AIDS activists arrested during march

By Lance Guma
02 December 2005

Five AIDS activists were arrested Thursday by riot police during a World Aids day March in Harare. Sostain Moyo from the Zimbabwe Activists Against Aids and Anna and Gladys from the Women Aids Support Network (WASN) were picked up alongside Munyaradzi Gwisai of the International Socialist Organisation and Mao Nyikadzino of the National Constitutional Assembly. The march was being staged at the Africa Unity Square in the capital.

Police ordered the marchers to disperse before arresting the organisers. As is the custom, the police had initially cleared the event to take place but made a u-turn upon seeing the growing numbers of participants and the fact that various other organisations joined in. Members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), ISO and NCA joined in the march wielding placards denouncing government policies. Those arrested were taken to Harare Central Police station.

ISO member Briggs Bomba told Newsreel the march was a success as hundreds marched on the streets of Harare singing and raising banners for over 30 minutes. They had banners demanding access to Anti Retro Viral drugs (ARV’s) and demanded action against poverty in the country. Other banners highlighted living wages for workers, fuel, affordable sanitary pads, baby milk and reduction of taxes. Bomba says they were also demanding more transparency in the administration of the AIDS levy to which workers painfully contribute but hardly benefit.

There was also a significant presence of NCA activists calling for a new people driven constitution. Lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights spent the day trying to secure the release of those arrested.
Bomba had earlier on urged people to bombard the police station with calls and faxes demanding the release of those in custody and it would seem the strategy paid off after the five were released later in the day.

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