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Violence against teachers on the rise in rural areas
Alex Bell, SW Radio Africa
October 27, 2009

http://www.swradioafrica.com/News271009/Teachers271009.htm

Teachers in rural areas are facing a concerning increase in violence and intimidation against them, as the political crisis in Zimbabwe intensifies.

According to the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ZANU PF youth militia have gone on the offensive in rural areas, in the wake of the MDC's decision to 'disengage' from Robert Mugabe's party in the unity government. The Teachers Union has reported a number of separate incidents in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central province, Buhera, Manicaland and Murehwa, all since the MDC's decision last week.

Most recently, in Chiweshe, over 15 teachers from Jingamvura Primary and Secondary schools were rounded up by suspected ZANU PF supporters last Tuesday and beaten, apparently for allegedly being MDC supporters. Many of the teachers from these schools were victims of last year's post election violence, which resulted in the deaths of at least eight of the teachers.

PTUZ President Takavafira Zhou on Tuesday explained further that youth training centres have also been set up in Gutu, where students are being forced to do training drills by ZANU PF militia members. He added that CIO operatives have also been touring schools, and interrogating a number of teachers, as a part of what Zhou called 'systematic targeting and intimidation' of his members "Almost on a daily basis we have at least three schools reporting threats and beatings by ZANU PF supporters and youth militia," Zhou explained. "Teachers are really very afraid that last year's madness of violence is coming back."

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