Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Call for mass-participation in the campaign against violence
Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET)
February 19, 2002

Of marches and bans…

The planned march by the National Constitutional Assembly set for Friday last week went a long way in revealing just how mature Zimbabweans are in terms of abiding to the fundamental principles of democracy and human rights such as the right to assemble and freedom of expression. However, the march, which had a noble cause and was well organized by the National Constitutional Assembly who tried to ensure that the march would be peaceful by putting in place mechanisms that would ensure public safety, was dispersed by police in the most barbaric manner one can imagine. In return, the police should have, for once, afforded the organizers and their followers an opportunity to air their views and as such, protected the participants of the procession. The establishment should have thus practiced restraint and tolerance if peace was to be fostered with particular reference to the march. In the past, the police have failed to ensure the safety of protestants except for those marching in support of government policies and those of the ruling party and this march proved the allegations that only pro-government groups are safe to protest.

The ban from the police and the subsequent violent confrontation and arrests have set the stage for an almost inevitable showdown. The government should be more tolerant and the police seen to apply laws fairly.

The turn of events on Monday have by far been the most outstandingly disgusting by all standards, particularly when compared to the appalling incidents of Friday. While the police ruthlessly descended on the peaceful procession organized by the NCA, after having banned it, citing disruption of the traffic and public safety, it was seen to be one with the rowdy government supporters who brought business to a virtual halt during the lunch period. The crowd harassed innocent civilians as the police watched and to a certain extent aided them by asking motorist to divert from their routes and make way for them. It was probably meant for public safety but does this not constitute, not only a disruption of the flow of traffic but also public peace and safety?

Such double standards by the police should be a wake-up call for all concerned citizens who should condemn such public show of partiality by organs meant to protect everyone irrespective of their beliefs of what is right and what is wrong. A situation where by some groups are given the right to protest freely and are guaranteed of police protection, while another section of the community is denied the same privilege is a cocktail for disaster. There is no way that the oppressed groups will continue taking it lying low.

It is up to us to try and convince the authorities to discharge their duties impartially in the interest of peace. Honestly, we cannot fool ourselves by saying that the suppression of opposing ideas will silence descending voices and thus promote peace. It has been proven over the years that no amount of suppression can silence a determined voice of reason.

If we condone violence by keeping silent over issues that threaten the very existence of peace, history shall judge us.

Tolerance is a virtue and our leaders have to realize this as a matter of urgency.

Visit the ZIMCET fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP