POLICE DETAIN AND BEAT HUNDREDS OF PROTESTORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000671

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF/S FOR S. HILL
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E. LOKEN
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV ZI ASEC
SUBJECT: POLICE DETAIN AND BEAT HUNDREDS OF PROTESTORS

REF: HARARE 00195

HARARE 00000671 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: Poloff Scott Higgins under Section 1.4 d

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SUMMARY
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1. (U) Police severely beat hundreds of demonstrators
detained on July 25 after protests calling for a new
constitution were held in five major cities throughout the
country. The protests, organized by National Constitutional
Assembly (NCA),followed the opening of Parliament. In
Harare, more than 100 police and ZANU-PF youth took turns
beating over 240 detainees for close to five hours before
releasing them without charge. About 40 have been
hospitalized with severe injuries, including broken bones and
head wounds; another 200 are awaiting medical examinations.
NCA Chairman Lovemore Mahduku described the incident as worse
than the events of March 11. There were also reports of
arrests and beatings at the other NCA demonstrations. Post
recommends the Department issue a statement condemning the
Zimbabwean government's actions (see proposed text in
paragraph 7). End Summary.

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Demand for Change Met with Blows
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2. (U) Against the pomp and circumstance surrounding the
opening of Parliament on July 25, the National Constitutional
Assembly (NCA) launched simultaneous protests in Harare,
Mutare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, and Gweru calling for a new
constitution -- a demand President Mugabe has repeatedly
rejected. In Harare, not long after the president finished
his address to the gathering of parliamentarians and other
dignitaries in which he called for quick passage of
Constitutional Amendment 18 which would further expand his
ruling party's dominant control over the legislative body,
police quickly moved with batons to disperse a crowd of 400
NCA demonstrators marching toward the parliament building.


3. (U) The demonstrators peacefully dispersed; most then
regrouped at NCA offices to arrange for transportation home.
At about 6 PM a large contingent of police officers forcibly
entered the premises and at gun point directed over 240 NCA
staff and demonstrators, including elderly women and mothers
with their children, on to waiting transportation. NCA
Chairman Lovemore Mahduku was not at the offices at the time.
Police took the group to Harare Central Police Station where
they were made to lie face down in rows in a large open area.
More than 100 uniformed police and plain-clothes officials
then took turns kicking and beating the detainees for close
to five hours before finally releasing them without charge at
around 11 PM. Mahduku described the incident as worse than
the events of March 11 (reftel).


4. (U) According to Mahduku, crowds of about 150 to 200 also
marched in Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mutare, and Gweru. Police
reportedly arrested 15 in Mutare, 12 in Masvingo, 10 in
Bulawayo, and 6 in Gweru. There were reports of beatings and
injuries in Mutare and Masvingo, but details are still
unconfirmed.

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NGO Offices Resemble Trauma Center
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5. (U) On the morning of July 26, the Charge, USAID Mission
Director and poloff visited the offices of Counseling
Services Unit (CSU),a local NGO that provides medical and
psychological services to victims of state violence, to speak
with some of the injured. In a scene that resembled a trauma
center after a mass casualty incident, we saw scores of
injured standing in hallways and lying on the floor in
conference rooms wearing bandages and nursing wounds. CSU
staff told us that about 200 injured were at their offices
and close to 40 others were already hospitalized for serious
injuries, including broken bones and head wounds. More
injured continued to arrive while we were at CSU. Everyone
we spoke with reported painful bruising on their backs and
buttocks; many had head injuries and badly swollen arms and
hands as a result of trying to defend themselves from blows.
They also told us that those who tried to defend themselves
received an even worse beating.


6. (U) Several victims said they believed that about 80
percent of the more than 100 officials who participated in
the beatings at Harare Central were actually ZANU-PF youth.
They described lying on the floor while about 10 assailants
at a time beat them with batons and iron bars, kicked them
with boots, and occasionally made them sing ZANU-PF songs. A
few of the elderly women we spoke with also said that when
they were being beaten the assailants would say "you are as
old as Mugabe, why do you work with the enemy against your
country, you should remember the liberation war." They also
said that many of the assailants complained they were tired
after delivering a few rounds of beatings. One victim told
us that he believed they were finally let go because their
tormentors were worn out.

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Proposed Statement
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7. (SBU) Embassy recommends that Washington issue a statement
condemning the detention and beating of citizens
participating in a peaceful demonstration. Proposed text
follows:

"On July 25 the Government of Zimbabwe brutally beat over 200
of its citizens who were peacefully demonstrating for a new
constitution at the opening of a new session of Parliament.
The United States deplores the Government of Zimbabwe's
continued attacks on civil society and the political
opposition in an effort to suppress any criticism in advance
of elections planned for next year. This latest action calls
into question the Government of Zimbabwe's commitment to
ongoing SADC talks meant to establish conditions for free and
fair elections.

We call on President Mugabe and the Government of Zimbabwe to
respect the rights of all Zimbabweans to participate in the
democratic process and guarantee the safety and well-being of
its citizens."

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Comment
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8. (C) Although in recent weeks the GOZ has permitted MDC
rallies and has released a number of detained MDC officials,
its response to the NCA marches appears to be a clear signal
that it will not permit any demonstrations that challenge its
policies or authority. Coming in the midst of the SADC-Mbeki
mediation efforts, the GOZ apparently remains unconcerned
about international opinion in general, and does not fear
that its SADC neighbors will challenge its continuing
repressive and brutal actions. End Comment.
DHANANI