GOVERNMENT INTENSIFIES ANTI-MDC VIOLENCE AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000322 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER LONDON FOR C. GURNEY PARIS FOR C. NEARY NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2013 TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC ZI MDC ZANU PF SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT INTENSIFIES ANTI-MDC VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION REF: A. HARARE 214 ¶B. HARARE 159 Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d Summary: -------------- ¶1. (C) In the past three weeks police have arrested and detained four MDC MPs, arrested 28 other MDC officials, beaten three, tortured at least one and denied permission, and / or halted at least four planned gatherings. As the opposition attempts to organize for upcoming parliamentary by-elections, and to galvanize public frustration with the GOZ, the Mugabe regime has stepped-up its intimidation of opposition supporters. End Summary. MPs Arrested, Detained -------------- ¶2. (U) The outspoken MDC MP for Harare North, Trudy Stevenson, was arrested and detained along with other MDC activists on February 10, for several hours. The group was arrested while attempting to submit a petition to the Namibian High Commission protesting the Namibian team's participation in a World Cup Cricket match in Zimbabwe. Stevenson and the group were released later that day without charge. One police officer did threaten to charge Stevenson with murder, accusing her of murdering the Zimbabwean people by attempting to keep away tourists and cricketers. ¶3. (U) On February 8, Gabriel Chaibva, MDC MP for Harare South and Shadow Minister for Local Government, seven other MDC officials, and several MDC supporters were arrested in Hwange while attending a local government strategy workshop with local councilors. The workshop was apparently intended to strengthen the capacity of MDC councilors to deliver services to their constituents. The group included Ian Makone, a member of the MDC negotiating team to the aborted MDC-ZANU PF talks, and Alphinah Ndlovu, MDC Provincial chairperson for Matabeleland North. The group was detained for several hours at Hwange Police Station before being released without charge. ¶4. (U) On February 8, MDC MP for Harare East, and Secretary for Economic Affairs, Tendai Biti, and MDC MP for Glen View (Harare) Paul Madzore and 16 other party supporters were arrested as they prepared to hold a rally in Mabvuku (about 15 kms east of Harare). The group of 18 was held in a small lice-infested cell in which other detainees defecated on the floor. The group was released on February 10 after their lawyers argued, and the AG's office conceded, that there was nothing for which to charge them. Biti and Madzore had not notified police of the planned rally, as required by the draconian Public Order and Security Act (POSA). Activists Beaten, Tortured -------------- ¶5. (U) On February 3, riot police arrested, detained, denied food and beat severely for three days MDC activist Emmanuel Toperesu at the Harare Central Police Station. Police accused Toperesu of distributing money to MDC youths who would protest the opening of the Tsvangirai trial. Police also demanded a list of MDC supporters attending the trial, and plans for other protests with MDC MP Job Sikhala and the National Constitutional Assembly. Police released Toperesu after he signed an admission of guilt statement and paid a fine of US$2.00 (Z$3,000). When he was arrested Toperesu was still recovering from having been severely beaten in police custody in November 2002 (see paragraph 6). ¶6. (U) Edison Mukwasi, an MDC activist and former MDC youth chair for Harare died on February 2 of punctured lung and liver injuries sustained during two encounters with police torture in January 2001 and November 2002. In January 2001, police arrested Mukwasi in Bikita West with 12 other MDC members, tortured them for four days, and dumped them overnight in the Gonarezhou National Park--full of wild game--in southeastern Zimbabwe. In November 2002 police arrested, beat severely, and released without charge Mukwasi, Toperesu (see paragraph 5) and other MDC activists for distributing, at a cricket match, documentation of GOZ brutalities. ¶7. (U) On January 24, Police arrested, detained and tortured, MDC chairperson for Ward 44 Resias Masunda at the Goromonzi Police Station. During the assault police demanded information on the January 13 burning of a commuter bus owned by a parastatal, the names of people who attacked the house of a ZANU-PF activist in March 2002, and details of the MDC campaign strategy for the Kuwadzana by-election scheduled for March 29-30. Police attached electrodes and wet cloths to Masunda's mouth and genitals while subjecting him to electric shocks. Police released Masunda on January 29 without charge. ¶8. (U) On January 21, police arrested, detained and severely beat MDC Organizing Secretary for Kuwadzana district Derek Madharani at the Goromonzi Police Station. During the assault, police demanded to know who petrol-bombed the ZANU-PF offices at the Kuwadzana 5 Shopping Center on January 20 (see paragraph 10) where several MDC members had recently been beaten, and what the MDC,s campaign strategy was for the Kuwadzana by-election. Madharani suffered a punctured eardrum before being released without charge on January 24. Councilor Arrested, Detained -------------- ¶9. (U) On January 29 Police arrested and detained overnight MDC Harare City Councilor Michael Laban as he tried to convince police officers to admit Harare residents to Town House for a meeting with MDC Mayor Elias Mudzuri, (Ref A). After spending a night in a lice-infested, overcrowded Harare Central Police station cell, Laban was charged under POSA and released on bail of US$1.30 (Z$2,000). ZANU-PF Offices Petrol-Bombed -------------- ¶10. (U) On January 20, suspected MDC youths petrol-bombed ZANU-PF offices in the Kuwadzana 5 Shopping Center in Kuwadzana. The MDC had criticized the ruling party for using the offices as a base for its youth militia, who have conducted violent interrogations and beatings of opposition supporters. Police arrested and beat, some severely, several opposition supporters in connection with the bombing, (see paragraph 8) however no one has been charged. Rallies Halted -------------- ¶11. (SBU) On February 12 police in Bulawayo denied the organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) permission to hold a Valentine's Day "Walk for Love" from the City Hall to the High Court in Bulawayo. Although police have threatened to arrest her, activist and WOZA head Sheba Dube, said they have publicized the walk widely in the independent press and plan to hold it regardless. ¶12. (SBU) On February 7 High Court judge Susan Mavangira upheld police denial of a request by MDC MPs Job Sikhala and Ben Tumbare-Mutasa to hold a political rally at the Chibuku Stadium in Chitungwiza. According to Sikhala the rally was intended to help publicize his recent torture, and strengthen opposition support in the two constituencies. The MP's lawyer argued in court that POSA requires event organizers to notify police, but has no provision for police to grant or deny permission. ¶13. (U) During January and February police have, on at least two other occasions, stopped meetings between MDC politicians and their constituents already in progress, (Ref A, B),in one event which turned violent at Harare's Town House, police permission had been "granted" in advance. Judge Decries Violence -------------- ¶14. (U) In his remarks at the opening of the High Court in Masvingo on February 13 Justice Moses Chinhengo criticized police for harassing, detaining, beating and torturing suspects without any evidence of crimes having been committed. Chinhengo said that police brutalization of suspects was bringing the whole justice system into disrepute. Comment: -------------- ¶15. (C) Committed to regaining a two-thirds parliamentary majority, the GOZ appears worried that the upcoming by-elections in Kuwadzana and Highfield are not a sure bet, and is relying on its tried-and-true tactics of intimidation. Zimbabweans naturally blame the GOZ for the country's economic woes. But caged in by increasing public discontent, a plummeting economy and a determination to survive, the GOZ has stepped-up (again) its violent campaign of intimidation in order to thwart opposition planning and influence. End Comment. SULLIVAN