Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA condemns Zimbabwe arrests - PRESS RELEASE

Reports state that 69 unionists have been detained, some violently, after demonstrating against limits on bank withdrawals that have left Zimbabweans unable to take out enough money to buy a day’s food.

Among the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions members taken by police are the ZCTU General Secretary, Wellington Chibebe, for delivering a petition to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, and Gideon Shoko, ZCTU Deputy General Secretary and General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Railway Workers' Union (ZARWU).

Also amongst those arrested and abducted was Jestina Mukoko, the Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, a primary documentation institution. She was abducted by armed plain clothed security agents believed to be the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO). The men were driving a Mazda Familia car without registration plates. Lawyers are attending to the matter, and the information is that she can not be located.

Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA Executive Officer, Peter Jennings, said "We know that the Mugabe regime is one of the most brutal and repressive in the world, and the Zimbabwean police have once again massively overreacted when faced with peaceful protest. Mugabe's corruption has economically destroyed Zimbabwe, and when working people protest, they are bashed and imprisoned. The regime should immediately release these trade unionist leaders."

Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA is requesting you send a letter, email or fax to the Zimbabwe High Commission in Canberra, protesting against the arrests. Details are:-

Mr Felix Nyamupinga
Chargé d'Affaires
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
11 Culgoa Circuit
O'Malley ACT 2606
E: Zimbabwe1@iimetro.com.au
F: 02 6290 1680

You can download the link below to see an email from the ZCTU Information Officer, Khumbulani Ndlovu with the names and details of those arrested.

If you would like to contribute financially to our Zimbabwe Appeal, please follow the links from the home page or go to:
http://www.unionaidabroad.org.au/news/1228106340_28666.html

Download File:
List of leaders arrested in Zimbabwe [ pdf ]
Contact Details
Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA
Ph:  (02) 9264 9343
Fax: (02) 9261 1118
office@unionaidabroad.org.au

© Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA 2003.

Last Modified: Friday, 05-Dec-2008 16:02:18 EST
This page: http://apheda.org.au/news/1228361528_18233.html