RSS 2.0 FeedMay 2011 Vol 33, National News
Police working with Zanu PF to portray MDC-T violent - Biti
HARARE, - Zimbabwe Finance minister and MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti and a top Tsvangirai aide in the coalition brokered by regional leaders in 2009, said Wednesday at least 30 of his party's supporters were arrested in a police crackdown in the western Harare township of Glen View since the death Sunday of a police officer there.
HARARE, - Zimbabwe Finance minister and MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti and a top Tsvangirai aide in the coalition brokered by regional leaders in 2009, said Wednesday at least 30 of his party's supporters were arrested in a police crackdown in the western Harare township of Glen View since the death Sunday of a police officer there.
Biti accused police loyal to Mugabe of trying to portray the former opposition as the main perpetrators of political violence ahead of a June regional summit in South Africa slated to discuss the Zimbabwe crisis.
He told reporters many of those arrested since Sunday, who included activists and Tsvangirai party officials in the township, were assaulted by police and denied medical care and access to lawyers.
At the funeral of the slain officer Tuesday, senior police officials warned they would hunt down "traitors" and those who "live by the sword will die by the sword."
Police allege Tsvangirai's supporters started disturbances in the township on Sunday.
Tsvangirai's party denied the allegations and in a statement cited witnesses saying the police inspector was killed when he was hit on the head with a chair as police intervened to stop a dispute in a township bar.
Biti said police immediately started rounding up known members of Tsvangirai's party after the killing.
"We call upon the police to fully investigate this matter. The investigations must be impartial, nonpartisan and professional. This is the only way that the true perpetrators of this crime can be brought to book," Biti said.
JOMIC CONDEMNATION
The committee, however, expressed concern over the “gratuitous apportionment of blame” for the crime by the media saying this had the effect of politicising and trivialising violence against the police.
“Jomic deplores all forms of violence and finds no justification whatsoever for an attack on uniformed police officers going about their lawful duties,” Jomic said in a statement signed by all representatives from the three political parties in the inclusive government, Oppah Muchinguri (Zanu PF), Thabitha Khumalo (MDC-T) and Frank Chamunorwa (MDC-N).
“In the spirit of peace-building and national healing, Jomic wishes to caution the various media against gratuitous apportionment of blame for this callous attack on uniformed police officers as this tends to both politicise and trivialise violence against the police.”
Jomic urged leaders of political parties to show maturity rather than inflame passions.
“In the same vein, we urge the police to be as meticulous as possible in investigating this murder to ensure all the perpetrators of violence are arrested and bear the full wrath of the law,” Jomic said.
“Jomic wishes to convey its deeply-felt condolences to the Mutedza family on the death on duty of Inspector Petros Mutedza and a speedy recovery to his colleague who survived the attack.”
Jomic said the fatal attack on the officer was coming at a time they had just established liaison committees to combat political violence.
“This is especially deplorable coming at a time when Jomic has worked hard to establish liaison committees to promote peace in Harare. Police have been involved at a very high level in these peace initiatives.”
Meanwhile, in its latest bulletin, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network said observers in voting districts reported that bases have been re-established after calls by President Robert Mugabe for elections this year to end a troubled two-year coalition with the former opposition. Many of these bases were used by militants as "torture and coercion" camps during the violent and disputed 2008 elections, the group said.
It demanded the demolition of "these structures of violence which have created a culture of fear in communities" across the country.
Regional leaders and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party insist Zimbabwe is not ready for elections this year.
The election network also said its resident observers in many of the nation's 210 parliamentary constituencies noted a build up of "intolerance to diversity" and free expression. Human rights violations were continuing around the country and police still failed to show objectivity in routine investigations.
"The tension in the air cannot be ignored," the bulletin, covering the past two months, said.
