Major Crackdown on Political Dissidents in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe police threatened the "standards used in war" against activists, saying a "war situation" existed in the country after violent weekend clashes, a lawyer told the Harare high court yesterday. Major Crackdown on Political Dissidents in Zimbabwe

The Telegraph

Zimbabwe police threatened the "standards used in war" against activists, saying a "war situation" existed in the country after violent weekend clashes, a lawyer told the Harare high court yesterday.

The leaders of the Zimbabwean opposition movement and more than 100 of their supporters were arrested yesterday as President Robert Mugabe ordered police to enforce a ban on political rallies.

A young activist was also shot dead by riot police in the capital, Harare, during a day of tension as members of the Movement for Democratic Change were joined by church leaders and civil rights activists in defying a ban on a prayer rally held in the Highfield district of the city.

Activists close to where the young man was shot said police refused to allow an ambulance to pick him up.

Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, the presidents of the divided opposition movement, as well as five MPs were among those arrested as squads of riot police were sent to ensure the rally did not proceed. Scores of people were beaten as they were arrested.

Dozens of churches in Highfield were closed to worshippers yesterday, and beerhalls and small shops in the township had also been closed by the authorities.

By dawn yesterday police had effectively sealed off all entrances to the Zimbabwe Grounds, in Highfield, where the church-backed rally was due to take place. Only a few dozen opposition supporters managed to get close to the entrance.

Israeli-made water canons had been deployed along entrances to the Zimbabwe Grounds, and hundreds of uniformed and riot police were deployed at roadblocks around the area.

"It's not safe in there," said a policeman at a road block in Highfield. "Turn around and go now," he said after thoroughly searching The Daily Telegraph's vehicle.

All political gatherings, but not religious rallies, are banned in Harare for three months, but police had specifically outlawed this rally organised by the Save Zimbabwe Campaign, led by Christian leaders.

In a new and growing era of defiance by opposition groups all leaders of the main opposition political parties tried to attend Save Zimbabwe Campaign's prayer day.

But the assistant commissioner of police, Wayne Bvudzijena, had warned the organisers that he would not allow it to take place.

After the shooting and arrests, he said: "I don't believe there were any incidents and the rally did not take place."

Despite overseeing an economy which now faces the world's highest inflation rate - more than 1,700 per cent - and food shortages, Mr Mugabe, 83, hinted yesterday that he would seek re-election next year.

"If the party says so, I will stand," he said.

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