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Dissenting
voices: students protest in Zimbabwe
Sokwanele
July 29, 2005
http://www.sokwanele.com/articles/sokwanele/dissentingvoices_29july2005.html
It is interesting
to note how, despite the massively intimidating effect of all the
police state apparatus Mugabe has put in place, the voice of protest
is still heard. The dictator has not succeeded - and surely never
will - in silencing all dissent to his autocratic rule. For the
most part the challenge to the ZANU PF monopoly of power is expressed
in muted fashion, with angry mutterings and quiet acts of defiance.
Yet now and again a bolder act of defiance takes place and the people
of Zimbabwe catch a glimpse of the boiling cauldron beneath the
battened-down lid. The pity is that all too often these courageous
acts of protest pass unnoticed and unrecorded. The State media is
certainly not going to draw attention to them and often the severely
circumscribed independent press and media fail to pick up on the
stories. As a result the impression remains that this murderous
regime has achieved total dominance of all the political space,
driving even the opposition into a sullen subservience.
The issue which
sparks a sudden protest may not even be one of national politics
though, heaven knows, the democratic space has so shrunk today that
there are hardly any "domestic" concerns remaining - be they of
business, sport, education or religion - which escape the attention
of the "Big Brother" State. So in these days of extreme ZANU PF
paranoia it takes courage to participate in a protest, even on "domestic
issue". The more significant it is therefore when any such protest
takes place.
Earlier in the
month and almost unnoticed by the media, was a protest at Bulawayo
Polytechnic. Yet over 2,000 students took part in this peaceful
demonstration which was sparked by student discontent caused by
repeated delays by the College authorities in paying out student
loans. Those responsible at the institution for making payment of
the $1,8 million loan to each student, had been procrastinating
for several weeks. The final straw was when the student body received
intelligence that the loan funds had been received by the Polytechnic
Administration, yet the latter still refused to disburse the money
to all but a small number of students. Out of a total student population
of approximately 5000 a mere 200 students had received any payment
at all, and they only a fraction of their entitlement.
The Zimbabwe
National Students' Union intervened on behalf of the aggrieved students,
and managed to secure a promise from the authorities at the Polytechnic
that payment would be made in full by June 30. When that deadline
came and went whether any further action, the anger of the student
body reached boiling point. In the meantime of course the students'
ability to feed themselves and maintain anything like a normal life-style
was becoming severely strained. The student leadership resorted
to the only non-violent option remaining in order to force the Polytechnic
authorities to address the issue urgently. On July 11 they summoned
the students to a protest meeting. The fact that 2,000 students
responded positively to this call demonstrates both how severe was
their financial plight and how well organised the student body.
It also reveals a latent potential for mobilization and mass action.
The Principal
of the Polytechnic was invited to address the protestors on their
grievances. Wisely he agreed, though foolishly he made yet another
promise that was not going to be kept. He promised that by 11.00
am that very day the problem would have been resolved. The students
waited for the deadline which came and went. Some time after 11.00
am they started to throng the Administration Centre, singing protest
songs, though still maintaining a peaceful and orderly discipline.
The Principal made another appearance and offered yet one more promise
of immediate action - payment by 2.00 pm.
Before the new
deadline had come, and while the protesters were maintaining their
peaceful vigil outside the Administration Centre, a group of about
15 anti-riot police appeared suddenly, dressed in full combat gear
including helmets, and wielding batons and tear gas canisters. The
moment the students caught sight of them they began to disperse.
The less alert among the student body however and those who did
not manage to slip away in time, were soon pinned down by the riot
police who moved into action mode immediately, lashing out with
their batons at any unfortunate students in their path. Yet again
these ruthless agents of State repression asked no questions and
showed no restraint. Sensing a vulnerable crowd of defenceless youth
who were not going to stand their ground anyway, they resorted to
their customary "crowd control" tactics; never mind this crowd was
already perfectly controlled and a threat to no one. The outcome
of their few minutes of unrestrained violence was five cases of
injury so severe as to require hospital treatment and scores of
other abrasions, bruises and lesser injuries. When all the students
had dispersed the riot police withdrew, no doubt satisfied with
a good morning's work - another whiff of opposition (or potential
opposition) to the dictator snuffed out.
In fact once
the riot police had withdrawn from the scene the students quietly
reassembled and waited patiently for pay-out, which began this time
as scheduled at 2.00 pm. The protest had served its purpose and
the point was not lost on those who participated in it, notwithstanding
the crude response of Mugabe's storm troops.
Our reporter
later caught up with two of the student leaders who helped to organise
the demonstration. The leaders, who cannot be named for obvious
security reasons, expressed their general satisfaction at the student
response and the manner in which the protest had been conducted.
They freely admitted that in the current oppressive climate of fear
few students are willing to involve themselves in issues of national
politics, though more are vocal on local, "domestic" issues. Added
to the fear factor, they said, is the "poverty effect" which tends
to discourage student activism. A student for whom daily life has
become a constant struggle to survive materially, clearly presents
less of a threat to an arrogant tyrant than a well-fed student who
feels personally secure. Which makes the achievement of those who
brought 2000 students out in protest at such a time as this all
the more impressive.
Traditionally,
the world around, student activists have been at the forefront of
those protesting human rights abuses and demanding democratic change.
Zimbabwe's dictator has not been slow to appreciate this potential
threat to his continued hold on power, and he has used great cunning
as well as brutal force to undermine the natural leadership emerging
from Zimbabwe's tertiary institutions of learning. To some extent
he has succeeded in subduing the student body nationally and diverting
their attention to personal issues of survival. Nonetheless it is
most heartening to observe that the flame of protest still burns
strongly in the hearts of a significant number of the students of
today who will undoubtedly be numbered among the leaders of the
new Zimbabwe.
To the student
activists of Bulawayo and those who participated in the mass demonstration
on July 11, we say - AMHLOPHE - CONGRATULATIONS - MAKOROKOTO !!
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