Zimbabwe: WOZA arrests

Women of Zimbabwe Arise Press Release

Updates

Evening of May 4 - The 73 children, ranging from age seven to eighteen, that were arrested this morning were finally released this evening into the care of their lawyers. They are now all at home in the care of an adult family member. The adults remain in custody, including approximately five mothers with young babies.

Evening of May 5 - 105 WOZA women and men remain in custody for a second night. They are being held at six police stations: Bulawayo Central (46), Mzilikazi (24), Donnington (14), Hillside (10), Queens Park (5) and Sauerstown (6).

Lawyers secured the release of seven mothers with infants earlier this evening. Despite the order to release all the mothers, a drunken, off-duty inspector at Mzilikazi Police Station refused to allow one of the mothers being held there to be discharged. She remains in custody tonight with her baby.

The group has been charged under Section 7c of the Miscellaneous Offences Act; “conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.” The Officer-in-Charge at Bulawayo Central, G. Ndlovu, (who threatened to kill Jenni Williams in May last year when she was in custody) remains uncooperative and efforts to have the group brought to court today were frustrated by the refusal of those officers who arrested the group to come forward and make statements about the arrests. Due to this reluctance, there is a possibility that the group may remain in custody until Monday.

Conditions in the cells vary according to the station in which the group find themselves but generally it is very cold at night with no blankets provided as Bulawayo moves into winter. Officers at Bulawayo Central are also proving to be obstinate about providing food – breakfast was denied and lunch only given to the group several hours after it was brought. They also lied to lawyers about the number of people being held there, resulting in insufficient food being delivered to that station. Others stations, including Hillside, Donnington and Queens Park, have also denied or postponed the giving of food.

Afternoon, May 6 - We can at last confirm the number of adults arrested was 112, eight of them mothers with infants. Together with the 73 children, the total arrested on Thursday was 185. The remaining mother and baby at Mzilikazi Police Station were finally released today. The officer at Mzilikazi who denied them their freedom last night has been identified as Assistant Inspector Mugute. The other 104 women and men will remain in custody until Monday when they will be brought to court. Police continued to use delaying tactics this morning, ensuring that they could not be brought to court today.

Whilst food has not been denied so far, painkillers (paracetemol) were denied at Hillside Police Station until a lawyer and the Officer-in-Charge from Bulawayo Central (a 15 minute drive away) came and insisted they be allowed to be given to the women, some of them elderly, who are in pain from having to lie on concrete floors for two days.

Spirits remain strong amongst the different groups, despite the discomfort and cold nights.

Evening of May 7 - Day Four and conditions for those in custody remain unpleasant. At Hillside Police Station, the women, most of them elderly, are only allowed out for ten minutes, three times a day to eat, during which time they are kept under armed guard “in case they try to escape”. The painkillers that lawyers had to fight to gain them access to were only given to them late last night. The women also continue to be on the receiving end of intimidation. At Bulawayo Central, the women have been denied access to blankets despite the cold weather and the fact that there allegedly plenty of blankets in the cell administration office. Due to the cold weather and being forced to sleep on concrete floors, many women are becoming ill. This afternoon a Law and Order officer at Bulawayo Central, Ngwenya, told those bringing food to the group that he would not allow them to have dinner “because they are getting too much food”. Nonetheless, food has been received at all stations for all meals today.

We have also learned that police were actively targeting children for arrest after Thursday’s peaceful demonstration. At Bulawayo’s central commuter omnibus rank, police were looking for children in school uniform and removing them and their mothers from the commuters to arrest them. Behaviour which clearly demonstrates the callous nature of this regime and their blatant disregard for children’s rights.

It has also emerged that a 16-year old boy has been amongst the group detained since Thursday. Lawyers secured his release, and that of an 18 year-old girl, this afternoon. It is hoped that the rest of the group
will be brought to court early tomorrow morning.

Evening of May 8 - Day Five and the 105 charged by the police in Bulawayo have at long last been released. Lawyers went to court early this morning where the prosecutor refused to proceed with the charges against the group. Section 7c of the Miscellaneous Offences Act refers to behaviour which is “likely to materially interfere with the ordinary comfort, convenience, peace or quiet of the public”. The prosecutor asked if the police could produce members of the public who had been discomforted or inconvenienced and without such evidence insisted that those still in custody be released immediately. If the police wish to proceed with the case, they can do so by the way of summons. It is yet to be seen whether they will choose to do so.

Despite the fact that the order for their release came through just after 9am, the last of the group was only released around 3pm. With their release, it has emerged that amongst the group detained for the last five days was a seven-month pregnant woman and a physically disabled man.

Whilst members in Bulawayo were nearing the end of their five day ordeal, their sisters in Harare took to the streets at 1pm this afternoon to continue the demand for affordable education for all. Approximately 200 women and 10 children marched from Nelson Mandela Avenue to Kwame Nkrumah Ave. Singing, carrying placards reading amongst others, mothers demand their children’s right to education" and handing out flyers, the group passed several soldiers outside Parliament before stopping outside the offices of the Ministry of Education. There they left copies of the Woza Moya newsletter, which lists WOZA’s demands to the government, before dispersing. There have been no reports of arrests so far.

After a difficult five days, WOZA declares a victory for those Zimbabweans who are prepared to stand up and be counted. We also salute the spirit of the women and men who withstood harassment and intimidation by police to defend their children’s rights. We especially want to pay tribute to the 73 children arrested for defending their own rights. Their courage is an example to us all. The campaign for affordable education for all is not over however. Until the astronomical school fee increases have been reversed, WOZA will continue to apply pressure. We invite all those Zimbabweans who have chosen to say NO to passive acceptance of intimidation and humiliation to join us in demanding an end to these increases.

For more information please contact Annie Sibanda on
+263 91 898 110/2 or woza@[email protected].