US embassy cable - 03HARARE2033

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002033 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, ECON, ASEC, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZCTU OFFICIALS ARRESTED AT GATHERING POINTS - 
DEMONSTRATIONS QUASHED BEFORE BEGINNING 
 
REF: HARARE 2006 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
1. (U) On October 8, Police arrested forty-one members of 
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) in Harare, five in 
Bulawayo, one in Masvingo, one in Chinhoyi, and reportedly 
one hundred in Mutare.  The ZCTU members were gathering to 
protest high taxes, escalating costs for transport and other 
necessities, cash shortages, and violation of trade union 
rights by the GOZ.  The Harare arrestees included ZCTU 
Secretary General Wellington Chibebe, Chairman Lovemore 
 
SIPDIS 
Matongo, and Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe President 
Raymond Majongwe.  ZCTU did not announce its intent to 
demonstrate. 
 
2. (SBU) Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) was 
coordinating legal representation for all of the arrestees 
nationwide.  Arnold Tsunga, ZLHR Director, said that police 
had not filed any charges yet, and could hold the arrestees 
legally for forty-eight hours before filing charges or 
releasing them.  Tsunga said that police had assaulted two of 
the arrestees in Harare, however, the group was in good 
spirits at Harare Central Police Station waiting to be handed 
over to the notorious Law and Order Section. 
 
COMMENT: 
-------- 
 
3. (C) Although no charges have been filed yet, we would 
expect police to do so under the Draconian Public Order and 
Security Act (POSA) in the coming days.  It would not be 
surprising if many of the arrestees, if not all of them, were 
held for the full forty-eight hours before appearing before a 
judge for charges to be filed.  This waiting period in a 
Zimbabwean jail cell with all its discomforts viewed as 
punishment in and of itself.  With the shutdown of the Daily 
News and reduced media scrutiny, the government can be 
expected to be more confident in undertaking similar 
suppression efforts against its critics. 
 
4. (C) Although bearers' cheques were recently introduced 
alleviating the cash shortage, and fuel has effectively been 
deregulated--inflation has jumped in the past two weeks 
(Reftel) and ordinary Zimbabweans still have trouble 
affording the basics and finding a ride to work.  While there 
are many reasons to protest, there is no indication yet that 
large numbers of ordinary Zimbabweans actually heeded the 
call to march. 
SULLIVAN