Tsvangirai condemns torture of labour union leaders

By Tichaona Sibanda
20 September 2006

Movement for Democratic Change President Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday strongly condemned the ruling Zanu (PF) regime for its gross human rights violations and excessive and disproportionate use of force against civic and labour union leaders.

This was the first time the MDC leader had spoken publicly about last week’s arrest and torture of the country’s labour leaders while in police custody, calling it a ‘flagrant violation of human rights.’

Dozens of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) leaders and opposition officials were severely assaulted by the police after they were arrested last Wednesday while attempting to stage street protests over worsening economic conditions in the country.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said Tsvangirai told a press conference at the party headquarters in Harare that he was ‘totally appalled and distrurbed by the torture’ of ZCTU leaders and activists.

The MDC leader said the matter would be referred to appropriate international bodies like SADC, the African Union and the United Nations because it impacted heavily on the operations of his party which he said was under siege and under attack from Zanu (PF).

The United States, Britain and international human rights groups have also criticised the attacks which the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum has said present clear evidence of ‘both widespread and systematic’ torture.

Chamisa said torture by the regime was ‘a sign of weakness, a sign of surrender and a gesture of retreat’ and as such the MDC will go ahead and organise more protests to press Robert Mugabe to a negotiating table.

Speaking on the findings of an internal inquiry report into the assault on Harare North MP Trudy Stevenson and her aides, Chamisa said Tsvangirai was happy that his party was exonerated of any wrong doing.

The report, according to Chamisa, reveals their long held suspicion that they still have ‘a bug of spooks’ operating within the structures of the MDC.

‘We are going to carry out an unprecedented purge on all spies working for Zanu (PF) within our party. We will weed out all unnecessary bad elements and vigilance is going to be our major focus from now onwards,’ Chamisa said.

Reacting to Tsvangirai’s statement Harare North legislator, Trudy Stevenson said if he really means business, he (Tsvangirai) should get rid of all the violent elements, including the so called ‘spies within the MDC’.

‘If he shows he’s changed his colours perhaps there is a way for us to work together again. I remain ever hopeful and optimistic there is light and hope that he will denounce violence within his party and after that who knows - we can join forces again,’ Stevenson said.