The only recent reference to relatives of member of the Civic United Front (CUF) found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate are contained in Country Reports 1999. The report initially states that "since the 1995 election, police in Zanzibar, particularly on Pemba, regularly have detained, arrested, or harassed CUF members and suspected supporters" (25 Feb. 2000, Section 1.d), and later adds that "Pembans living on Ugunja were regarded as CUF supporters and as a result were harassed," and "some Zanzibar government employees who voted for the opposition in a late 1997 by-election lost their jobs, and students on Pemba report expulsions from school because of their families' political affiliations" (ibid., Section 3).

The April 2000 report by the London-based organization Article 19, Zanzibar: Democracy on Shaky Foundations, includes discussions on the situation of members of the Civic United Front (CUF), and in some cases persons related to or suspected of sympathizing with the CUF. However, no specific references to a particular treatment of relatives of CUF members by authorities were found in the report.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Article 19 [London]. April 2000. Zanzibar: Democracy on Shaky Foundations. http://www.article19.org/pubs/zanz00.htm [Accessed 12 June 2000]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999. 25 February 2000. "Tanzania." http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1999_hrp_report/tanzania.html [Accessed 19 June 2000]

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential [London]. 1999-Apr. 2000.

Africa Contemporary Record [London]. 1999-Apr. 2000.

Indian Ocean Newsletter [London]. 1999-Apr. 2000.

IRB Databases.

NEXIS.

REFWORLD.

The Guardian [Dar-Es-Salaam]. Electronic English edition. 8-14 June 2000.

World News Connection.

Internet search engines.

Internet websites, including:

Amnesty International.

Article 19.

Human Rights Watch.

Note:

This list is not exhaustive. Country-specific publications available at the Resource Centre are not included.