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WOZA
members beaten and arrested in Bulawayo today
Women
of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
June 17, 2009
Members of Women
and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) marched through the streets
of Bulawayo today to mark International Refugee Day, commemorated
annually on 20th June. Four simultaneous protests began at 12.30pm
under the theme - real people, real needs. The four different protests
began at different locations, one of which was outside Bulawayo
Central Police Station, converging on the offices of the state-owned
Chronicle newspaper to test if media freedom exists in Zimbabwe
today.
Three of the
four simultaneous protests, including the one that had started outside
the police station, arrived at the offices of the Chronicle at which
point they were attacked by uniformed police officers who brutally
beat them, arresting many. The fourth demonstration was stopped
en route by police who also viciously beat the peaceful protestors.
At this point, we are still trying to verify how many people have
been arrested and how many require medical treatment.
WOZA traditionally
marks International Refugee Day as we believe Zimbabweans are refugees
in their own country - displaced, unsettled and insecure. Government
is still targeting informal trading, the only means of survival
for most people and so many find themselves unable to provide for
themselves and their families. Informal traders are harassed by
police, their produce often looted and stolen. In a country where
all goods and services are now charged in foreign currency, the
inability to earn forex places the vulnerable even more at risk
and forces more and more Zimbabweans to flee their country of birth
to try and provide for their families. Through these peaceful protests,
WOZA is reminding the inclusive government and the world that the
people of Zimbabwean remain the victims of this crisis - it is time
to put the needs of the people first. All Zimbabweans deserve to
enjoy the full rights of citizenship; amongst others, the right
to earn a living, the right to personal security and the right to
adequate shelter.
News
Update - Wednesday 17th - 4pm
8 members
detained; 3 receive medical treatment for beatings
It has been
established that eight members have been arrested, four women and
three men. This number could be higher as reports that several members
have not yet returned home are currently being investigated. Three
members required medical treatment, including an elderly woman who
was pushed to the ground by police causing her mouth to be injured.
The arrested members are being held at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
It is not known what charges they are facing.
One member was
arrested before the protest began but her fellow protestors went
ahead anyway, ignoring the plain-clothed officers present. The strategy
of simultaneous multiple protests has become a signature of WOZA's
peaceful resistance and demand for delivery of promises made too
lightly by politicians. A great spectacle was to be witnessed as
the processions arrived in waves, coming from different directions.
One protest
was due to start close to the police station as a test to see if
they would respond with respect. The leaders of the protest changed
the starting point at the last minute. In a show of courage they
chose to start at the side of the police station, marching right
by, turning to go to the appointed route. Many police officers looked
out of windows and came out and shook their heads in amazement.
It is thought that the police van that arrived at the Chronicle
offices to beat the peaceful group came from the Central Police
Station, meaning that they too over 10 minutes to respond.
One of the leaders
was pulled out of the protest by an exited bystander who went on
to explain that he had to tell her how exited he was to see WOZA
putting pressure and asked her to keep it up. Other comments overheard
from bystanders included, "police should leave these women
alone and concentrate on real issues"; "these women are
rocking the boat for change and accountability from our leaders";
"bravo WOZA, bravo, I bow before these women for their stubbornness
about the problems we are facing."
Once again three
plain-clothes police officers tried to locate WOZA leaders Williams
and Mahlangu but they were heard saying they could not locate them
amongst the dispersing activists.
Songs sang by
the activists included: "the sun is setting where am I going
to sleep? I will sleep like a bird on the trees"; "we
are filling up other countries - what is wrong?" and "we
are going expose police harassment". When the protest arrived
at the Chronicle, the song changed to "men are failing to deal
with the issue of the unity government's inability to deliver a
better life" and "the Chronicle does not want news!"
Please phone
Bulawayo Central Police Station on + 263 9 71515 to ask why they
it necessary to beat and arrest peaceful protestors and to demand
the release of the WOZA activists.
The full text
of the demands WOZA was marching for is below:
It seems to
us that Zimbabweans are not treated as real people with real needs,
WE are treated like refugees our own country. WHY DO WE THINK THIS?
- Refugees
are people who are displaced - MANY Zimbabweans are displaced
without a roof over their head. Our homes were demolished and
no one has attended to this injustice. On top of that rents and
rates are now skyrocketing and people will be chased from their
homes. STOP RAISING RENTS AND FIND A WAY TO LET US HAVE A ROOF
OVER OUR HEADS
- A refugee
is someone who is uncertain of their personal security - the rule
of law is not respected and police officers are a law unto themselves!
(See 15 September 2008 GPA) 18. Security of persons and prevention
of violence 18.2 Gravely concerned by the displacement of scores
of people after the election of March 29, 2008 as a result of
politically motivated violence. 18.5 The Parties hereby agree:
(g) to work together to ensure the security of all persons and
property; (h) to work together to ensure the safety of any displaced
persons, their safe return home and their enjoyment of the full
protection of the law. CONDUCT TRAINING SO POLICE OFFICERS RESPECT
HUMAN RIGHTS AND UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IS TO SERVE THE NATION
- Refugees
survive on handouts - they have no means to stabilize their lives
and earn a living There is 95 % unemployment so people try to
earn a living by informal or cross border trading. People do this
to try to survive hardship but instead they suffer arrest, are
forced to pay a bribe, their goods are looted with no way to get
justice. (See 15 September 2008 Global Political Agreement) 3.
Economic recovery 3.1 The Parties agree: (a) to give priority
to the restoration of economic stability and growth in Zimbabwe.
The Government will lead the process of developing and implementing
an economic recovery strategy and plan. To that end, the parties
are committed to working together on a full and comprehensive
economic programme to resuscitate Zimbabwe's economy, which will
urgently address the issues of production, food security, poverty
and unemployment and the challenges of high inflation, interest
rates and the exchange rate. STABILISE THE ECONOMY TO CREATE JOBS
BUT UNTIL THEN ALLOW US TO TRADE WITHOUT HARRASMENT BY POLICE
AND ZIMRA
- Refugee children
do not go to school - Zimbabwean children cannot get their right
to a decent education and spend their day playing in the roads.
Teachers are refugees in other countries because they were harassed
by militia and chased away by low salaries. OUR CHILDREN MUST
GET THEIR RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION - AND TEACHERS TO EARN A LIVING
WAGE
- Refugees
cannot easily get health care and live in conditions that breed
disease - There are very few professional staff and little medication
in hospitals, the service is expensive. Doctors and Nurses do
not earn a living wage. PRIORITISE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL URGENTLY
- WE ALSO DEMAND
THE RIGHT TO ENJOY OUR FULL CITIZENSHIP WITH OUR OWN CONSTITUTION
See 15 September 2008 GPA. 6. Constitution Acknowledging that
it is the fundamental right and duty of the Zimbabwean people
to make a constitution by themselves and for themselves; Determined
to create conditions for our people to write a constitution for
themselves; and Mindful of the need to ensure that the new Constitution
deepens our democratic values and principles and the protection
of the equality of all citizens, particularly the enhancement
of full citizenship and equality of women.
Our needs are
real and need to be urgently attended to and political leaders must
respect us enough to deliver and also to deliver the promises made
in the Global Political Agreement.
Our leaders
said they were:
CONSIDERING
our shared determination . . . a nation where all citizens respect
and, therefore, enjoy equal protection of the law and have equal
opportunity to compete and prosper in all spheres of life.
COMMITTING ourselves to putting our people first by arresting the
fall in living standards and reversing the decline of our economy.
DETERMINED to build a society free of violence, fear, intimidation,
hatred, patronage, corruption and founded on justice, fairness,
openness, transparency, dignity and equality.
DETERMINED to act in a manner that demonstrates respect for the
democratic values of justice, fairness, openness, tolerance, equality,
respect of all persons and human rights. BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE
RESULTS THAT SHOW ANY COMMITMENT AND DETERMINATION? WHERE IS IT?
Visit the WOZA fact
sheet
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