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ZCTU action update
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
November 08, 2005

The ZCTU leadership and activists from affiliate unions and some civic organisations who were demonstrating against poverty in Harare today were arrested by the police and are still in police custody.

Reports we have now are that at least 120 people have been arrested in Harare alone and they are being held at the Harare Central Police Station and hopefully they will appear in court tomorrow.

The total figure of those arrested countrywide is at least 200. No charges have been prefered against them and the indications from police in Harare are that they will only start processing their papers tommorrow.

The other three ZCTU staff members who were arrested by soldiers namely Mlamleli Sibanda, Last Tarabuku, Leonard Gwenzi and Thabitha Khumalo a general council member were later released after the soliders handed them over to the Police law and order section. The four were arrested four allegedly photographing an army truck.

The demonstration was organised by the ZCTU against high price increase, high taxation levels, shortages of medical drugs, high transport costs and the general economic decay in the country.

Official inflation is currently at 360 percent while unemployment is pegged at 80 percent. Generally 80 percent of the population live in abject poverty and most households can no longer afford a decent meal a day. School fees is now beyond the reach of many ordinary Zimbabweans.

Those who participated in the demostartion included those from the infomal economy who were affected by Operation Murambatsvina.

The ZCTU orgainsed this demonstration to remind government and employers that workers in Zimbabwe including civil servants can no longer make ends meet.

The ZCTU appreciates the solidarity it has received so far and hopes you will put more pressure on the government for the release of the trade union activists.

ZCTU Information Department

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