[Marxism] [Fwd: WOZA members beaten on International Women's day]

[glparramatta]

As you will see by the WOZA update below members of

WOZA and MOZA have suffered badly this International
Women's Day.  We attach an updated protesters phone
list and urge supporters to ring any Bulawayo police
station to express their concern at this shameful 
display of police brutality.

Saturday 8th March

WOZA members beaten in the streets of Bulawayo on
International Women’s Day

Over 1,000 members of WOZA and MOZA marched through
the streets of Bulawayo today to commemorate
International Women’s Day. The peaceful protesters,
who were carrying balloons, were met by riot police
after four blocks and viciously beaten. Over 50
members received medical attention for injuries caused
by the assault. 

The aim of this march was to exhort Zimbabweans to
stand up for their children in these times of extreme
hardship and to encourage people to vote in the coming
elections. As they marched, the demonstrators
distributed flyers urging people to inform themselves
of the policies and track records of the candidates
running in their areas and to choose leaders who will
deliver a socially just future, regardless of their
political affiliation. The group also carried balloons
that carried the message – Stand Up for Your Child. 

As the procession neared the Chronicle offices, the
dispersing point, a police officer known to WOZA,
approached Jenni Williams and asked her to take the
protest off the road, to which Williams indicated she
would do so at the next intersection, Jason Moyo
Street. Before they could reach there, a loud noise
that could have been a shot or tear gas was heard,
alarming the peaceful activists. Riot police officers
then violently set upon the demonstrators, severely
beating the two young activists holding the rear
banner. They then moved through the procession beating
people as they fled. 

The women human rights defenders, feeling provoked by
the violence they had seen, regrouped and began a
second protest before being violently dispersed for
the second time. Police then adopted the strategy of
moving amongst groups and saying out the ‘woza moya’
(come holy spirit) slogan and assaulting anyone who
sang out the reply ‘woza’!

A member from Pumula, Eva Tanyanyiwa, was beaten to
the ground by two police officers and lay prostrate
before being dragged up and pulled towards the police
vehicle where she fainted. When Jenni Williams went to
implore the officer to leave the woman alone as she
was seriously injured, they arrested her as well.
Magodonga Mahlangu then joined the two in solidarity.
The trio were driven to Bulawayo Central Police
Station being threatened by police officers all the
way. On arrival at the police station, the three women
had their details taken before being released after 30
minutes by a police officer who said they should go
and get Eva treated as she had ‘fallen in the road’. 

Eva has serious bruising on her upper arm and lower
body. Another women had to have stitches to her neck
as she was pushed by a police officer into a
stationary vehicle whilst another was pushed into a
pole by a police officer, receiving a deep cut across
her forehead.  Other injuries included a woman who
developed a haematoma just above her kidneys as a
result of being beaten and many others with deep
tissue bruising from being beaten with baton sticks. 

This violent response by police negates recent
information that WOZA had received that police had
been instructed not to arrest or beat WOZA members
until further notice; evidence of which has been borne
out by the reduction in arrests since October last
year. The release of the WOZA leaders after a brief
period however does not bear out even more recent
information received that the uniformed forces and
prison authorities had been briefed to arrest and
detain WOZA leaders and deny them bail until after the
elections. They had also been instructed to teach the
WOZA leaders ‘a lesson they will not forget’ whilst in
detention. 

Undaunted by these threats, WOZA members decided to
continue with their peaceful protest, an act of
courage that obviously put them in a dilemma,
especially as the news had already been covered by
independent media. 

WOZA would like to pay tribute to its members that
came out into the street today to join events that
have been taking place all over the world to mark
International Women’s Day, despite recent threats by
the Commissioner of Police, Augustine Chihuri, that
police will meet demonstrations with the utmost force,
including live ammunition. Their determination to
stand up for the future of their children with dignity
and courage is to be commended and WOZA would like to
urge all other Zimbabweans to stand up and be
counted.members beaten 

**********

Use these numbers to phone police stations holding WOZA and other
activists when they are arrested and to lobby state officials who bear
responsibility for the hardships faced by Zimbabweans today.  To get regular updates on WOZA contact WOZA
Solidarity at wozasolidarity2005 at yahoo.co.uk <mailto:wozasolidarity2005 at yahoo.co.uk>.  

*[Note: + 263 11 indicates a call to a mobile]*:-

* *

*_BULAWAYO_**_ AREA:_** - *(from abroad: + 00 263 *9* + the local number)**

Bulawayo Central: +263 9 72515 - 61706

Mzilikazi: +263 9 202908 - 212905 OR +263 9 74439 - 62908

Hillside: +263 9241161

Donnington +263 9 474005 - 467309

Queens Park: +263 9 226212 - 226411

Sauerstown: +263 9 200960 - 218431 - 218432

Luveve +263 9 520801/2/3

Tshabalala +263 9 496755

Donnington: +263 9 474005/4673309

Barbourfields +263 9 74095

*Filabusi *Police Station +263 *17* 202 281 or 247 9 72515 / 61706 _ _

Figtree Police Station +263 *83* 216 ??????

*_HARARE_**_ AREA:_** - *(from abroad: + 00 263 *4* + the local number)**

General HQ +263 4 700171

Harare Central +263 4l 733033 – 721212 -736931-725903-777777 **

Airport + 263 4 575366

Avondale + 263 4 336632

Borrowdale +263 4 860067- 860061- 883152

Braeside +263 4 742261-742260-742383- 743020- 743006-742259

Glen View +263 4 690049

Hatfield +263 4 570506- 570123- 570138

Highlands +263 4 495304- 495504 - 495340

Kuwadzana +263 4 665511

Mabelreign +263 4 336000- 339075

Marlborough +263 4 336647- 301801/2

Mbare +263 4 706401

Monavale +263 4 336613

Rhodesville +263 4 495753- 481111- 496567- 496568

Southerton +263 4 668438 – 667032 - 667012

Warren Park +263 4 *223921-*229990 – 229991 – 229992

Waterfalls +263 4 662626/7


      Other Areas

Chitungwiza + 263 *70* 22001 Hwange +263 81 36491

Masavingo Central + 263 *39* 62221 Fax: Masvingo Police Enqs. +263 39 64026.

Masvingo +263 39 64911

Chikato +263 39 62308

Gweru + 263 54 2477 Chinhoyi + 263 67 22299

Bindura +263 71 9933 Marondera +263 79 23500