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US, Britain and New Zealand condemn Zimbabwe arrests
By Lebo
Nkatazo
BRITAIN, the United States and New Zealand have condemned the arrest
of Zimbabwe's opposition leaders in a series of police raids Sunday.
In a rare show of unity, the two leaders of Zimbabwe's fractious Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were due to address a joint rally in Highfield when police seized them from their cars.
Arthur Mutambara and Morgan Tsvangirai were still detained at separate police stations in Harare late Monday, with lawyers saying Tsvangirai was in a bad shape after severe police beatings.
Dozens of other top officials, including Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly pressure group, were also arrested.
Police say the officials tried to incite their supporters to engage in violent activities.
An opposition supporter was killed in the violence that followed the arrest of the MDC leaders.
The United States State Department spokesperson Sean McCormmark said his country holds president Robert Mugabe and his government responsible for the safety of all the detained persons.
“The United States government condemns the brutal and unwarranted actions of the government of Zimbabwe in attacking its citizens peacefully gathered to exercise their legitimate democratic rights at a prayer meeting in the Harare suburb of Highfield," said McCormmark.
“We hold President Robert Mugabe and the government of Zimbabwe accountable for the government's actions today and for the safety and well-being of those in custody… We call for the immediate release of those detained and for the provision of medical treatment for those injured.”
In New Zealand
the country’s Prime Minister Helen Clark and foreign secretary
Winston Peters called the situation in Zimbabwe “disgraceful’
and “appalling”
respectively.
Clark said the arrests confirm that Zimbabwe is under dictatorship.
On the other hand
Peters said: “Mugabe's regime, through its mismanagement, is responsible
for this tragedy, and its answer to legitimate and understandable
political protest continues to be violent repression.
"It is time for Robert Mugabe to act in the interests of all Zimbabweans. It is quite clear that while he maintains his current course the disaster he has imposed on his country will only deepen.”
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman, said: "Lord Triesman said: “The UK holds Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe government responsible for the safety of all those detained, urges the police to allow them access to legal advice, to provide them with medical care and to arrange for their immediate release.
“This latest incident shows the urgency of changes in policy as the economy and institutions of Zimbabwe crumble. The situation in Zimbabwe is appalling and is a direct consequence of Mugabe’s own approach and disregard for the suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans.”
Tsvangirai’s
lawyer Innocent Chagonda in an interview Monday said he had seen
the MDC leader from a distance and he was in bandages. The Crisis in
Zimbabwe Coalition also confirmed the assaults by the police.
“Tsvangirai
is reported to have passed out three times and sustained a swollen head
and body, with difficulty in talking and seeing. Lovemore Madhuku
has a fractured arm and was plastered at Parirenyatwa Hospital at 0400
hours on Monday," Crisis said.
“Arthur Mutambara
and Tendai Biti’s locations have not been ascertained. Nineteen
of the detainees are at Harare Central Police Station whilst the rest
of the leadership and activists are dotted around the greater Harare
police stations in Southerton, Rhodesview, Warren Park, Highlands and
Chitungwiza.”
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