Zimbabwe cops shoot student

By Norm Dixon

Riot police shot and seriously wounded a University of Zimbabwe student in Harare on April 23. The shooting followed two days of escalating tension as students and staff attempted to protest against the privatisation of the university's catering and accommodation departments.

Fearing that student protests would be joined by the increasingly anti-government urban poor, unemployed, homeless and workers, the government sealed off the main university to prevent students and staff marching into the city. Africa Unity Square -- the traditional gathering point for protests -- was closed to the public and occupied by cops.

Running battles between riot cops, firing tear gas canisters and rubber bullets, and students continued throughout April 23 as students and staff attempted to break through the cordon. At about 5pm on April 23, reported Gabriel Shumba, president of the university students' union, a police truck drove onto the campus, firing tear gas and bullets at random. A student was seriously wounded in the shoulder.

On April 24, enraged students wanting to protest at the shooting attempted to break out of the campus and were again met with tear gas and rubber bullets.

The heavy-handed response by police is in keeping with promises by Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe to crack down on dissent. On April 18, Mugabe used the annual Independence Day celebrations in Harare to warn the country's trade union and student movements that he “will not allow a situation of anarchy to develop”.

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