We are prepared to die for a democratic constitution

Police arrested between 180 and 300 demonstrators, 10 years ago, calling for a new constitution. They were carrying placards which read: “We are prepared to die for a new democratic constitution”.

The demonstration was organised by the National Constitutional Assembly and its leader Lovemore Madhuku was among those arrested.

Human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said she saw police beating young arrestees with rubber truncheons as they alighted from a police vehicle.

She said that she overheard police shouting commands to take away the arrestees’ cell phones, deny them any communication with the outside, and lock them up.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 03HARARE2100, POLICE BEAT ARRESTEES AFTER NCA DEMONSTRATION IN

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

221444Z Oct 03

UNCLAS HARARE 002100

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER

LONDON FOR C. GURNEY

PARIS FOR C. NEARY

NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER

DS/OP/AF

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PHUM PGOV ASEC ZI

SUBJECT: POLICE BEAT ARRESTEES AFTER NCA DEMONSTRATION IN

DOWNTOWN HARARE

¶1. (SBU) On October 22, police arrested 180-300

demonstrators including National Constitutional Assembly

(NCA) Director Dr. Lovemore Madhuku, during a demonstration

organized by the NCA at Africa Unity Square in downtown

Harare. The demonstration advocated a new constitution.

Police confiscated t-shirts, banners, and placards which

read, “we are prepared to die for a new democratic

constitution”. The arrestees are being held at Harare

Central Police Station. Police kicked seven lawyers out of

the station, under threat of beating or tear gas; lawyers are

being denied access to the arrestees. Prominent human rights

lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said she saw police beat young

arrestees with rubber truncheons as they alighted from a

police vehicle and were made to run into the yard of the

police station. Legal representation is being handled by the

Legal Defense Fund (LDF), a program of the local NGO the

Legal Resources Foundation (LRF). Eileen Sawyer, ex-Director

of LRF, said that two Herald reporters were also arrested

with the crowd and were being detained.

¶2. (SBU) Mtetwa said she overheard police shouting commands

to take away the arrestees cell phones, deny them any

communication with the outside, and lock them up. She said

it was very likely that the arrestees would be spread around

to various police stations in the Harare area overnight, as

the cells at Harare Central could not accommodate this many

detainees.

SULLIVAN

(13 VIEWS)