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afrol.com, 8 October - The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has sent out an alert "encouraging supporters of Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC to gather at Harare International Airport to welcome him home on Monday October 09, 2000" as they fear his detention by the police on arrival. The party claims to be aware of a high level presence of police officers at Harare Airport, awaiting Tsvangirai's return, presumably to effect the arrest that the governing party ZANU-PF has directed. The enhanced tension between the two parties has its background in a speech by MDC leader Tsvangirai last weekend, addressing a crowd of 20.000 at Rufaro Stadium in Harare. "If you don't want to go peacefully we will remove you violently," he said, referring to Mugabe. The MDC was celebrating the party's first anniversary. A spokesman of ZANU-PF, the following day replied on state television that his party had the capacity to respond to any violence with violence. This week, several high ranking ZANU-PF officials have called for the arrest of Tsvangirai for his "inciting violence". However, an MDC spokesman says that "it is ironic and illogical that Zanu PF officials are pushing for Tsvangirai's arrest on allegations that he committed treasonous acts by 'inciting violence' at a rally at Rufaro Stadium on 30 September, when similar and much worse statements by almost the entirety of Zanu PF leadership have gone by uncondemned and unpunished." - What we would like to tell Mugabe today is that please go peacefully, and if you don't want to go peacefully we will remove you violently, Tsvangirai said at Rufaro Stadium. As the press later asked him to specify what he meant by removing Mugabe violently, he claimed he was only referring to mass action against the president. "We are saying the power of the people will remove him," he explained. The MDC alert We are encouraging supporters of Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC to gather at Harare International Airport to welcome him home on Monday October 09, 2000. You are all requested to gather between 12.00 and 13.00 hrs at the airport. This is an important opportunity to demonstrate your solidarity with the MDC. We urge you to provide time off and transport to your employees so that they too can participate in this occasion. If you have additional transport to spare, please send drivers and their vehicles to the MDC headquarters at 127b Fife Ave from 06.00 onwards. Remember to carry your identification and particulars for your vehicle to minimise obstruction from the ZRP. If the police do force you to turn around before reaching the airport terminus, please consider taking up a position along the road leading in to the city. Morgan's party will pass Coke Corner at the intersection of Seke Rd and Cripps Rd, on his way in to the city centre. Stay strong, victory is certain!
Source: Based on Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
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