The United States embassy said police in Bulawayo were regularly using violence to break up demonstrations by the Women of Zimbabwe Arise and there had been several threats against WOZA leader Jenni Williams’ life.
The embassy said WOZA had good reason to draw attention to the political violence directed against its members because according to its statistics from 2000 to 2007 there were 51 abductions, 188 assaults, and 159 incidents of torture.
The police were the most commonly identified perpetrators, with a small number of violations coming at the hands of the army.
Since its founding in 2003, WOZA had conducted more than 100 protests for social justice and more than 3 000 members had spent time in police custody, many more than once.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07HARARE940, POLICE BEAT PEACEFUL MARCHERS CALLING FOR NEW
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO2031
PP RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0940/01 2901452
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 171452Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2034
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1733
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1608
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1737
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0374
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1017
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1366
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1794
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4223
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0858
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/ECMO/CC/DAO/DOB/DOI//
RUEPGBA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ23-CH/ECJ5M//
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000940
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E. LOKEN
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2017
SUBJECT: POLICE BEAT PEACEFUL MARCHERS CALLING FOR NEW
CONSTITUTION
REF: A. HARARE 00671
¶B. HARARE 00503
¶C. HARARE 00870
Classified By: Poloff Scott Higgins, reason: 1.4 d
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (U) Riot police used baton sticks to disperse more than 50
NCA activists peacefully marching in Harare on October 16 for
a new constitution. Several NCA activists were arrested and
released without charge and more than 30 were injured. The
assault comes on the heels of the arrest of 75 WOZA members
in Harare on October 15 for marching to raise awareness about
political violence against its members. Police did not use
excessive force in these arrests, and all WOZA activists were
released that same day without charge. As we have noted,
there is a sharp contrast between the supposed progress being
made in the SADC mediation talks to establish conditions for
free and fair elections and the reality of the poisonous
atmosphere of violence and fear the government continues to
perpetuate. End Summary.
——————————-
NCA Activists Get the Stick…
——————————-
¶2. (U) An unannounced National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
march of more than 50 members on October 16 was met by scores
of riot police wielding batons in downtown Harare. The group
was marching to Parliament to advocate for a new
constitution. According to Embassy staff observing the
event, police met the marchers along their route and ordered
them to sit down. Soon after, a police superintendent
arrived and informed the activists they were under arrest, at
which point they scattered in all directions. Police began
beating those they could catch with baton sticks — several
pedestrians in the immediate area were also indiscriminately
beaten.
¶3. (C) NCA Chairman Lovemore Madhuku confirmed to us that
several activists were arrested and released without charge
and more than 30 suffered injuries. Frances Lovemore,
director of Counseling Services Unit (CSU), a local NGO that
provides medical assistance to victims of state-violence,
told us the NCA activists mostly suffered deep tissue
bruising and lacerations.
¶4. (U) This marks the second time in three months NCA
activists have elicited a violent response from security
forces. In July, police arrested and tortured more than 240
NCA members after a similar demonstration in Harare (reftel
A). In that event, police at Harare Central police station
forced the NCA activists, who included elderly women and
women with young children, to lie face down in rows as more
than 100 police officers and suspected ZANU-PF youth militia
took turns assaulting the group for five hours. All were
released that evening without charge — more than 170
required medical attention for severe injuries. One
activist, a 64-year-old grandmother, received head injuries
that CSU told us contributed to her death some five weeks
later.
————————————
While WOZA Gets A Pass — This Time
————————————
¶5. (U) The strong police reaction to the NCA demonstration
comes on the heels of 75 WOZA members arrested in Harare on
HARARE 00000940 002 OF 002
October 15 for marching to raise awareness about the group’s
recently released report on political violence against its
members. The WOZA marchers made it to Parliament, where
police arrested the group without incident. They were
released later that same day without charges.
¶6. (U) WOZA members have not been so fortunate in other
recent events. In June, for example, police in Bulawayo used
batons to violently break up a crowd of 200 WOZA activists
and arrested seven women, including WOZA leader Jenni
Williams (reftel B). There have been recent reported threats
against William,s life by several Bulawayo police officers.
¶7. (U) WOZA has good reason to draw attention to the
political violence directed against its members. The
preliminary report on political violence from WOZA offers
statistics on violations reported by the group’s members from
2000 to 2007 including: 51 abductions, 188 assaults, and 159
incidents of torture. The police were the most commonly
identified perpetrators, with a small number of violations
coming at the hands of the army. Since its founding in 2003,
WOZA has conducted more than 100 protests for social justice
and more than 3,000 members have spent time in police
custody, many more than once.
——–
Comment
——–
¶8. (U) As we noted in September (reftel C), there is a sharp
contrast between the supposed progress being made in the SADC
mediation to establish conditions for free and fair elections
and the reality of the poisonous atmosphere of violence and
fear the government continues to perpetuate. Many in the
opposition and civil society are outraged that talks continue
while security forces forge ahead with their repressive
activities. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has taken notice;
earlier this week he is reported to have said he would pull
his party out of the talks if something wasn’t done about the
violence. End Comment.
DHANANI
(20 VIEWS)
