Zim unions call strike over arrest of leaders Reuters Date posted:Thu 20-Nov-2003 Date published:Wed 19-Nov-2003
Back to previous page		More than 360 arrested in Harare and other towns By Cris Chinaka Harare - Zimbabwe's main labour movement has called a two-day strike from Thursday to demand the release of union leaders and rights activists arrested this week during protests against the government's economic policies. The strike will coincide with Thursday's budget speech by Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa, in which he will unveil a plan to tackle chronic food and fuel shortages, unemployment estimated above 70 percent and inflation topping 525 percent. Riot police arrested Zimbabwe's main trade union leaders and dozens of rights activists around the country on Tuesday as they broke up marches called to protest against the economic crisis. Police said they detained 88 people who would be charged with staging illegal demonstrations. But the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) said more than 360 people had been arrested in the capital Harare and several other towns. The ZCTU said in a statement people should stay at home to press President Robert Mugabe's government to cut taxes, respect human and trade union rights and to keep transport and consumer prices at affordable levels. "As you are aware that ZCTU leaders and other civic society leaders were arrested for protesting, we are therefore calling for a stayaway to be held tomorrow, Thursday 20 November and Friday 21 November, 2003," acting ZCTU secretary general Collen Gwiyo said in a statement. "We demand the immediate release of ZCTU and other civic society leaders," he said. Alec Muchadehama, a lawyer for the arrested officials, who include ZCTU president Lovemore Matombo and secretary general Wellington Chibebe, said authorities had not formally charged the detained men and women. "I think we can safely say they are going to spend another night in detention. The police say they are still working on their papers and say they will charge those they are holding within the legally prescribed time," Muchadehama told Reuters. The police can hold people for up to 48 hours before bringing them to court, but government critics say this rule has sometimes been abused to punish suspects facing minor charges. Mugabe's opponents accuse him of economic mismanagement and blame the country's woes partly on land reforms under which landless blacks took control of white-owned commercial farms. Mugabe says his land reforms are designed to redress an injustice of British colonial rule and accuses opponents at home and abroad of sabotaging the economy. The ZCTU, a political ally of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), says the government must urgently tackle inflation to help stabilise consumer prices. Zimbabwe's economy is in its fifth year of recession and many Zimbabweans are struggling to cope with severe fuel, food and foreign currency shortages. Prices for some foodstuffs and public transport have risen ten-fold in the past year. Economic analysts said Murerwa's 2004 budget was unlikely to contain many answers, however, as Zimbabwe's political problems keep foreign aid donors at bay and the government continues to borrow heavily to finance domestic expenditure.