BY TAFADZWA CHOTO
HARARE — The Zimbabwe government's repression against the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and other activists continues as the March 9-10 presidential election nears.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his ruling ZANU-PF party fear that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai will unseat Zimbabwe's autocratic ruler if a free and fair election is allowed to proceed.
Since the signing into law of the massively anti-democratic "anti-terrorist law", the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), by Mugabe on January 18, there has been a further crackdown on democracy activists, including harassment, disruption of opposition meetings, beatings and the arrest of activists.
On February 7, MDC provincial leaders were arrested while having a meeting and three journalists were arrested as they demonstrated against the government's draconian new media act. A MDC youth leader in Masvingo was also murdered by ZANU-PF thugs on February 7.
The Zimbabwe Daily News reported on February 9 that at least 16 people had been killed in political violence in January, mostly MDC supporters.
Socialists are also being targeted. On January 28, International Socialist Organisation industrial zone organiser Elliot Madzivanyika was ambushed in the working-class township of Mbare by ZANU-PF thugs and severely assaulted for distributing Socialist Worker. He was then handed over to the police, and falsely charged with contravening POSA because he had supposedly "insulted" the president.
This incident followed the arrest of another ISO member, Jokonia Maopa, in Mbare a few weeks earlier. Maopa had come to the township to attend an ISO branch meeting. Maopa faces the same fabricated charges under POSA
If convicted the two ISO comrades are liable to a jail term of up to 10 years or a Z$50,000 fine.
With inflation "officially" above 112% and unemployment at over 70%, Zimbabwe is going through its biggest crisis ever.
Mugabe continues to preach anti-imperialist and radical rhetoric while attacking the working class. The government allowed the labour bill to lapse in the current parliamentary session. Even though the bill would have made it illegal for workers to strike, conduct stayaways or demonstrate, it was killed because the bosses objected to the advantageous reforms for workers it also contained.
The neo-liberal MDC is preaching peace and reliance on the courts and the imposition of sanctions by Western governments. But this will not stop Mugabe.
The ISO has rejected this approach and has teamed up with organised labour, radical civic groups (notably the National Constitutional Assembly) and Zimbabwe National Students Union to mobilise for action under the theme "No to dictatorship, no to neo-liberal poverty".
February 15 was scheduled as a day of mass action, including a march parliament and possibly a general strike if the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union leaders agree to it. In early February, at labour forums called by the ZCTU in Harare and other major towns workers gave a go ahead for a stayaway. But many ZCTU leaders still seem reluctant.
[Tafadzwa Choto is ISO national co-ordinator and coordinator of the February 15 mass action.]
STOP PRESS: Socialist MP beaten, arrested
BY NORM DIXON
Zimbabwe's only elected socialist MP, ISO member Munyaradzi Gwisai, was severely beaten before being arrested by riot police in Harare on February 14 as he participated in a peaceful demonstration.
The 300-strong march was called by the National Constitutional Assembly to demand that President Mugabe ensure a free and fair presidential poll on March 9-10. At least 14 other NCA members, including NCA chairperson Lovemore Madhukuremain, were detained.
Gwisai, a high-profile member of the International Socialist Organisation, is the Movement for Democratic Change MP for the Highfield township in Harare.
Readers are urged to contact the Zimbabwe High Commission urgently on (02) 6286 2700 to demand their release.
From Green Left Weekly, February 20, 2002.
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