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Posted on 04/23/2002 11:20:42 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Civic groups defied police bans Tuesday and staged protests demanding political reform - the biggest show of opposition to President Robert Mugabe since he claimed a disputed victory in last month's elections.
About 1,000 supporters of the National Constitutional Assembly, a pressure group linked to unions, churches, human rights lobbyists and the main opposition party, managed to evade a tight cordon of police roadblocks to demonstrate in the capital.
Pursued by paramilitary police wielding clubs and firing tear gas, they ran through downtown Harare chanting: "Down with Mugabe."
Public protests lasting up to two hours were also staged in the towns of Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare and Masvingo before they were broken up by riot police with tear gas, said Douglas Mzonzora, a spokesman for the pressure group.
There were no immediate reports of arrests or injuries Tuesday. On Monday, police arrested three assembly leaders in a bid to prevent the protests from going ahead.
"It is disturbing that this government deploys riot police to deal with peaceful protesters while violent and armed (ruling party) gangs are allowed to cause mayhem with police assistance," the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said in a statement. "Every single effort toward peaceful change has been met with arrests, violence, abductions and murders."
Meanwhile, a 53-year-old mother of eight children was decapitated in front of two of her daughters for allegedly supporting the opposition, an independent newspaper reported Tuesday,
Enos Tadyanemhandu told the Daily News that his wife, Brandina, was killed in her home on Sunday by 20 ruling party militants. Police refused to respond, telling the two daughters, aged 10 and 17, to "bring the suspects to the police station," said Tadyanemhandu, whose son, an opposition activist, was killed ahead of last month's vote.
Police spokesman Tarwireyi Tirivavi declined to comment on the killing until it had been fully investigated.
Political violence that preceded the March 9-11 election has continued in Zimbabwe. Most Western governments found the election was deeply flawed, and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has challenged the outcome in court. He has described Mugabe's victory as "daylight robbery."
Adding to the unease in the country, the government on Tuesday announced a sudden 20 percent increase in the price of bread, bringing the price of a standard loaf to just over a dollar. Since supplies of maize meal, the staple diet for nearly 13 million Zimbabweans, ran out in March, bread has become a substitute.
Maintenance of strict price controls was a major election promise by Mugabe, as the country fights 113 percent inflation.
The country is also experiencing shortages of sugar, milk and cooking oil. The government blames the food shortages on a two-month dry spell, but most analysts say they are the result of Mugabe's campaign to seize white-owned farms.
Bump!
They certainly didn't get the freedom and equality the communists promised them, did they?
If Morgan T. gets new, fair elections (a big IF since Mugabe's being protected by his fellow
African leaders--all accept Senagal's leader and possibly a few others and the UN refused to act against Mugabe.)
Mugabe won't be able to stuff the ballot boxes and his "veterans" aka brutal paid thugs will be held at bay.
Mugabe's dumping them in the bush because there isn't enough food (siezure of white farms destroyed food production). Then there's Gadaafi and his backing of Mugabe with money and muscle. Now he's come to collect.
Zimbabwe - Libyans arm twist state over land ***During Gaddafi's visit to Zimbabwe last year, the Libyan leader toured some of the farms which Mugabe had proposed to surrender to his country. Following the tour, some 8,000 hectares of industrial and farming land were allocated to Libya, whose business entrepreneurs indicated that they would produce fruit and crops on the land for the purpose of export to the north Africa country. They also expressed interest in venturing into business with local farming and manufacturing companies. Most of the Libyan companies which supply fuel to the country had threatened to discontinue the supplies following the failure the country to pay the debt because of foreign currency, shortages. According to their agreement, if Zimbabwe does not pay in assets it must do so in foreign currency but this is not available. Efforts by Mugabe to settle the outstanding debt in exchange for beef were rejected by the Libyans who insisted on receiving land instead. ……….. As part of the barter deal between the two countries, the Libyans have also acquired the government's 70% stake in the Oil Blending Company of Zimbabwe. Initially, a French company, Oil Invest, which has a 30% stake in the blending company, was poised to take over the government's shares, but the deal was scuttled at the last minute when Libya expressed interest in the company.***
Criminal.
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Meanwhile, in front of two of her daughters for allegedly supporting the opposition, an independent newspaper reported Tuesday,
Oh, good thing there were no reports of arrests or injuries.
Bump!
To communists, these people are just masses with no rights. Their killings aren't considered bad.
Meanwhile, a 53-year-old mother of eight children was decapitated in front of two of her daughters for allegedly supporting the opposition, an independent newspaper reported Tuesday.
Enos Tadyanemhandu told the Daily News that his wife, Brandina, was killed in her home on Sunday by 20 ruling party militants. Police refused to respond, telling the two daughters, aged 10 and 17, to "bring the suspects to the police station," said Tadyanemhandu, whose son, an opposition activist, was killed ahead of last month's vote.
Adding to the unease in the country, the government on Tuesday announced a sudden 20 percent increase in the price of bread, bringing the price of a standard loaf to just over a dollar. Since supplies of maize meal, the staple diet for nearly 13 million Zimbabweans, ran out in March, bread has become a substitute.
The country is also experiencing shortages of sugar, milk and cooking oil. The government blames the food shortages on a two-month dry spell, but most analysts say they are the result of Mugabe's campaign to seize white-owned farms.
I'm giving this situation less than six weeks before all hell breaks loose.
I pray that it is resolved with a minimum amount of violence. One good shot should do it.
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