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| East/Subsaharan Africa |
| Zimbabwe Protesters Face Tear Gas |
| 2003-06-03 |
| HARARE -- Police fired tear gas at protesters west of the capital Tuesday, as an opposition strike against the increasingly repressive rule of President Robert Mugabe entered its second day. Gonna be a Looonngg week in ZimBobWe Opposition officials have vowed to press ahead with a planned week of national protest despite a harsh crackdown by police and troops who have arrested dozens of protesters. Authorities were swift and brutal in trying to disperse crowds on Monday. On Tuesday, police used tear gas against people gathered in the streets in the western Harare township of Warren Park, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said in a statement. There were no reports of injuries. In Harare, banks and most businesses were closed and traffic was light. Riot police were stationed throughout the city. In other reports of unrest cited in the opposition statement, ruling party militants had attempted to evict opposition activists from their homes in the central town of Kwekwe. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said the actions brought the country's economy to a standstill and organizers pledged a week of similar actions they say will mark the most significant challenge to Mugabe's 23 years in office. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said violence against protesters by police and the military would not deter the party's leaders and supporters. "There is no doubt that Zimbabweans have overwhelmingly heeded our calls despite the security agents' repressive methods," Tsvangirai told the independent Daily News. "By the end of this week Zimbabweans will have driven a message home to Mugabe that they are fed up with the state of affairs in this country," he said. He already knows, I just hope he and Grace end up doing the Mussolini tango from a streetlight Zimbabwe is facing its worst political and economic crisis since independence in 1980. Foreign aid, investment and loans have dried up amid political violence, state-orchestrated human rights abuses, the seizure of thousands of white-owned farms and disputed presidential elections last year. International food aid has averted mass starvation, but Zimbabwe still faces annual 269 percent inflation and acute shortages of currency, gasoline, medicines and other essential imports. Opposition leaders were rounded up in police raids Monday under Draconian security laws allowing the government to ban any gathering. One demonstrator was shot in the leg, and scores of others were forced to lie on sidewalks or the ground while police or soldiers beat them with rubber batons. At least 154 people, most of them opposition activists or officials, were arrested across the country Monday, police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said in a statement. Tsvangirai was arrested at his home in Harare early Monday but he was later released. His party lodged an appeal before the nation's Supreme Court against charges that he had defied a court order to call off strikes and demonstrations called Monday through Friday. State attorney Joseph Musakwa said he asked the Harare High Court on Tuesday to tighten bail conditions of Tsvangirai and high ranking officials Welshman Ncube and Renson Gasela by forbidding them from making "inflammatory statements" and inciting people to take part in demonstrations the government has declared illegal. Tsvangirai's defense lawyer George Bizos objected to the state's request, and described it as "an inadmissible way to gag" the opposition leaders. Tsvangirai has been on trial for treason. He and two senior opposition officials are accused of plotting to assassinate Mugabe, a charge they vehemently deny, saying the government has tried to frame them. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw condemned the Zimbabwean government's actions and called for Mugabe to resume negotiations with the opposition. "The arrests today of MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai, other MDC MPs (members of parliament) and activists are further evidence that the government of Zimbabwe is not willing to extend to its people their basic right of peaceful protest," he said Where's the consciences of Africa: Desmond Tutu and Thabo Mbeke and Mandela? Only against white gov'ts? |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #1 There was a protest in SA teh other day calling on Mbeki to sanction Mugabe, which would probably bring Mugabe down, given how much of Zimbabwe's trade goes through SA. But Mugabe is an old ally of the ANC, IIUC, and the ANC leaders are not going to join Britain and others in opposition to Mugabe, If and when the opposition takes over in Zimbabwe, that should make for interesting relations between Zim and SA. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-06-03 10:33:50 |