Zimbabwe
Police raids on MDC offices

afrol.com, 16 September - Police forced entry into the oppositional MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) offices at Eastgate and Fife Avenue in Harare around 3:30 yesterday afternoon, confiscating internal papers. No warrant was produced.

15 armed "policemen" and 10 plainclothes "CID officers" forced entry into the MDC offices. They did not show any identification, "so we do not know if they were really members of ZRP," MDC officials say. They refused to show a warrant. When asked, they refused to say their names. The police officers brandished weapons and tools to break down the doors, at which point staff let them in.

The police swept through the offices, taking any and all documents they so desired. When MDC officers asked them to receipt and list all documents they were taking, the police refused. They said they could be receipted at Harare Central. They took files, documents, computer diskettes, receipt books and other personal and party materials. They looked at files on the computers in the office.

A Daily News reporter entered the premises at Eastgate. He took pictures of the officers in the building, and was shouted out of the building. On exit, his camera was confiscated, and the reporter himself was taken into custody.

Even after lawyers for the MDC arrived at the scene, the "police" declined to show identification or to produce a warrant. After less than an hour in the premises, the "police" left, taking with them the above mentioned materials. They threatened several MDC staff with arrest, but in the end did not detain anyone.

MDC officials are angered but not surprised by the turn of events. Efforts yesterday afternoon and this morning to obtain a Court Order against the search and seizure proved unsuccessful, as MDC lawyers could not gain access to the judge they were assigned.

British protests
British Minister of State, Peter Hain, said he was appalled at recent raids. "I am appalled at the raids on the MDC offices in the past two days," he said. "No justification has been given for these raids. I am particularly concerned that the Zimbabwe Republic Police should raid MDC offices and seize documentation while the courts are yet to pronounce on an application by the party for such action to cease." '

- Britain deplores any action by the Zimbabwean authorities which intimidates the legitimate parliamentary opposition or indeed any citizen. I urge the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure that the police operate impartially and within the rule of law, and to acknowledge the rights and freedoms of opposition parties in a democratic state.

Britain is raising this matter in the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting in New York today.

Sources: Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and UK 

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