Three more arrested as concern grows for detained opposition

By Tererai Karimakwenda
17 April, 2007

Bulawayo - Three more Zimbabwean opposition activists were arrested over the weekend as police continued their violent campaign of arrest and assault against opposition officials and supporters. This time it was in the Sizinda suburb of Bulawayo, where on Saturday police arrested MDC activists Nqobile Mguni, Pius Mpofu and Thubelihle Siwela. The police said they were charging them with various offences but would not specify any of them. And as they did with other MDC activists arrested in Bulawayo the week before, police transferred them to Harare. They are believed to be in the custody of the law and order division.

On Sunday night in Chitungwiza an MDC councillor named Moses Tsikwa was reportedly abducted from his home and is believed to be held at Harare central police station. These are the latest additions in a violent campaign that has seen at least 600 of MDC officials and supporters arrested in the last few weeks. The majority have been released without charge.

Jessie Majome, the Deputy Secretary for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in the Tsvangirai MDC, confirmed that lawyers were being denied access and so were family members enquiring about the whereabouts of their missing relatives. Majome also said the party was deeply concerned about those who needed medical assistance. It’s impossible to know exactly how many people are currently in detention but it is known that at least 25 are being denied medical care despite having been severely tortured. Some are believed to be suffering from internal injuries.

Majome said it is impossible to know the exact numbers that are actually in police custody and how serious some of the injuries may be, without being allowed access. She explained how the government is trying to cripple the MDC by disabling its operations. This goes back to the attack on their party leaders, then the attack on the Harvest House headquarters, followed by the arrests of many of their administrators and coordinators. Majome said: “Their clear intention is to tie our hands and prevent us from operating as a political party. But they have not crippled us. In fact they have strengthened us.”

As we reported Monday, one of the arrested is Phillip Katsande, who was shot and wounded by police last week Saturday in his own house. Although he underwent a successful operation to remove the bullet, he remains under police guard. Officers from the law and order division continue to harass him saying he is still under investigation for sabotage. But he was not brought to court Tuesday and neither were any of those still in custody.