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Violence, recrimination and arrests after policeman's death in Glen View - Index of articles
Glen
View violence: Need to urgently reform POSA
Youth Forum
May 30, 2011
The recent events
that saw a policeman dying from violence that erupted in Glen View
over the weekend points to the urgent need to revamp and reform
the Public Order
and Security Act (POSA). It was due to certain provisions of
the draconian act that this law enforcing soul was lost, after skirmishes
with revelers at Glen View 3 shopping centre.
The Youth Forum
does not condone violence in any form and from any end of the society
and would like to take this opportunity to condemn the unnecessary
violence that resulted in the death of the policeman. To this end,
the Youth Forum has had a number of activities in the past aimed
at promoting and encouraging peace and peaceful methods to solve
conflicts or disputes. Violence is a cancer that should be rid from
our societies and has no space in a democratic Zimbabwe.
We would also
like to implore the responsible authorities to quickly and expediently
look at the provisions under POSA that can potentially lead to such
clashes and unnecessary deaths. The Youth Forum is reliably informed
that prior to the arrival of the police at Glen View 3 shopping
centre, there was no violence and no one had been injured. Youth
Forum sources in Glen View say that it was only after the police
disturbed a group of beer drinkers that the violence erupted. It
is not clear why the police decided to use the controversial POSA
to disturb a normal and peaceful day and beat up individuals who
were imbibing in the ever popular Delta Beverages drinks. Unfortunately
the crowd could not understand and take the abuse from the law enforcement
agents and decided to descend on the police officers resulting in
the death of the unfortunate officer. The police allege that amongst
revelers at the shopping centre were MDC activists who had earlier
been dispersed after their notification to hold a meeting had been
turned down at a different location. However, prior to the arrival
of police, no violence had been reported.
It is the provisions
of POSA that deny people the right to gather and associate thereby
denying them the constitutional freedoms of association and assembly
that was used by the group of overzealous police in Glen View to
disrupt the peaceful beer drinking gathering. The Youth Forum has
always and continues to advocate for the repeal of such repressive
legislature as it heavily curtails people's freedoms and often
leads to clashes between the citizens and police. Freedom of assembly
is critical for the development of any society and every person
or people should be allowed to enjoy this right, regardless of race,
political affiliation or any other such criterion. Youth Forum would
also want to urge the current government to look at instituting
meaningful security sector reforms as it is clear that these junior
police officers were working under instructions from senior officers
who are always bent on disrupting meetings and gatherings of perceived
political opponents using the same provocative POSA.
We would also
want to urge youths from different walks of life to desist from
using violence to solve differences. We urge the youths to engage
in constructive activities like registering to vote. It is imperative
that all youths register to vote and elect their preferred leaders
who will represent them and preside over the formulation of laws
that are rational. To make sure that many youths are eligible to
vote, the Youth Forum is running a 'Youth Go Register to Vote'
Campaign aimed at adding at least 1,000 000 (1 million) new young
voters to the Voters Roll.
Visit the Youth
Forum fact
sheet
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