|
Back to Index
CHRA
Demo Update
Combined Harare
Residents Association (CHRA)
July 03, 2006
Hello Friends
and Colleagues
Today marked a special day for the Combined Harare Residents Association
in the struggle for the restoration of Harare to its rightful owners.
About 300 members
of the Association from the ward leadership gathered in the city
centre along Chinhoyi Street and peacefully marched towards Town
House. They had placards with messages demanding improvement in
service provision, return of water supply and administration to
the City of Harare, the immediate reversal of the re appointment
of the illegal commission running the affairs of Harare and the
subsequent holding of mayoral and council elections.
Before they
could proceed to Town House, armed riot police intercepted them
and started beating up the demonstrators, injuring three and arresting
19 people among
them two jounalists.
Among the arrested was Israel Mabhoo, the Acting Chairperson of
the Association, who led from the front during the march. Others
are Gertrude Kuudzehwe, Joseph Chikamura, Viola Manyarara, Shamiso
Matare, Felistus Tizola, journalists Godwin Mangudya and Ndamu Sandu,
Dadirai Mandigo and others whose identities we are yet to establish.
The injured are Patrick Matandirotya, 32, Eniah Sarari Bwanali,
34, and Keith Charumbira, 28. They were taken to a private hospital
for medication.
The CHRA team
visited the arrested around 6.15pm with some food. We were accompanied
by lawyer Sarah Chishiri from the Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights *ZLHR*.
To get in touch with the other team of lawyers who have been pursuing
this matter, please call 091 257 247 (Sarah), Brian Gorejena (091
274 307/ 091 432 457) and Wilbert Mandinde (011 621 015).
To contact the
CHRA team, please call us on mobile 011 862 012 (CEO), 011 443 578
(Advocacy and Training Officer), 091 345 304 (Finance Officer),
011 612 811 (Administrator), and 011 618 595 (Administrative Assistant).
Today's action is a fulfilment of the CHRA General Council Resolution
made a fortnight ago at Nyanga's Montclaire Hotel where it was resolved
that one of the key areas of active response to the crisis was through
mass mobilisation of Harare residents for a total rates boycott,
mass peaceful demonstrations and demanded the immediate reversal
of the reappointment of the commission running the affairs of Harare.
Finally, the residents are demanding that elections must be held
in Harare so that residents have representatives, mandated by them
to run their affairs. CHRA will no longer sit back and watch the
illegal commission destroy what remains of our once beautiful 'Sunshine
City'.
Harare remains ours as Harare residents. The struggle continues.
Thank you,
Regards
Precious Shumba
011 612 860
Information Officer
Visit
the CHRA fact
sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
