Alerts in Zimbabwe
University of Zimbabwe Closes Following Protests
Alert
Date: 09 March 2009
On Tuesday 3rd February the University of Zimbabwe was officially closed following a series of demonstrations by students and teachers about university fees and salaries. Seventy five students were reportedly arrested during ‘The National Campaign against Dollarization in Zimbabwe’.
Teachers, Students and Unionists Mistreated
Alert
Date: 15 May 2008
NEAR has received disturbing reports of continuing mistreatment of educators, students and unionists across the country, following the drawn out election process and build-up to the Presidential run-off. Education International (EI) has announced that The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) witnessed many teachers in rural areas being tortured and killed.
Post-Election Violence Against Teachers
Alert
Date: 16 April 2008
Education International (EI) have called upon the Zimbabwean authorities to respect human and trade union rights after receiving reports that ZANU-PF activists are threatening teachers and accusing them of voting for the opposition. These events come in the aftermath of disputed general elections held on 30 March.
Student leaders released from custody
Alert Update
Date: 17 September 2007
Leaders of the Students Representative Council (SRC) who were arrested by police at the Great Zimbabwe University last week have all been released from detention, according to AllAfrica.com. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: On 10 September 2007 SRC President Whitlaw Mugwiji, Treasurer Ogylive Makova and Mukudzei Shoko were arrested during an orientation programme on campus that was disrupted by violent youths, thought to be from a state sponsored rival students union.
Student leaders attacked and detained during university orientation week
Alert
Date: 13 September 2007
On 10 September 2007, leaders of the Students Representative Council (SRC) were arrested during an orientation programme at the Great Zimbabwe University. President Whitlaw Mugwiji, Treasurer Ogylive Makova and Mukudzei Shoko were assaulted and then detained, according to the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU).
Alert
Date: 13 March 2007
Promise Mkwananzi, Beloved Chiweshe and Lynnett Mudehwe, student leaders belonging to the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) have been arrested while rallying students to march demanding the release of opposition, civic society and student leaders in detention in Zimbabwe. The arrests happened two days after the violent break-up of a peaceful, church sponsored rally (a so called Prayer Meeting) of the Save Zimbabwe Campaign, during which one participant was killed, one was injured and many, including the opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Artur Mutambara, were arrested and in some cases abused.
15 Students Arrested During ‘Noisy’ Protest
Alert
Date: 23 November 2006
Fifteen university students have been arrested during a protest in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on 22 November 2006. The protest (a five minute lunchtime protest making ‘noise’) was against the demise of education, the increasing cost of living, collapsing health sector, food shortages, falling life expectancy, suffocation of democratic space and violation of women's rights by the Zimbabwean government, according to the organisers: the Save Zimbabwe Convention, an alliance of NGOs and churches.
Students Arrested During Protest
Alert
Date: 13 November 2006
Eight students of Masvingo State University were arrested last week in Zimbabwe, they were protesting over tuition fees outside the Provincial Governor's Office. A local police spokesman confirmed the arrests and said that the students were currently in custody assisting with investigations.
Zimbabwe Student Leaders Arrested During a Protest March
Alert
Date: 13 October 2006
Several leaders of The Zimbabwe National Students' Association (ZINASU) who organised a protest march on 11 October 2006 were arrested and reportedly assaulted and detained overnight at the Avondale Police Station and Harare Central Police Station. Around 800 students participated in the demonstration in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, demanding the improvement of conditions at the country's universities and tertiary colleges as well as an increase in their payouts.
Alert
Date: 08 September 2006
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) informs that the Zimbabwe Republic Police have arrested 8 students leaders in Harare on 8 September 2006. The student leaders were having a strategic workshop ahead of mass protests scheduled by the ZCTU and Zinasu for the following days when armed riot police stormed the workshop and arrested them.
Students Arrested and Expelled
Alert
Date: 04 May 2006
Zimbabwean students have been arrested for peacefully demonstrating against increases in tuition fees. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum also informs that 3 student leaders were expelled from the University of Zimbabwe on issues related to the fees. On a monthly report (regarding March 2006) issued by the Zimbabwe Human rights NGO Forum we have learned that demonstrations against the huge tuition fees increases in tertiary institutions are continuing at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
Student Leaders Arrested During Protests Against Increase in Fees
Alert
Date: 03 March 2006
According to ZimDaily, eight university student leaders have been arrested in Harare last week during a protest against the hike in fees. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have filed an urgent chamber application seeking their release. On of the detainees is Washington Katema, the president of the Zimbabwe National Students' Union (Zinasu).
Brutal Police Assault Leaves Student Union President Struggling for Life
Alert
Date: 20 October 2004
Phillan Zamchiya, the president of the Zimbabwe Students Union (ZINASU) was severely assaulted on 14 October by unidentified police officers. He is in critical condition in a private hospital. Zamchiya was accused by the police of organising street demonstrations against the government of President Robert Mugabe ahead of the delivery of the judgment in the high treason trial against the president of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai.
Zimbabwean Government Targets Voter Education
Alert
Date: 09 October 2004
The Zimbabwe government is seeking to pass a bill aimed at banning international rights groups from operating in the country and cut off foreign funding to local groups involved in governance issue. According to an official notice of amendment, proposed by the social welfare ministry, rights groups targeted by the “Non-Governmental Organisations Bill”, will include those involved in educating the public on anti-corruption programmes and issues of public transparency and accountability.
Student Activist Arrested and Beaten by Zimbabwean Police
Alert
Date: 23 April 2004
Police in Harare the 22 April 2004, arrested and inhumanely assaulted, social justice activist Tinashe Lukas Chimedza. Tinashe had been billed to speak at an Education Rights Forum at Mt Pleasant Hall, in his capacity as the Zimbabwe nominee to the International Youth Parliament, whose topic was ‘Defending the Right to education, and Celebrating a legacy of Students Resistance’.
Students Arrested, Halls of Residence Torched by Police
Action Alert
Date: 28 October 2003
The Zimbabwe National Student Union (ZINASU) has informed NEAR that on Monday 27 October 2003, students at the University of Zimbabwe went up in arms against armed riot police on campus. The students were demanding an increase in their payouts and protesting against fare hikes. When armed riot police arrived on campus, they set aflame, the halls of residence occupied by key union leaders and activists.
"I will face the gun to fight for academic freedom"
Alert Update
Date: 06 June 2003
Tapera Kapuya, the former Secretary General of the University of Zimbabwe Student Union, featured previously in several NEAR alerts today published an article in the Times Higher Education Supplement. The complete article follow below. ‘This has been a critical week for Zimbabwe as the opposition mobilised against the government of Robert Mugabe.
Zimbabwean Students Arrested & Beaten
Alert
Date: 04 June 2003
In what promises to be one of the most challenging week for Zimbabwe, the Student Union informs that four students from the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) and seven from the Harare Polytechnic were arrested the 31st May 2003 over allegations that they were organising students to participate in the impending mass action called by the Movement for Democratic Change(MDC).
Zimbabwean Lecturers Return to Work
Alert Update
Date: 24 April 2003
Lecturers from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) have reported back to work after a two month strike. The lecturers have been awarded by the Government a 30 percent retention allowance back-dated to January this year. The acting president of the Association of University Teachers, Mr James Mahlaule declared: "Our problems have been addressed and we accept what has been awarded to us".
Zimbabwe Students Petition the UN
Alert
Date: 20 March 2003
The United Nations (UN) has been asked to take action and intervene to assist students in Zimbabwe. In a strongly-worded petition, the Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (ZINASU) told UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, that they were concerned at the manner in which the government responded to students grievances and requested UN intervention.
Zimbabwean Lecturers Still on Strike
Alert
Date: 11 March 2003
The Herald newspaper (Zimbabwe) reported on 11 March 2003 that examinations, due to start yesterday at the University of Zimbabwe, were postponed owing to an ongoing strike by lecturers. UZ authorities put up notices informing students that the examinations had been deferred to June. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The UZ lecturers went on strike on February 21 demanding a retention allowance of 50 percent of their basic salary, which was awarded to medical academic staff only.
ZINASU Wins 2003 Student Peace Prize
Alert
Date: 10 February 2003
ZINASU’s (the Zimbabwe National Student’s Union) fight for peace and human rights in Zimbabwe has received international recognition. The organisation has been awarded the Student Peace Prize 2003 by the International Student Festival in Trondheim. The ISFiT awards the Peace Price once every two years to a student or a student organization that has done a particular effort for democracy and human rights.
Alert
Date: 07 January 2003
ZINASU, the Zimbabwe National Students Union has, the 7 January 2003, issued a statement concerning the arrest of several of it members resulting in the disruption of the ZINASU 3rd Bi-Annual Congress. Leaders of the student union were arrested on allegations that their action was likely to cause breach of peace and order.
Zimbabwe Reinstates Half of Sacked Teachers
Alert Update
Date: 28 October 2002
The South African Mail & Guardian Online reported on 28 October that the Zimbabwean government has reinstated more than half of the 627 teachers it had dismissed two weeks ago for taking part in a strike. Education Minister Aeneas Chigwedere told the state-controlled Herald that less than 300 teachers had been charged for supporting a strike called by the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) for better pay and dubbed illegal by the government.
Zimbabwe Union Leader Injured While in Custody
Alert
Date: 11 October 2002
The BBC and the South African Mail&Guardian Online reported on the 11 October 2002 that Raymond Majongwe, the Leader of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, has been "seriously injured" while in police custody. "He has been beaten up and when I saw him last (Wednesday 9th October 2002) night he couldn't sit on his own.
Teachers Amongst Those Targeted in Zimbabwe
Action Alert
Date: 29 May 2002
Amnesty Inernational (AI) UK, has expressed concern for the safety of several residents of Chimanimani, Zimbabwe, including teachers, lawyers and human rights defenders. In an alert issued onnthe 29th may2002, AI said that police and supporters of the ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), have been harassing and assaulting people living in Chimanimani, in the eastern province of Manicaland, particularly those whom they believe to be supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Madhuku Continues to Challenge Mugabe
Alert Update
Date: 05 April 2002
In December 2001 NEAR issued an alert detailing the release of the detained opposition law lecturer Prof. Lovemore Madhuku. The following report by David Jobbins appeared in the THES on the 5 April 2002 and provides an update on Prof. Madhuku’s current activities. University of Zimbabwe law lecturer Lovemore Madhuku's Cambridge doctorate was on the legal aspects of bank financing for companies in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe Continues to Target Campuses
Alert
Date: 29 March 2002
In an article appearing in the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) on the 29 March 2002, Karen MacGregor, reported that students in Zimbabwe are increasingly under threat from Robert Mugabe’s efforts to remove any opposition to his presidency. Zimbabwe\'s students are the target of a government attempt to clamp down on sectors of society that it sees as supporters of the political opposition, following Robert Mugabe\'s victory in this March\'s disputed presidential election.
Lecturer Charged with High Treason
Alert
Date: 02 March 2002
University of Zimbabwe law professor Welshman Ncube has been charged with high treason by police investigating an alleged plot to assassinate the president, Robert Mugabe, the Times Higher Education Supplement reported. Professor Ncube is secretary-general of the Movement for Democratic Change, whose leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has already been charged.
Police guilty of brutal killing of Zimbabwe student
Alert Update
Date: 01 March 2002
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Police guilty of brutal killing of Zimbabwe student
Further contact has taken place with the University of Zimbabwe Students Union and with a leading firm of solicitors in Harare to ensure that legal representation was present at a recent inquest hearing. The inquest this week found the police to be responsible for his brutal slaying. The magistrate also ordered the police to open a murder docket which must be completed by the end of May this year.
Lecturer Harassed for Political Affiliation
Alert
Date: 15 January 2002
The Daily Newspaper in Zimbabwe reported on the 15th January 2002 that Zedias Mutema, a lecturer at the Harare Polytechnic, had said that a number of lecturers were being harassed at the college for supporting the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Mutema said the lecturers were being harassed for refusing to be part of the Harare Polytechnic Lecturers Zanu PF branch, formed five months ago.
Lecturer Harassed for Political Affiliation
Alert
Date: 15 January 2002
The Daily Newspaper in Zimbabwe reported on the 15th January 2002 that Zedias Mutema, a lecturer at the Harare Polytechnic, had said that a number of lecturers were being harassed at the college for supporting the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Mutema said the lecturers were being harassed for refusing to be part of the Harare Polytechnic Lecturers Zanu PF branch, formed five months ago.