ZIMBABWE POLICE INTENSIFY ATTACKS ON HIGH-

UNCLAS HARARE 000917 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00917 051503Z TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINS ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE POLICE INTENSIFY ATTACKS ON HIGH- DENSITY SUBURB RESIDENTS SENSITVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. NOT FOR INTERNET POSTING. ¶1. (U) SINCE MID-FEBRUARY, HEAVILY ARMED POLICE HAVE RAIDED HOMES, BEAT RESIDENTS, AND BROKEN UP LARGE GATHERINGS IN ST. MARY'S DISTRICT OF CHITUNGWIZA, THE SPRAWLING TOWNSHIP 30 KM SOUTH OF HARARE, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. THE MARCH 5 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT "THE DAILY NEWS" REPORTED THAT HUNDREDS OF POLICE DESCENDED ON A GATHERING OF 3,000 ASSEMBLED TO HEAR MDC PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF A NEW MARKETPLACE ON MARCH 3. TSVANGIRAI CANCELLED HIS SPEECH AFTER HEAVILY ARMED POLICE TORE INTO THE PEACEFUL CROWD UNPROVOKED AND BEAT THEM WITH BATONS. THE POLICE REPORTEDLY FOLLOWED FLEEING PEOPLE INTO SUPERMARKETS TO CLUB THEM, AND BEAT COMMUTERS DISEMBARKING FROM A NEARBY BUS STAND. ACCORDING TO THE NEWSPAPER, ONE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS ON THE SCENE STATED: "WE ARE UNDER INSTRUCTIONS FROM OUR SUPERIORS NOT TO ALLOW TSVANGIRAI TO ADDRESS RALLIES IN CHITUNGWIZA. WE WILL MAKE SURE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN." ¶2. (U) THESE REPORTS FOLLOW A STORY IN THE MARCH 1 EDITION OF "THE DAILY NEWS" THAT REPORTED REGULAR POLICE RAIDS ON THE SUSPECTED HOMES OF MDC YOUTHS IN ST. MARY'S DISTRICT. IF THE YOUTHS ARE NOT FOUND AT THEIR PARENTS' HOMES, THE PARENTS ARE BEATEN. THE ARTICLE DESCRIBED A UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00917 051503Z POLICE, ARMY AND CIO CAMPAIGN OF TERROR THAT HAS FORCED MORE THAN 100 MDC YOUTHS TO SLEEP "IN THE BUSH" BECAUSE THE SECURITY FORCES ARE CONSTANTLY PURSUING THEM. MANY OF THOSE BEING PURSUED HAVE BEEN ARRESTED ON TRUMPED-UP CHARGES AND TORTURED A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE, ACCORDING TO "THE DAILY NEWS." ST. MARY'S IS ALSO THE DISTRICT OF JOB SIKHALA, THE MDC PARLIAMENTARIAN WHO IN THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN BEATEN IN HIS HOME AT LEAST ONCE AND ESCAPED FROM UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ON ANOTHER OCCASION. ¶3. (SBU) POLOFF CONTACTED AMANI TRUST DIRECTOR TONY REELER (PROTECT) MARCH 5 ABOUT THE CHITUNGWIZA INCIDENTS. HE DID NOT HAVE CASUALTY FIGURES FOR THE RIOT SQUAD ATTACKS ON MARCH 3, EXPLAINING THAT HIGH- DENSITY SUBURB RESIDENTS ARE AFRAID TO REPORT INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE TO THE POLICE, OR EVEN TO HOSPITAL STAFF WHO TREAT THEM. MANY OTHERS DO NOT SEE MUCH POINT IN REPORTING BEATING INCIDENTS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE POLICE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEM, REELER STATED. THE ATTACKS IN CHITUNGWIZA HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR WEEKS, REELER POINTED OUT. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: ZIMBABWEAN SECURITY FORCES ARE CLEARLY TAKING NO CHANCES IN CHITUNGWIZA, WHICH REMAINS THE LARGEST POTENTIAL HOTBED FOR ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS IN ZIMBABWE. THE POLICE ATTACKS AGAINST MDC YOUTH INDICATES THAT THE GOZ IS NOT WAITING FOR THE MDC TO ORGANIZE IN CHITUNGWIZA, AND IS DOING EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER TO PREVENT ANY KIND OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT UNREST FROM SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL. END COMMENT. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 00917 051503Z IRVING UNCLASSIFIED >