Zim protesters held at Chinese embassy
26 April 2008, 17:11
By Jacques Breytenbach
More than 100 Zimbabweans have been arrested for taking part in an illegal protest at the Chinese embassy.
Inspector Malose Mashiane said the protesters - who expressed anger over China's sale of arms to Zimbabwe - broke the Public Gatherings Act, which stipulated that a march had to be authorised.
Of the 129 Zimbabweans arrested, only 18 had permits to be in the country legally.
The other 111 will appear in the Hatfield community court next week Tuesday, as a decision will be taken whether they will be deported.
The protesters arrived in two buses at about 11am yesterday to show their disgust over the arms shipment on board the An Yue Jiang, which was destined for Zimbabwe.
They held up placards reading: "First Tibet, now Zimbabwe", and "Zimbabwe needs peace, not guns".
The protesters chanted in Shona: "Mugabe, we are going to hang you like the Iraqis hung Saddam Hussein."
John Chiwkari, secretary-general of the Revolutionary Youth Movement of Zimbabwe, said Zimbabwe needed ballots, not Chinese weapons.
"The reason for coming here today is to instil a sense of responsibility in the Chinese for their actions.
"We are protesting against the Chinese government, which is trying to injure our citizens.
"The Chinese are selling Mugabe weapons so that he can kill more Zimbabweans.
"On March 29 we voted for Morgan Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change.
"We are calling on the world to assist to instal Tsvangirai as our new president," Chiwkari said.
Protester Tavadzwa Gumimdoga said he and his fellow Zimbabweans were shocked by President Thabo Mbeki's statements that there was no crisis in their country.
"People are dying in Zimbabwe.
"Many of us here are ex-soldiers. We are prepared to fight.
"If you can't remove someone with a ballot, you remove him with a bullet," he said.
More than 100 Zimbabweans have been arrested for taking part in an illegal protest at the Chinese embassy.
Inspector Malose Mashiane said the protesters - who expressed anger over China's sale of arms to Zimbabwe - broke the Public Gatherings Act, which stipulated that a march had to be authorised.
Of the 129 Zimbabweans arrested, only 18 had permits to be in the country legally.
The other 111 will appear in the Hatfield community court next week Tuesday, as a decision will be taken whether they will be deported.
The protesters arrived in two buses at about 11am yesterday to show their disgust over the arms shipment on board the An Yue Jiang, which was destined for Zimbabwe.
They held up placards reading: "First Tibet, now Zimbabwe", and "Zimbabwe needs peace, not guns".
The protesters chanted in Shona: "Mugabe, we are going to hang you like the Iraqis hung Saddam Hussein."
John Chiwkari, secretary-general of the Revolutionary Youth Movement of Zimbabwe, said Zimbabwe needed ballots, not Chinese weapons.
"The reason for coming here today is to instil a sense of responsibility in the Chinese for their actions.
"We are protesting against the Chinese government, which is trying to injure our citizens.
"The Chinese are selling Mugabe weapons so that he can kill more Zimbabweans.
"On March 29 we voted for Morgan Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change.
"We are calling on the world to assist to instal Tsvangirai as our new president," Chiwkari said.
Protester Tavadzwa Gumimdoga said he and his fellow Zimbabweans were shocked by President Thabo Mbeki's statements that there was no crisis in their country.
"People are dying in Zimbabwe.
"Many of us here are ex-soldiers. We are prepared to fight.
"If you can't remove someone with a ballot, you remove him with a bullet," he said.
- This article was originally published on page 2 of The Pretoria News on April 26, 2008
Johannesburg
