Striking teachers fed chalk by police

Striking teachers fed chalk by police - union

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By Torby Chimhashu

RIOT police stormed several schools and disrupted lessons in Harare's townships Wednesday searching for teachers who participated in a strike over low pay, a union said.

Students and pupils were sent home as early as 9am when riot squads descended on primary and secondary schools in Highfield, Glen Norah, Glen View and Budiriro unannounced.

Headmasters at the schools were ordered to call off classes, and several teachers were assaulted, according to the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) which called the strikes.

The union immediately launched a protest at the police action, accusing the riot police of "indiscriminate beatings of teachers", just days after police crushed an opposition rally and fired tear gas at opposition supporters.

"We will lodge a complaint with the police," PTUZ secretary general Raymond Majongwe said. "This is barbaric. As teachers we are saying to the government that we want to work but give us better salaries.

"Our members are having sit-ins as opposed to staying away from work because the message we are sending to government is that we are prepared to work but at the same time we don't agree with its terms."

Majongwe claimed some teachers had been forced to eat chalk during the police raids.

There was no immediate comment from the police on the latest crackdown which comes hard on the heels of the disruption of a planned opposition rally in Highfield last Sunday.

Police defied a High Court order granting the opposition MDC permission to hold the rally.

Hundreds of people were injured during skirmishes that followed as police clashed with stone-throwing youths.

Property worth millions of dollars was destroyed as Highfield was reduced to what one opposition official described as a "mini-Baghdad".

President Mugabe was celebrating his 83rd birthday on Tuesday, the same day that the police announced that all rallies and political gatherings had been banned in Harare and surrounding areas.

Teachers have joined medical professionals and other civil servants in demanding improved pay. More widespread strikes are planned.
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