition resolve ahead of a possible runoff election.
