- In recent weeks there has been an increase in activity by the Zimbabwe National Police (ZNP) to silence those who criticise the Harare government. One of the areas where this has taken place is their use against the remaining independent media outlets; the 'Zimbabwe Independent' and the 'Standard'. Civil society groups now fear enhanced repression ahead of the March 2005 elections.
Both the 'Zimbabwe Independent' and the 'Standard' are owned by Trevor Ncube and have in recent weeks have had journalists questioned about items published that are critical of the current regime. 'The Standard' has received threats by the Media and Information Commission (MIC) after printing a photograph of President Robert Mugabe adjusting his trousers.
A letter coming from the office of the Information Ministry claimed that "the use of the photograph by the Standard is extremely mischievous and represents a deliberate denigration of the highest office in the country." The letter also criticised the weekly newspaper for an "editorial disposition for anti-Zimbabwe and anti-Mugabe orientation." The letter further claimed that the photograph sought to "caricature, belittle and undermine the dignity of the Head of State."
The author of the letter, J Neusu, filed an earlier complaint about the 'Standard' to the MIC. That letter complained about the "reportage by the Standard and its sister paper the Zimbabwe Independent is characterised by outrageous lies and claims underpinning misrepresentation of facts." The editor of the 'Standard' however answered that "the complaints defy logic."
In another crucial and uniquely timed event - which could be construed as another attempt by the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) to remain in power by stealing an election for control of the Zimbabwean parliament - four members of the Institute for Democracy in South Africa(IDASA) were detained by the police on Monday.
The arrests were made in conjunction with an interdenominational prayer meeting that occurred in Gweru, a city south-west of Harare. The police held that IDASA facilitated an illegal meeting. Under the draconian Public Order and Security Act (POSA) any meeting of more than 5 people needs the permission of the police department. This act has been used with great success to keep the opposition from having any rallies or protests. It has also been used against trade unions.
Next week will see a large meeting being held in South Africa. The South African Council of Churches along with the South African Catholic Bishops Conference are to discuss the goal of "minimum standards for the Zimbabwe election." IDASA is providing logistical support for the Conference.
In a recent statement IDASA states that it, as an independent public interest organisation, was "committed to promoting sustainable democracy in South Africa and elsewhere in the region by building democratic institutions, educating citizens and advocating social justice."
- It is therefore regrettable that the government of Zimbabwe is treating IDASA as an outlaw that is bent on subverting the democratic process in Zimbabwe, the statement added.
Observers hold that these actions by the Zimbabwean police are related. Earlier this week the website zimonline.co.za reported that police officers were now ordered to take mandatory political indoctrination classes ahead of next year's polls. The move comes after opposition groups such as Zvakwana have urged police officers to be solidary with the oppressed masses when protesting against the regime.
The Harare government has actively used to police to keep it in power since Zimbabwe slipped into a permanent political crisis in 2000. The country's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) at several occasions has held that ZANU-PF is misusing the police for its political agenda, in particular in its 2005 re-election strategy.
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