More than 500 Women of Zimbabwe Arise supporters on 19 April 2007 held simultaneous demonstrations at several government offices in Bulawayo to protest against power cuts.
The group was protesting against frequent power outages and poor service as part of its “Power to the People” campaign, a series of actions leading up to the presidential elections planned for March 2008.
According to WOZA director Jenni Williams, police told one of the women who had been arrested that they would “behead” Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, another WOZA leader, the next time they were arrested.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07HARARE343, WOZA POWER OUTAGE PROTESTS DRAW HARSH POLICE
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Reference ID |
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Classification |
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VZCZCXRO5307
PP RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0343/01 1141536
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 241536Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1394
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1583
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1449
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1587
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0254
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0850
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1215
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1642
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4046
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1412
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2070
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0710
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1804
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY 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 000343
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
USAID FOR M. COPSON AND E. LOKEN
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2017
SUBJECT: WOZA POWER OUTAGE PROTESTS DRAW HARSH POLICE
RESPONSE
Classified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell under Section 1.5 b/d
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SUMMARY
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¶1. (C) Over 500 Women of Zimbabwe Arise! (WOZA) supporters on
April 19 held simultaneous demonstrations at several
government offices in Bulawayo to protest frequent power
outages; police arrested more than 80. Approximately 450
WOZA supporters staged a second series of simultaneous
protests at five government offices in Harare on April 23;
police arrested more than 50 more activists. In both
incidents police used harsh treatment and threats to
intimidate WOZA supporters. Undeterred, WOZA has plans for
another demonstration in the Harare city center in early May.
End Summary.
————————————–
WOZA Attempts To Turn Off GOZ’s Lights
————————————–
¶2. (U) Continuing civil society’s recent push against the
Mugabe regime, over 500 WOZA supporters held simultaneous
demonstrations on Thursday, April 19 in front of three
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) offices in
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city. The group was protesting
frequent power outages and poor service as part of WOZA’s
“Power to the People” campaign, a series of actions leading
up to the presidential elections planned for March 2008.
¶3. (U) Bulawayo police arrested more than 80 WOZA supporters
and subjected numerous detainees to humiliating and harsh
treatment. A news release from WOZA reported that police at
the Luveve police station in Bulawayo forced 18 arrestees to
strip and to remain undressed for the entire day. Police
released all the WOZA arrestees by Friday evening after
charging them with crimes against public order.
¶4. (U) Bulawayo police also arrested two young WOZA
supporters when they attempted to deliver food for the
arrestees. Two officers of the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s
notorious Law and Order division reportedly beat one of the
two and tied her wrists with an electric cord, threatening to
plug it in if she did not divulge the source of the money for
the food. According to WOZA director Jenni Williams, the
officers also told the young woman that they would “behead”
Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, another WOZA leader, the
next time they were arrested.
¶5. (C) Approximately 450 WOZA members followed-up the
Bulawayo protests with similar demonstrations in front of
five ZESA offices around Harare on Monday, April 23. Harare
police arrested more than 50 more WOZA supporters, including
10 babies. The arrestees were taken to the Kuwadzana police
station. A WOZA spokesperson told us that police were seen
beating two of the detainees, but the extent of the injuries
remained unknown. Police have denied the arrestees access to
lawyers.
——-
Comment
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HARARE 00000343 002 OF 002
¶6. (C) The police response to these latest WOZA protests
indicates that the regime remains fearful of the growing
momentum of civil society and opposition actions —
especially in light of the increased international attention
on recent events. Despite arrests and occasional harsh
treatment of WOZA protesters, Williams informed us that WOZA
plans to organize another demonstration in the Harare city
center in early May. End Comment.
DELL
(11 VIEWS)
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