Student leaders still in custody

By Violet Gonda
6 August 2009

Ten students who were arrested during a meeting at the University of Zimbabwe on Wednesday have been released without charge, but the police are still holding four representatives from the Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (ZINASU).

The four, including ZINASU President, Clever Bere and General Councillor Archieford Mudzengi are accused of ‘participating in a gathering, with intent to promote public violence and breach of peace.’
Fourteen students including the ZINASU leadership had been arrested by Campus Security and later handed over to the police during a gathering organised by their union to address various concerns regarding their education at the tertiary institution. The university had just opened for the new semester on Monday after having been closed for a year as a result of collapsed water and sewer infrastructures. Like so many tertiary institutions in the country the university has also been rocked by student unrests, and class boycotts by teaching staff.

Formerly one of the best learning institutions in Africa, the University of Zimbabwe is now a far cry from what it used to be. Furthermore, the reopening of the UZ has been marred by the shortage of student accommodation, and exorbitant tuition fees. ZINASU said hostels are closed, and that many students are likely to be deprived the opportunity to learn as the university is insisting on an upfront payment of tuition before enrolment.

Several human rights groups have issued statements in solidarity with the detained students. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said the arrest of the students comes barely a week after the Home Affairs Ministry announced that peaceful gatherings would not be broken up.

The ZLHR said: “Now the disturbing and unfortunate trend of clamping down on students’ freedom of assembly, association and expression has been resurrected in defiance of both executive orders and the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”

“Students have the fundamental right to gather, and freely debate and organise action where their interests are being affected. The issue of tuition fees which are beyond the reach of the majority of learners is one such instance.”

Amnesty International said the arrest demonstrates yet again the need to urgently reform the security sector in Zimbabwe in light of the numerous human rights violations that continue to be committed.
Director of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme Erwin van der Borght said: “We are dismayed at the continued harassment and intimidation by police of activists and human rights defenders, despite the inauguration of an inclusive government in February this year. These students were arrested and detained purely as a result of attempting to exercise their right to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”