27 injured as police crush NCA demonstration in Harare

By Violet Gonda
25 September 2006

27 people on Monday were left with bruises after police in Harare crushed a protest march by the pressure group National Constitutional Assembly (NCA). Demonstrations, which took part in several cities last Wednesday, had failed to take place in Harare due to heavy police presence.

Dr Lovemore Madhuku, chairperson of the NCA, said the impromptu strike action which was attended by around 300 people was to make the people of Harare go back to the streets and regain their confidence as the police blocked the protests last week. He said; “The objective is to raise awareness and putting pressure on the government.”

Police are said to have started beating the protesters who were not resisting but merely sat on the road. There were no arrests. Madhuku believes it was a well calculated plot by the authorities not to arrest anyone so as to create the impression that there were very few people in the streets. He also said perhaps it was coinciding with the return of Robert Mugabe who was returning home from the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In an interview with Associated Press last week Mugabe is said to have absolved the police force that violently suppressed the ZCTU protests the week before. He is reported to have said he did not know the details but blamed "overzealousness of one or two police, exaggerating their role."

But on Monday the state mouth-piece, the Herald newspaper quoted Mugabe as saying the union leaders got the treatment they deserved. The Herald said he made the statement in Egypt, where he stopped over on his way home from the UN.

Two weeks ago several senior officials of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions were arrested and severely assaulted by the police at the start of protest marches for a better standard of living. The following week scores of NCA activists were also arrested in Mutare, Gweru and Masvingo, during marches to protest against the brutalisation of their colleagues in the labour movement. They were also calling for a democratic constitution.

Madhuku warned of more protests this weeks saying; “We are trying to use the demonstrations to build consciousness and that is happening.”

But some observers have said without a coordinated approach by the opposition and civil society, they will not be able to put the Mugabe regime under pressure. Asked if the different pro-democracy groups can tackle the regime in isolation Madhuku said; “I agree there is now time for coordinated approach. The problem is that the other people who are supposed to join us are taking their time to do it. We want to work with others but we can’t stop, we can’t postpone our demonstrations.”

However he pointed out that some of the progressive forces are in discussions and that a tentative agreement is being finalised on how the groups will work. “What we hear from our colleagues in other organisations, especially the bigger ones like the MDC, is that they are still working on their plans. But we are happy that the NCA, WOZA and other groups have been going in the streets and they will be able to join hands once an agreement has been reached.”