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    DemocracyAlerts

    From time to time, the World Movement for Democracy issues alerts concerning participants and other colleagues who are, or may be, facing personal danger due to their work on behalf of democracy and for whom a vigorous response from around the world may be critical.

    To see previous alerts go to www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/democracyAlerts.html.

    Alerts regarding Zimbabwe violence:

    (March 28, 2007)
    Update: Civil Society Groups Worldwide Call for Intervention to End the Violence in Zimbabwe

    During the second week of March, the World Movement issued two DemocracyAlerts regarding the assaults on and arrests of participants at the March 11 "Save Zimbabwe" rally in Harare and the shooting of two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) activists at the funeral of Gift Tarare, an MDC colleague who was killed by police at the rally. The situation remains extremely tense, and the violence against Zimbabwean civil society is escalating.

    In response to the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe, a number of civil society organizations, not only in Zimbabwe but around the world, are calling on the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the European Union, and the United States to intervene to help stop the violence and end the crisis. According to various reports Zimbabweans are suffering increasing poverty, loss of fundamental freedoms, violent repression, torture, and arbitrary detention. The current inflation rate in Zimbabwe is over 1700 percent, and the unemployment rate is over 80 percent. According to the US Congressional Human Rights Caucus, an estimated 3,500 Zimbabweans die every week as a result of an AIDS pandemic, a food crisis, and an economic meltdown.

    Recently reported human rights violations in Zimbabwe include:

    • the police shooting of an unarmed man in Highfield on March 11;
    • the attack on Member of Parliament Nelson Chamisa at the Harare airport on March 18;
    • the three-month ban on all political meetings;
    • the arrests of leading civil society activists and opposition leadership;
    • the assault and torture of the civil society activists and political leaders who have been arrested; and
    • the refusal of the police to allow access to those arrested by their lawyers and families until so ordered by the courts.

    Amnesty International has established a Web site for those individuals who would like to take action. Amnesty provides a form letter and contact information to appeal to the African Union and the South African Development Community to immediately intervene in Zimbabwe. To sign the petition, go to: http://web.amnesty.org/pages/zwe-220307-action-eng

    The following are statements by various organizations regarding the crisis in Zimbabwe:

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    (March 12, 2007)
    Update: Opposition Still Detained and Denied Basic Rights in Zimbabwe

    On March 12, the World Movement for Democracy issued a DemocracyAlert regarding the assaults and arrests of several participants by riot police at the March 11 "Save Zimbabwe" rally in Harare. In this short time, the situation has worsened. According to Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, today, March 13, two activists with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were shot and seriously injured while they were attending the funeral of Gift Tarare, an MDC colleague who was killed by police at the rally on March 11. Also, the President and Secretrary-General of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) were arrested as they rallied students to march into Harare to demand the immediate release of opposition, civic society, and student leaders; and police raided the Zimbabwe Congress for Trade Union and have detained employees in its offices.

    Meanwhile, several organizations have come forward to condemn the arrests, assaults, and poor conditions of the detainees. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, the European Presidency, Amnesty International, and many local organizations have all issued statements calling for the release of the arrested opposition. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has condemned the denial of the opposition’s right to legal council, and the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) issued a statement condemning the use of excessive force used at the March 11 rally and condemning the denial of medical treatment to the detained opposition. ZADHR is currently being denied access to the detained. Finally, the Save Zimbabwe Campaign Coalition, together with Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, MDC, CIVICUS, Freedom House, Open Society Institute of South Africa, and many others, held demonstrations today and plan to demonstrate tomorrow in Johannesburg, South Africa, on behalf of those arrested.

    The following are links to statements and updates by various concerned organizations:

    ---------------------------

    (March 11, 2007)

    Alert: "Save Zimbabwe" Rally Participants Assaulted by Police

    According to news reports, on March 11, 2007, enforcing the recent three-month government-imposed ban on political rallies, Zimbabwean riot police broke up a "Save Zimbabwe" rally in Harare using tear gas and water cannons, and assaulted many rally leaders and participants. Police arrested as many as 100 activists. Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), sustained a head injury and was having difficulty talking and seeing. Gift Tandare, a young activist and father of three, was shot dead at the rally, and the chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly, Lovemore Madhuku, suffered a broken arm.

    Meanwhile, organizers of the Save Zimbabwe Campaign coalition claim that MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa, MDC deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma, and Chairman of the Combined Harare Residents Association Mike Davies are being tortured. The whereabouts of certain individuals, including MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti and coalition leader Arthur Mutambara, are still unknown. Nineteen others are being detained without formal charges in a number of police stations throughout greater Harare.

    Go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6440815.stm

    Go to: www.voanews.com/english/2007-03-11-voa26.cfm

    Go to: www.crisiszimbabwe.org

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