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WOZA Activists Beaten And Arrested

More than 60 protesting Zimbabweans, some carrying babies, were arrested and the police in the country’s second city, Bulawayo, allegedly assaulted at least another 40 on Wednesday.

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), was holding a march to mark the launch of a 'People's Charter', a declaration on political and economic rights, and the '16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence', an international campaign running until International Human Rights Day on 10 December.

The demonstrators had congregated near the government offices in the city centre, where they began reading out the People's Charter compiled by WOZA, which calls on the state to provide affordable housing, education and healthcare, when about 30 riot police arrived and started arresting them.

IRIN report 63 men and women were taken to the Bulawayo central police station, and another 40 demonstrators were rounded up and taken to a neighboring police drill room and allegedly beaten. Police then took six demonstrators, including a woman who allegedly had her leg broken in the drill room, to a public hospital for medical attention.

The police spokesman in Bulawayo said they were unable to confirm the arrests and asked IRIN to telephone again on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) announced on Wednesday that it intends to sue the government for about US$5.3 million for the alleged assault and torture of several of its members arrested during a demonstration in September.

The state has three months to respond. Fifteen ZCTU members, including top officials, are each claiming between $239,000 and $319,000. Members sustained varying degrees of injuries, and some are still in plasters three months after the beatings.

Also, ZimJournalists Arise understands that the Save Zimbabwe Campaign has run out of steam I its second week of its “Sounds of Freedom Campaign” we hope things will look up again soon. While WOZA also a member of the Campaign was holding its own demos instead of making some noise, is something to think about. How long will Zimbabwean civic organization continue to hole piecemeal, non-effective individual actions.