BDFM Online
Thursday, November 30, 2006
HARARE - Baton-wielding police arrested more than 60 protesters yesterday in Bulawayo during a demonstration to mark International Women Human Rights Defenders' Day.
Six of the 67 people held outside government offices had to be taken for medical treatment after riot police beat them, said Woman of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza).
Six babies were taken into custody with their mothers, the group claimed. There was no confirmation of the arrests.
Woza said yesterday's march by the 200-strong group in Bulawayo was also intended to launch a people's charter for social justice. The demonstrators began to read out the People's Charter when 30 riot police arrived and began to arrest them, said Woza.
"The police then began to viciously assault the peaceful group members with baton sticks, forcefully dispersing most of the group of over 200 that were waiting to be arrested," it said .
Woza says women bear the brunt of the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe, with inflation higher than 1023% and shortages of fuel, foreign currency and some foodstuffs .
The group has called on its supporters to bang empty pots and pans outside their homes for two minutes every night to mark the 16 days of activism against gender violence until December 10. DPA