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Alert Statement on the Assault of Philani Zamchiya, President of the
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)
International Union of Students (IUS) - iusnews@yahoogroups.com
October 19, 2004

The International Union of Students (IUS) is appalled by the savage attack on Philani Zamchiya, President of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU). The attack further exposes the Zimbabwean government's repression of the civil and political rights of its citizens and the decay of the rule of law, and constitutes a direct attack to the world student community.

Reports from ZINASU and our enquiries with the hospital where Zamchiya is held indicate that Zamchiya was kidnapped by suspected members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police on 14th October 2004 at about 7pm on his way home from the Union offices in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital city. He was bundled into the back of a truck where he was badly assaulted with buttons, metal bars, clenched fists and boots. His head was continuously bashed against the floor while repeated threats of being killed or disappeared were made.

Zamchiya escaped from his captors by jumping off the moving truck and was found unconscious by a passerby who then arranged for him to be taken to Avenues Clinic in Harare at around 10pm the same night. He is currently receiving treatment and is said to be in a stable condition. According to the hospital source, "His condition is stable now, although he is still in great pain and we are closely monitoring him."

According to Zinasu, the assailants claimed they had information that Zamchiya was organizing, together with other civil society groups, a demonstration in Harare to coincide with the treason trial of Zimbabwe's oppositional leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.

The International Union of Students firmly opposes the continued attacks on our member union in Zimbabwe and the victimisation and torture of student leaders. We are distressed that students in Zimbabwe are being denied the right to organize, assemble and express themselves.

We implore the Zimbabwe government to:

• Respect and give effect to the foundational rights of its students and citizenry at large.
• To honour and give effect its obligations under: the African Human Rights Charter; the various charters of the United Nations affirming citizens' rights, including the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against torture; and the South African Development Community protocols on human rights and governance.
• To investigate and prosecute those responsible for the attack on Philani Zamchiya and others who have suffered such abuses.
• Respect and encourage the right of its students to organize and defend their right to learn.

The International Union of Students affirms its continued support for the students and people of Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe National Union of Students is faced with challenges of HIV/AIDS; access to education; exclusion of women and the poor from higher education; struggle for democracy; and continued human rights abuses by their government, amongst other issues.

We believe that the struggles of the Zimbabwean students are real and deserve the support of the international community of students.

TAKE ACTION!

In this regard, we are calling on all our members and friends to:

• Contact your embassy in Zimbabwe raising your concern about the continued attacks on students in Zimbabwe.
• Contact your nearest Zimbabwean Embassy to express your concerns about the assault on Philani Zamchiya.
• Email, or call to give solidarity messages to ZINASU, pres1zamchiya@yahoo.com / letugo_1@lycos.com or +263 91 913418 or +263 4309199.
• Provide support for the ZINASU legal fund. Contact IUS Secretary for Africa, Tapera Kapuya, for further information, kapuyat@justice.com or +27-72-339-7034.

- The Executive Secretariat.

The International Union of Students represents more than 115 national student unions and organizations in over a 100 countries across the world.

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