Civic organisations to protest against harassment

Comment & Analysis
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) spokesperson Phillip Pasirayi said the current wave of arrests of pro-democracy activists was designed to pre-empt any attempt by Zimbabweans to revolt against Mugabe’s rule.

“These arrests are acts of intimidation designed to pre-empt any murmurs of disgruntlement among Zimbabweans,” he said. “However, if people are pushed against the wall they will face their abusers.”

 

But the CiZC spokesperson said civic organisations in the country have agreed to soon stage peaceful protests against government’s arrest, harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders.

“We don’t want to topple the government but we want an end to violence against defenceless citizens and respect for basic human rights,” Pasirayi said. “If lobbying fails, we will come together as pro-democracy groups and there is already consensus that we must revert to our strategy of 2007 which brought results.”

On March 11 2007, the civic society groups staged prayer meetings  in Harare which were violently crushed by armed police.

The marches were organised by the CiZC under the auspices of the Save Zimbabwe Campaign.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was among those who were severely assaulted at Machipisa Police Station in Highfield.