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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Strikes and Protests 2007- Save Zimbabwe Campaign
Arrests of Zimbabwe opposition disgraceful - New Zealand Prime
Minister
Radio New Zealand
March 12, 2007
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200703122038/arrests_of_zimbabwe_opposition_disgraceful_-_nz_pm
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Prime Minister
Helen Clark has described the arrest of Zimbabwe's opposition leader
as disgraceful.
The Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, and
more than 100 opposition members have been arrested in the capital,
Harare, during attempts to hold a prayer meeting.
Riot police
shot dead one activist who they say ignored warning shots as he
threw rocks at officers. The opposition says police sealed off roads
and fought running battles with supporters, using tear gas and water
cannons.
The Zimbabwe
government says the rally broke a ban on political gatherings, which
was imposed after violence at an opposition rally last month.
Miss Clark says
Mr Tsvangirai's arrest confirms Zimbabwe is effectively a dictatorship.
She says the ability of the Commonwealth to influence what happens
in Zimbabwe is limited because the country removed itself from the
international body.
The Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, has called on the Zimbabwe Prime
Minister, Robert Mugabe, to immediately release Mr Tsvangirai and
his colleagues.
Guardian correspondent
Andrew Meldrum, who was kicked out of Zimbabwe in 2003, says the
protests may signal growing sentiment against Mr Mugabe.
Zimbabwe is
in its worst economic crisis in decades, with inflation now above
1,700% and unemployment close to 80%; shortages of food, fuel and
foreign exchange are regular occurrences. Zimbabwe obtained independence
from Britain in 1980.
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