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Police disrupt CCDZ peace-building meeting at Dhirihori in Marondera
East
Centre
for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ)
January 25, 2013
Police in Marondera
disrupted a Peace-building meeting organized by Centre for Community
Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ) at Dhirihori in Marondera East constituency.
The police claimed that CCDZ was holding a political meeting. They
cited the presence at the meeting of Hon Tracy Mutinhiri who crossed
the floor from ZANU-PF and joined the MDC party led by PM Tsvangirai
and other known MDC-T activists at the meeting. Ironically the meeting
was also attended by some ZANU PF and other political party supporters
from the areas surrounding the Dhirihori area.
The police officers
accused CCDZ of holding an illegal meeting and told participants
not to associate with NGOs because they are agents of the West.
The meeting was attended by more than 50 participants drawn from
the surrounding wards including political parties-ZANU-PF, MDC-T
and Mavambo Kusile Dawn (MKD), churches, youths, women and community
leaders.
CCDZ took a
swipe at the unprofessional conduct by the Zimbabwe Republic Police
details. In Masvingo East Chief Superintendent Mubaiwa denied CCDZ
to hold a meeting at Nyika and Mupandawana Growth points on the
basis that "they would disturb people from attending their
fields since it's a raining season". He also stated
that only seed and fertilizer distribution exercises were allowed
in the area. CCDZ will not be deterred from their core business
of promoting a peace and political tolerance.
Commenting on
the disruption of the Marondera meeting, CCDZ director Phillip Pasirayi
said: "This is clear evidence of the partisan conduct of police
that we have always complained about. The much-talked about forthcoming
elections will be meaningless if we still have the police and other
state security agents behaving in a partisan manner. We urge the
inclusive government to reign in these political activists who masquerade
as professionals."
Pasirayi said
that civil society will continue to raise awareness in preparation
for the constitutional referendum and the elections. "There
is a clear attempt by government agencies to silence civil society
organization that are campaigning for a level-playing field ahead
of the coming elections. The attack against civil society activists
has intensified in the past few weeks. This is a well-calculated
move by government agencies to muzzle vocal organizations",
Pasirayi said.
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