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COSATU condemns arrest of Zimbabwe trade unionists
Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)
October 08, 2003

The Congress of South African Trade Unions and trade unions throughout the world condemn the arrest of at least 41 trade union leaders and members in Zimbabwe.

The government action appears to have been a pre-emptive action to undermine today's national protest by Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) against the high taxation rate, the high cost of living, transport problems, cash shortages and violation of human and trade union rights by the government. Among the 41 arrested are the President, Lovemore Matombo, Secretary-General, Wellington Chibebe, most other top leaders of the ZCTU and some ZCTU staff members. The police arrested them this morning as they grouped to lead a protest in Central Harare. Several women are also amongst them. The protesters were rounded up by heavily armed riot police and made to sit down on the pavement in central Harare before being taken away in police cars to Harare Central Police station, where they are being held. One of the ZCTU leaders, Raymond Majongwe, has been separated from the others and is at the moment being kept in solitary confinement. Riot police have been patrolling the streets of Harare city centre since early morning on Wednesday and eight union leaders were arrested in Bulawayo, Gweru and Masvingo on Tuesday night, ahead of the planned protest marches. In Bulawayo, police have been in running battles with the people and several ZCTU leaders have been injured, including Thabitha Khumalo, a member of the ZCTU women's advisory council. Police refused ambulances to carry the injured people to hospital. In Mutare, 100 people were arrested while in Gweru police also arrested some activists but the number is not yet known.

ZCTU Deputy Secretary-General, Collin Gwiyo, addressed the COSATU Central Executive Committee on 27-29 May 2003 and ZCTU President, Lovemore Matombo, addressed COSATU's 8th National Congress on 17 September 2003. Both meetings agreed on a programme which includes a commitment to solidarity with the ZCTU.

Today's arrests vindicate the correctness of COSATU's analysis of Zimbabwe's political and socio-economic crisis. We share the ZCTU's view that the country has deteriorated so fast that it is now on the brink of total collapse. The crisis is also impacting on all Zimbabwe's neighbours through the influx of economic refugees streaming into all the SADC countries.

It is regrettable that the Zimbabwe government sees trade unions as one of its main opponents, rather than as a partner to help reverse this political and socio-economic collapse. Instead of understanding that workers are duty bound to protest against attacks on their living standards, it sees them as antagonists.

COSATU demands the immediate release of every one of those arrested and for the restoration of trade union rights, including the right to peaceful protest, which are guaranteed by international agreements, to which Zimbabwe is a signatory.

COSATU calls on the Zimbabwe Government to convene a summit of all political and social formations to engage in genuine negotiations to find urgent solutions to the crisis. It also calls on SADC to convene a special session on Zimbabwe to facilitate a Zimbabwe-inspired solution to the problems, including helping to convene the summit referred to above.

If the arrested trade unionists are not released within 24 hours, COSATU will embark upon a process of solidarity action similar to that which it organised in support of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions in August
2003, and calls upon its partners in the Southern African Trade Union Coordination Council to do the same.

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has written the following letter to the Director General of the International Labour Organisation to request his personal intervention to ensure that our comrades are released immediately. 8 October 2003 Mr Juan Somavia Director- General ILO Geneva Switzerland

Dear Mr Director-General, Appeal for urgent representation to President Mugabe We are receiving very disturbing news to the effect that the Zimbabwean Police is having recourse to brutal force to arrest trade unionists who have embarked today on a national protest against high taxation rate, the high cost of living, transport problems, cash shortages and violation of human and trade union rights by the Government. So far, 4I are reported detained. We are fully convinced that the ZCTU was engaged in legitimate trade union activity. Most top ZCTU trade union leaders and several women trade unionists are also amongst those under arrest and they are reportedly being detained in unknown places. We are very concerned about the conditions under which they are being detained; we are suspicious that their life may also be in danger. In the circumstances, we would kindly urge you to intervene promptly with President Mugabe requesting their immediate release and the assurance that trade unionists can go around freely discharging their trade union work. We trust that you will intervene urgently given the very serious nature of the government onslaught against ZCTU trade unionists. Yours sincerely, General Secretary

COSATU Communications Department
Patrick Craven Acting COSATU Spokesperson
Tel: 082-821-7456 339-4911
E- mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za
Web: www.cosatu.org.za

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