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Police harassment of ZCTU leaders deplorable
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
February 17, 2004

Yesterday’s arrest and subsequent release of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions leaders in Bulawayo without any charges, represents the latest police harassment of civic leaders.

Crisis Coalition strongly deplores the harassment of civic and political rights activists especially the latest arbitrary arrest of Reason Ngwenya, David Shambare, Percy Mciyo and Ambrose Manenji of the ZCTU’s Western region.

Our disgust stems from the fact that this harassment comes barely a week after police set dogs and brutally assaulted National Constitutional Assembly demonstrators. This smacks of utter hypocrisy on the part of law enforcement agents who have become a menace to the public and agents of Zanu-PF instead of protecting the citizens regardless of political affiliation.

Attacks on the labour leaders only point to a government that has become desperate in its attempt to silence any perceived dissenters and this further compromises even the constitutionally guaranteed right of freedom of assembly and association and the right to belong to a political organisation of one’s choice.

The government seems unmoved and determined to stifle people’s freedoms, even as the socio-economic and political roller coaster continues.

We demand a revision of the responsibility of state machinery such as the police in relation to the citizenry, which pays for its operations. The police must be answerable to the people first. The Police Service Charter clearly spells out the force’s non-partisan role and thus we call on the Minister of Home affairs, Kembo Mohadi, to go back to this document and ensure that the police work towards meeting its obligations. Anything less than that is unacceptable!

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