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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2002 Presidential & Harare Municipal elections - Index of articles
Statement
on the treason charges against the MDC President - Morgan Tsvangirai
and Secretary General - Welshman Ncube
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
March 12, 2002
Two weeks ago
the government charged the MDC President, Morgan Tsvangirai and
other party members with treason, accusing them of having plotted
to kill President Mugabe.
Two days ago,
the MDC Secretary General was arrested, detained and charged with
treason.
We view these
charges as being part of the overall strategy of the ruling party
to try to maintain their hold on power in view of the stiff challenge
that the MDC has posed to the regime in this election.
The government’s
strategy has included harassment of the electorate over the past
year to manipulate the vote, a deliberately chaotic election process
lacking transparency, a vigorous propaganda and misinformation campaign
through the state media and persecution of opposition leaders and
MDC party members.
It is our view
that the government has engineered the charges against Mr. Tsvangirai
and Mr. Ncube as part of its strategy to deal with the MDC definitively
following the elections. It is yet another in a catalogue of examples
of the ruling elite’s attempt to block democratic progress and pluralism
in the country.
The treason
charges against Mr. Ncube and Mr. Tsvangirai and other MDC members
must be dropped immediately. The arrest of Mr. Ncube’s indicates
the fact that government has no intention of letting up on its violent
offensive even in the post-election period.
The various
inter-governmental bodies of which Zimbabwe is a member must review
their positions in relation to the events in the country, including
the just ended election and be prepared to isolate the current government
if it continues to violate the human and constitutional rights of
citizens.
B. Raftopoulos,
Chair
Contact:
793227/793246/7
Visit the Crisis
in Zimbabwe fact
sheet
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