RSS 2.0 FeedJune 2009 vol 1, National News
Eight Woza Members Detained - Three Receive Medical Treatment for Beatings
It has been established that eight members have been arrested, four women and three men. This number could be higher as reports that several members have not yet returned home are currently being investigated. Three members required medical treatment, including an elderly woman who was pushed to the ground by police causing her mouth to be injured. The arrested members are being held at Bulawayo Central Police Station. It is not known what charges they are facing.
One member was arrested before the protest began but her fellow protestors went ahead anyway, ignoring the plain-clothed officers present. The strategy of simultaneous multiple protests has become a signature of WOZA’s peaceful resistance and demand for delivery of promises made too lightly by politicians. A great spectacle was to be witnessed as the processions arrived in waves, coming from different directions.
One protest was due to start close to the police station as a test to see if they would respond with respect. The leaders of the protest changed the starting point at the last minute. In a show of courage they chose to start at the side of the police station, marching right by, turning to go to the appointed route. Many police officers looked out of windows and came out and shook their heads in amazement. It is thought that the police van that arrived at the Chronicle offices to beat the peaceful group came from the Central Police Station, meaning that they too over 10 minutes to respond.
Once again three plain-clothes police officers tried to locate WOZA leaders Williams and Mahlangu but they were heard saying they could not locate them amongst the dispersing activists.
Songs sang by the activists included: “the sun is setting where am I going to sleep? I will sleep like a bird on the trees”; “we are filling up other countries – what is wrong?” and “we are going expose police harassment”. When the protest arrived at the Chronicle, the song changed to “men are failing to deal with the issue of the unity government’s inability to deliver a better life” and “the Chronicle does not want news!”
Please phone Bulawayo Central Police Station on + 263 9 71515 to ask why they it necessary to beat and arrest peaceful protestors and to demand the release of the WOZA activists.
The full text of the demands WOZA was marching for is below:
It seems to us that Zimbabweans are not treated as real people with real needs, WE are treated like refugees our own country.
WHY DO WE THINK THIS?
1. Refugees are people who are displaced - MANY Zimbabweans are displaced without a roof over their head. Our homes were demolished and no one has attended to this injustice. On top of that rents and rates are now skyrocketing and people will be chased from their homes.
STOP RAISING RENTS AND FIND A WAY TO LET US HAVE A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS
CONDUCT TRAINING SO POLICE OFFICERS RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS AND UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IS TO SERVE THE NATION
. Refugee children do not go to school – Zimbabwean children cannot get their right to a decent education and spend their day playing in the roads. Teachers are refugees in other countries because they were harassed by militia and chased away by low salaries. OUR CHILDREN MUST GET THEIR RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION – AND TEACHERS TO EARN A LIVING WAGE
5. Refugees cannot easily get health care and live in conditions that breed disease – There are very few professional staff and little medication in hospitals, the service is expensive. Doctors and Nurses do not earn a living wage. PRIORITISE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL URGENTLY
6. WE ALSO DEMAND THE RIGHT TO ENJOY OUR FULL CITIZENSHIP WITH OUR OWN CONSTITUTION See 15 September 2008 GPA. 6. Constitution
Acknowledging that it is the fundamental right and duty of the Zimbabwean people to make a constitution by themselves and for themselves; Determined to create conditions for our people to write a constitution for themselves; and Mindful of the need to ensure that the new Constitution deepens our democratic values and principles and the protection of the equality of all citizens, particularly the enhancement of full citizenship and equality of women.
Our needs are real and need to be urgently attended to and political leaders must respect us enough to deliver and also to deliver the promises made in the Global Political Agreement.
CONSIDERING our shared determination …a nation where all citizens respect and, therefore, enjoy equal protection of the law and have equal opportunity to compete and prosper in all spheres of life. COMMITTING ourselves to putting our people first by arresting the fall in living standards and reversing the decline of our economy. DETERMINED to build a society free of violence, fear, intimidation, hatred, patronage, corruption and founded on justice, fairness, openness, transparency, dignity and equality. DETERMINED to act in a manner that demonstrates respect for the
democratic values of justice, fairness, openness, tolerance, equality, respect of all persons and human rights. BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE RESULTS THAT SHOW ANY COMMITMENT AND DETERMINATION? WHERE IS IT?
