Over One Hundred Demonstrators Arrested By The Zimbabwean Authorities

international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press

Friday November 11, 2005 16:15

by Jon Glackin

The Independent Zimbabwe Campaign has
received news of a critical situation in Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe trade union movement, headed by the ZCTU (Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions), called a demonstration , Tuesday 8
November, against the POVERTY and HUNGER the majority of Zimbabweans
face right now.

Trade unionists in their thousands, including other opposition groups
- WOMEN OF ZIMBABWE ARISE (WOZA),the NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL
ASSEMBLY (NCA), and the INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST ORGANISATION
(ISO-Zimbabwe) - congregated in central Harare. The police sealed off
the area and prevented them from marching to the government offices.
The police, mainly picking off leaders prominent, then arrested ONE
HUNDRED people, and took them to the Harare Central Police Station.
They were charged under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA),
notorious for preventing people from protesting against violations of
workers' and human rights. NCA members have been in detention for
some weeks already. Today's arrested people have been put in the same
cells as the NCA members.

The three comrades from the International Socialist Organisation
arrested are: Munyaradzi Gwisai, Briggs Bomba and Kasikai.

People today have been uprising in other towns and cities. In Gweru,
one of Zimbabwe's largest towns, a regiment of the National Army
mutinied and joined demonstrators. The whole regiment was sacked from
their jobs and was arrested.

In Bulawayo, the second largest city, ZCTU officials were arrested.
Also women from WOZA in Bulawayo and Harare have been arrested.

GWISAI, BOMBA and KASIKAI are due in court on Thursday 10 November,
when the court should decide whether to grant them bail or to detain
them in custody until their trial for POSA offences commences. If
they get bail, the cost will be enormous.

Today AT 8.30pm, the Independent Zimbabwe Campaign was informed that
the 100 arrested demonstrators have been moved to an unknown police
station outside Harare.