US embassy cable - 03HARARE2100

UNCLAS HARARE 002100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
DS/OP/AF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, ASEC, ZI 
SUBJECT: POLICE BEAT ARRESTEES AFTER NCA DEMONSTRATION IN 
DOWNTOWN HARARE 
 
 
1.  (SBU) On October 22, police arrested 180-300 
demonstrators including National Constitutional Assembly 
(NCA) Director Dr. Lovemore Madhuku, during a demonstration 
organized by the NCA at Africa Unity Square in downtown 
Harare.  The demonstration advocated a new constitution. 
Police confiscated t-shirts, banners, and placards which 
read, "we are prepared to die for a new democratic 
constitution".  The arrestees are being held at Harare 
Central Police Station.  Police kicked seven lawyers out of 
the station, under threat of beating or tear gas; lawyers are 
being denied access to the arrestees.  Prominent human rights 
lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said she saw police beat young 
arrestees with rubber truncheons as they alighted from a 
police vehicle and were made to run into the yard of the 
police station.  Legal representation is being handled by the 
Legal Defense Fund (LDF), a program of the local NGO the 
Legal Resources Foundation (LRF).  Eileen Sawyer, ex-Director 
of LRF, said that two Herald reporters were also arrested 
with the crowd and were being detained. 
 
2.  (SBU) Mtetwa said she overheard police shouting commands 
to take away the arrestees cell phones, deny them any 
communication with the outside, and lock them up.  She said 
it was very likely that the arrestees would be spread around 
to various police stations in the Harare area overnight, as 
the cells at Harare Central could not accommodate this many 
detainees. 
SULLIVAN