4 arrested after armed police ban Crisis meeting in Mutare

By Tererai Karimakwenda
07 February, 2007

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition reports that heavily armed police banned a meeting they had organised in Mutare Wednesday morning and arrested 4 officials who are still in police custody. About 90 human rights activists were briefly detained and released after being interrogated. The arrested include Itai Zimunya, Gladys Hlatywayo, Emily Nkhungwa and Memory Kadau. Otto Saki from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is negotiating with police in Mutare. The arrests come just a day after government ordered police officials to ban all public meetings in major cities around the country. But many civic groups have vowed to defy the ban, insisting Zimbabweans have a constitutional right to assemble and share ideas. Ironically, the meeting was convened to discuss the crisis of governance that has gripped Zimbabwe.

Tabani Moyo from the Crisis Coalition said about 150 delegates had gathered for the Mutare meeting at the original venue at Holiday Inn. But police blocked the meeting and ordered everyone to leave. Moyo said the group then moved to a different venue at Queens Hall and were about to proceed with their discussions when the police interfered again. They forced everyone to go outside the Hall and their intimidating behaviour caused many delegates to leave.

According to Moyo about 40 brave delegates stood their ground and decided to meet outside the Hall instead. This made the police more aggressive, ordering all the delegates to lie down. Moyo said they were also ordered to hand over the literature that was being distributed and it was confiscated. The last time Moyo spoke with one of the arrested officials they indicated that they were being told to turn off their mobile phones. No other information has been available since.

So far the Tsvangirai MDC, students and the Crisis Coalition have gone ahead with their scheduled meetings despite the ban by the authorities. Women of Zimbabwe Arise members have also launched their People’s Charter in at least 3 cities since the ban. It seems Zimbabweans are strongly defending their right to assemble.