Dozens arrested in Zimbabwe for fighting poverty

8 0ct was a day of action against poverty. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions declared a march against the poverty killing workers. 120 demonstrators were arrested in the city centre. Of the arrested about 20 are people living with HIV/AIDS and they are currently not accessing treatment.

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ZIMBABWE: BEHIND BARS FOR FIGHTING POVERTY - CALL FOR SOLIDARITY

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Tuesday [8 0ct '05] was a day of action against poverty, a day the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions declared a day to march against the poverty killing workers. Activists demonstrated at High Glen Shopping Centre, toyi toying and distributing revolutionary pamphlets against poverty while hundreds gathered in town to march. Over 24 hours after the arrest of about 120 demonstrators in the city centre and the lawyers are still told that arresting officers have not finished preparing papers for the arrested. Last night most of them were transferred from Harare Central to Chitungwiza and Dema holding cells 25 & 30 km outside Harare.

The lawyers have not yet managed to see them to verify reports that some of the leaders were tortured last night. Police are denying the lawyers access to them saying they have to finalise preparing the papers. It is now unlikely that they will appear in court today. They are transferring the arrested from place to place and want to keep them long in cells in order to instill fear in them. In the face of the worsening economic and political environment the regime is desparate to crush any resistance.

We need your solidarity to have these people released soon. Below are the numbers for police and the attonery general - please phone and demand immediate release of the arrested. Also phone and send faxes to the Zimbabwean embassies in your respective countries. Picket the embassies and bang pots ëní pans in solidarity with the suffering poor, create an artificial prison with a few people behind 'bars'. Show your outrage!!

Of the arrested about 20 of them are people living with HIV/AIDS and they are currently not accessing treatment. Last night they were only allowed to be given food after about 2 hours of refusing. There also five women with babies and other disabled people. This situation is particularly worrying as we now fear that there might be some fatalities because of the conditions these people are in and also the reports of torture that we have heard.

We need solidarity to fight this struggle. We need the many souls in the many different countries to co-ordinate actions against this tyranny. Take action wherever you are. This fight will be won!

Rise Up! Simukai! Sukhumani!

Harare Central: 733033, 721212, and 725803 General Headquarters: 700171, 729137 Chitungwiza: 070-22001 Dema 070-23142 and 21928 Attorney General 774539 and 781769

Fire to your spirits,

farai