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HARARE, Dec. 18-- Zimbabwe's military used disproportionate force in quelling post-election violence that occurred on Aug. 1 in Harare, resulting in the death of six people and damage to property, according to the Commission of Inquiry report released Tuesday. Releasing the report's findings and recommendations to the media, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the death of the six people and injury of 35 people in the violence "arose from the actions of the military and police." "The government deployed the military in accordance with the constitution and applicable law. However, the use of live ammunition directed at people especially when they were fleeing was clearly unjustified and disproportionate," the president said. The report, however, observed that the deployment of the military to assist the overpowered police in containing the riots was justified given the rapid escalation of the situation in a very short space of time. According to the findings, the post-election violence was pre-planned and well orchestrated. It was also not sanctioned by the police. It was clear that many demonstrators became riotous and caused substantial damage to property and there was serious threat to public safety, the report noted. "It was clear that had the riots not been curbed, the situation could have escalated resulting in disastrous consequences," said the report. The report noted that military deployment could only have been avoided if the police were adequately experienced, better equipped, sufficient in numbers and more suitably organized. | 
