what the group will be charged with
but it is hoped that they will be taken to court in
the morning.
Please keep calling Bulawayo Central Police Station on
+263 9 72515 / 61706 to demand that the women be
allowed access to their lawyers and to medical
treatment.
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News update
Thursday 7th June – 1.30pm
The seven members arrested yesterday remain in custody
at Bulawayo Central. Lawyers have been denied access
to their clients this morning and police are refusing
to discuss possible charges or the possibility of
being taken to court. The 11am deadline for court
submissions has passed and therefore the group will
not be taken to court today.
Two of the members in custody were badly beaten during
their arrest and are in a lot of pain. As the lawyer
has been denied access to them, they have not received
any medical treatment. Food has also been denied this
lunchtime, although there were no problems taking in
food at breakfast or dinner last night.
At least 20 members have sought medical attention for
the beatings they received yesterday. Most injuries
involve soft-tissue bruising; no severe injuries have
been reported as yet. Many of these members have
testified that as they were being beaten, police were
telling them that police do not want to arrest WOZA
members any more as they are too troublesome. It is
their intention to ‘just beat them’.
More details will be made available as they emerge.
—————————————————————————-
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News update
Wednesday 6th June – 6pm
Seven WOZA members remain in custody
Seven WOZA members remain in custody in Bulawayo
tonight. Reports that 20 members were arrested were
inaccurate as the women seen entering Bulawayo Central
Police Station were not WOZA members. The members that
remain in Bulawayo Central are all women, including
Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Angeline Karuru
and Rosemary Siziba.
The lawyers in attendance have seen the group but
police are refusing to discuss possible charges at
this stage. Although the five arrested at the scene of
the demonstration were all beaten during their arrest,
the extent of their injuries is not clear. Food has
been allowed in this evening.
Seven members have been treated for injuries they
received from beatings but we are still waiting for
reports on their injuries.
It also appears that in the immediate aftermath of the
demonstrations, a police van was seen driving around
central Bulawayo with a loudhailer telling citizens
not to pick up the WOZA flyers and placards. This is
particularly interesting as a group of approximately
20 riot police were seen avidly reading the placards
and flyers left by the demonstrators.
Concerns remain for the welfare of those in custody,
particularly in the current state of repression and in
the light of the threats made against Williams and
Mahlangu by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Please call Bulawayo Central on +263 9 72515 / 61706
to remind them that the world is watching.
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Breaking news from WOZA (photos available on request)
WOZA members arrested in Bulawayo today
Approximately 20 members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe
Arise (WOZA/MOZA) were arrested in Bulawayo today.
Amongst those arrested are Jenni Williams and
Magodonga Mahlangu, who handed themselves in at
Bulawayo Central in solidarity with a group that had
been arrested earlier.
Members of WOZA and MOZA had conducted a peaceful,
silent march through Bulawayo to launch their ’10
Steps to a New Zimbabwe’, a position on the current
talks. Two groups had started at different locations
but were both marching towards the offices of The
Chronicle, a government-owned newspaper. One group was
met by riot police after one block and was beaten and
dispersed. The other group managed to march for two
blocks before again being met by riot police and
beaten. A group of 15-20 was arrested and walked to
Bulawayo Central Police Station.
Hearing of the arrests, the rest of the demonstrators
regrouped, marched to Bulawayo Central and tried to
hand themselves in. Police refused them entrance,
grabbing only Williams and Mahlangu. When the rest of
the group tried to follow them into the station,
police at the gates began to viciously beat people to
disperse them.
Several people are already receiving medical attention
for the beatings they received. It is not clear if any
of those arrested require medical attention. Human
rights lawyers are in attendance.
WOZA had marched today to highlight the unfairness of
talks that only involve politicians who will be not be
addressing issues of social justice – the ‘Bread and
Roses’ Zimbabweans need. It was also to pressure for
the inclusion of voices at the negotiating table that
will raise socio-economic issues – issues at the heart
of ordinary Zimbabweans. Please see below for WOZA’s
’10 steps to a new Zimbabwe’ and for the nonviolent
guidelines that WOZA always operates under.
More news will be made available as details emerge.
Ends
6 June 2007
For more information, please contact Annie Sibanda on
+263 912 898 112 or Nolwandle on +263 912 898 111 or
info@wozazimbabwe.org or www.wozazimbabwe.org
Nonviolent action Guidelines
1. We will not harm anyone, and we will not retaliate
in reaction to violence.
2. We will be honest and will treat every person with
respect, especially law officers.
3. We will express our feelings but will not harbour
hatred.
4. We will be alert to people around us and will
provide needed assistance.
5. As peacekeepers we will protect others from insults
and violence.
6. During a demonstration we will not run nor make
threatening motions.
7. If we see a demonstrator threatening anyone, we
will intervene to calm down the situation. If
demonstrators become violent, and we cannot stop it,
we will withdraw.
8. We will not steal, and we will not damage property.
9. We will not carry any weapons.
10. We will not bring or use any alcohol or drugs,
other than for medical purposes.
11. We will keep the agreements we make with other
demonstrators. In the event of a serious disagreement,
we may withdraw.
12. We will accept responsibility for our nonviolent
actions, and we will not lie nor use deception to
escape the consequences of our actions.
Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to
be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the
stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it.
–Rabindranath Tagore
“Talking about TALKS – WOZA/MOZA’s view – ten steps to
a new Zimbabwe
WOZA has been reading and hearing about ‘the talks’
and wish to express our views about these.
Firstly, we would like to know exactly what South
African President Thabo Mbeki, Tanzanian President
Kikwete and our SADC brothers and sisters want to
achieve by their mediation. Is their role to bring
about a new government without any political, economic
and social reform? Or is their objective something
more meaningful? To establish themselves as genuine
mediators, they should secure the cooperation of the
present government in allowing the transitional
process to go ahead without interference and press
them to step down from office to allow for an
effective transition. We shall continue to pressure
them to do this, thereby paving the way for a Zimbabwe
where all Zimbabweans can enjoy equality and live with
dignity.
What is our role as ordinary Zimbabweans, carrying the
heaviest burdens and finding it impossible to survive?
Our role can be described in this way. We know where
the fireplace is and that there is a pot boiling. We
have not been consulted about what is to be cooked and
who is to eat the meal when it is ready. While waiting
to be called to the table to share the meal, we are
busy collecting firewood and bringing it to the
fireside so that those currently doing the cooking see
it and put it in the fire. If the fire starts to go
out, it will be our firewood that is used to light it
again so that the pot can keep boiling. When the meal
is cooked we will demand a place at the table to share
in the meal cooked with our firewood. If the meal is
badly cooked, we will refuse to eat and ask them for a
better recipe. And just a reminder that mothers make
the most memorable meals!
We can go further to say that those mediating the
talks, and the politicians involved, should be
thinking of the following ingredients if the meal is
to be delicious and enjoyed by all Zimbabweans:
1. Violence, in all its forms, should be stopped to
allow for a transitional process that can begin the
healing process.
2. An all-stakeholders’ conference should be convened
with the following participants: all political
parties, non-governmental organisation, churches,
labour, business, youth and women all meeting on an
equal basis. Their agenda is to devise a transitional
process consisting of putting in place an interim
authority and outlining a process of constitution
making. The interim authority should undertake the
following:
3. Assume legislative power; repeal oppressive
legislation against freedom of expression and assembly
such as the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
(AIPPA). We also call for an end to the selective
application of other laws.
4. Conduct an audit of civil servants, the judiciary
and law enforcement agents as to their professional
and non-partisan conduct. Offenders should be sent to
re-training/community service or for prosecution. The
youth militia should be disbanded and the defence
forces should be confined to barracks for retraining.
5. Begin the process of re-engaging the international
community with a view to rehabilitating the economy
aimed at job creation.
6. Carry out a land audit to lay the basis for a
permanent and equitable solution to land reform, while
promoting immediate resumption of food production.
7. Initiate a constitution-making process, including a
plan for transitional justice, consulting all
Zimbabweans both at home and abroad.
8. Take the resulting constitutional and transitional
justice proposals to a referendum supervised by
Southern African Development Community (SADC).
9. Prepare for elections, including reconstituting the
Registrar General’s department, preparing new
electoral laws, appointing an independent electoral
commission and delimitation commission to prepare an
electoral roll and prepare for the election. We will
be saying good riddance to Tobaiwa Mudede and his
crooked systems.
10. Ensure elections are conducted according to the
SADC protocols and under international and regional
supervision with international and local observers.
The interim authority will then hand over to the
winners of the election.