WITH MANY MEMBERS STILL IN JAIL, ZCTU CALLS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002259

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY
PARIS FOR C. NEARY
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER
DS/OP/AF

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2013
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM PINR ECON ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: WITH MANY MEMBERS STILL IN JAIL, ZCTU CALLS FOR
WORK STOPPAGE

REF: HARARE 2257

Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d


1. (C) SUMMARY: Although the numbers are not finally
confirmed, police arrested about 200 people nationwide in
connection with planned ZCTU demonstrations on November 18.
The ZCTU is calling for a snap work stoppage on November
20-21 to protest the detentions, however with no preparation,
we see limited prospects for success of such an initiative.
END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Information
Officer Mlamleli Sibanda said that the 40 arrested in Harare
were still being held on November 19. ZCTU Secretary General
Wellington Chibebe, who was reportedly separated from the
other arrestees on November 18, was together with them on
November 19. Lawyers had been granted limited access to the
arrestees, and were negotiating with police for their release
on November 19. Although Sibanda reported that some 300
people had gathered to march in Harare, Emboffs never saw
more than 50 people at the prescribed starting point (Ref).


3. (SBU) On November 18-19 Sibanda reported that some 300
people gathered on November 18 in Mutare to participate in
the planned demonstration there. However, the lawyer
representing the ZCTU arrestees, Trust Maanda of Hemming,
Locke & Doyer, on November 19, said that he was representing
122 ZCTU clients and that none others were being processed by
Mutare police. Both sources said that everyone who had
gathered to participate in the march was arrested. Maanda
said that all the arrestees were charged under the
Miscellaneous Offenses Act, and released on November 18 after
signing an admission of guilt statement, and paying a Z$5,000
(US$.84) fine.


4. (SBU) ZCTU said that some 3000 had gathered to participate
in the march in Bulawayo, but we have no independent
confirmation of this. There were rumors that some 500 people
had been arrested in Bulawayo, however Sibanda said that only
17 were arrested, eight released without charge, and nine
were still being held without charge on November 19. In
addition to the worker hit by a vehicle (Ref),one other
arrestee was injured by a police dog.


5. (U) The single arrestees in both Victoria Falls, and
Gwanda were still being held without charge on November 19.


6. (SBU) Police arrested 13 people in Gweru who had gathered
to march, and released only one by November 19. Sibanda said
that lawyers in Gwanda had been denied access to the
arrestees as of November 19.


7. (U) On November 18, police arrested five people in
Masvingo, and six in Chinhoyi in connection with the planned
marches. As of November 19 all were still in custody, and
none had been charged.


8. (C) On November 19 Solidarity Center representative Gebre
Gebremariam, and Sibanda said that members of the ZCTU
leadership, who were not in custody, decided in a meeting on
November 19 to stage a nationwide work stoppage on November
20 and 21 to protest the continued detention of ZCTU members,
high taxation and economic deterioration. Sibanda said, and
Emboff observed, that flyers were being distributed around
Harare to inform people of the planned event, but that no
other preparatory measures were being taken. Gebremariam
said that the key would be the participation of public
transport operators.

COMMENT:
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9. (C) Although the ZCTU has previously acknowledged that
stayaways have not effected changes in government policy, it
has made the decision anyway to call a snap work stoppage
without any groundwork - simply it seems as a statement of
protest. The prospects for real participation on such short
notice seem dim, but it appears the ZCTU is willing to risk
political capital and credibility to make the most of the
Government detaining many of its members. In most cases
without charges filed after 24 hours, it appears the
Government intends to detain the ZCTU members for the full 48
hours allowed under the law. It is unclear how many people
actually showed up to participate in the marches, but there
is no indication that the public was involved in significant
numbers.


10. (C) As in previous events of this kind the numbers of
those arrested, beaten, and participating has been
exaggerated by the participating organizations, and
downplayed by the Government (The Herald reported that only
88 people had been arrested). With this type of
misinformation circulating, and with the Daily News reporters
no longer on the streets, it is increasingly difficult to
obtain accurate information.
SULLIVAN