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ZINASU statement on the arrests and violence against students
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) (Chinyere)
March 30, 2010

ZINASU statement on the arrests and violence against students by police during nationwide demonstrations on Monday 29 March 2010

On Monday 29 March 2010, students in Bulawayo, Gweru, Harare and Masvingo marched in commemoration of the March 2008 harmonised elections that marked Zimbabwe's closest ever shot at democracy under the theme " Igniting Students Voice-, My Vote Spoke March 29 2008 Elections. The students took the opportunity to demand the three principals in Government to fully implement the GPA, to end the ongoing talks and start concentrating on the revival of the education sector and the nation at large.

In Gweru and Bulawayo the students demonstrated peacefully without any attempts from police to stop the demonstrations. In Masvingo the police clearance which had been issued was withdrawn just before the demonstration began, the police citing a "directive" from police in Harare. The students refused to disperse and continued with their demonstration, leading to the arrests of the ZINASU Legal Secretary Alec Tabe and the Treasurer General Zivanai Muzorodzi after the demonstration which ended around 4 pm. The arrested students were severely beaten by police at Masvingo Central Police station, with button sticks and clenched fists, before being released around six.

This afternoon, 30 students from Great Zimbabwe University have also been summoned for a disciplinary hearing at the college for participating in the ZINASU demonstration.

The Harare demonstration saw the arrest of 28 students. The police wearing riot gear congested the city centre from as early as 8am with police dogs and water cannons. The police refused to clear the Harare protest on Friday as police suspected that the students wanted to remind the people of their March 2008 election victory.

An urgent high court application was filed on Saturday to bar the police from interfering with the march; however the court appeared skewed in favour of the police. 15 students were arrested at Harare gardens before the demonstration began, whilst 13 others including the President Joshua Chinyere were arrested during the demonstration which was violently clamped down before they handed over the petition to Parliament. As of this afternoon there are 12 students detained at Harare Central Police Station.

ZINASU demands:

• The unconditional and immediate release of the President Joshua Chinyere and eleven others, since their arrest was unlawful, violent, unwarranted and uncalled for.
• Reforms in the security sector, starting with the resignation of the Commissioner of police Augustine Chihuri and other service chiefs. The police are still biased in favour of ZANU PF, they are not conducting their work in a non- partisan manner.
• The Co- Ministers of Home Affairs must immediately resign from office since there is still continuation of brutalisation of students despite the existence of the inclusive government
• The three Principals in the inclusive government to conclude the endless talks and fully implement the GPA and begin concentrating on the revival of the education sector
• Affordable and quality education

Visit the ZINASU fact sheet

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