• by Ntandoyenkosi Ncube (cape town)
• Thursday, May 07, 2009
• Inter Press Service

Eighteen political activists who were sent back to prison May 5 following their formal indictment on charges of terrorism have been released the following day after an intervention from the highest level.

Prominent human rights campaigner and Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) director Jestina Mukoko and 17 others were arrested on May 5, after Harare magistrate Catherine Chimanda revoked their bail conditions.

The activists were first arrested in December 2008, accused of scheming to oust President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party and recruiting people for military training in neighbouring Botswana.

They spent just under three months in the Chikurubi maximum security prison near Harare before being granted bail on Mar. 2. Mukoko testified to being tortured and assaulted during her detention - two of the activists were unable to appear in court on May 5 to hear that their bail conditions had been revoked because they are still receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during their time in jail.

The activists are understood to have been released only after Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai raised their fresh detention with President Robert Mugabe and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.

The brief re-arrest of the activists drew widespread criticism, including from Amnesty International and a coalition of human rights and pressure groups fighting for political reform in Zimbabwe, which staged a demonstration outside South Africa's Parliament buildings in Cape Town on May 6 to call on the South African government and the Southern African Development Community to guarantee that human rights and rule of law is restored in Zimbabwe.

'We implore the South African Parliament to use all of its influence to ensure the speedy and safe release of the political detainees and to urge SADC to use every means at its disposal in ensuring that they are released.' Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum (ZSF) Coordinator Sipho Theys told IPS.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition's South Africa director Elinor Sisulu said the re-arrest of the activists threatened the longevity and durability of the power-sharing government. 'The detention of the previously-released Zimbabwean civil society and opposition activists, including a 72-year-old man, is a massive blow to any hopes of a peaceful transition,' Sisulu said

'It has become clear that none of the mechanisms put in place by SADC and the government of national unity can protect the citizens of Zimbabwe from the military generals,' she added.

The release of the activists does not signal the end of increased tension in the inclusive government. The Tsvangirai-led faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) has set May 11 as the deadline for the resolution of all outstanding issues with the power-sharing agreement.

Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, leader of a smaller faction of the MDC, have both complained that it will be difficult for the unity government to progress while a list of outstanding issues - including the freedom of all political prisoners - remained unsettled.

Other unresolved issues include the appointment of provincial governors, permanent secretaries and diplomats, and the re-appointments of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono and Johannes Tomana as Attorney-general.

Also of concern to the MDC is the refusal by Robert Mugabe to swear in MDC-T treasurer-general Roy Bennett as the deputy Minister of Agriculture and the unilateral grabbing of ministerial portfolios by Mugabe.

MDC-T secretary general - who is also Zimbabwe's new finance minister - Tendai Biti said Bennett was innocent until proven guilty. He said according to the Global Political Agreement, which is now part of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Mugabe had no powers to refuse to swear-in Bennett after being nominated by his party.

'There are a number of toxic and poisonous attitudes that some of these institutions are showing. Their attitude is as if they are in a war situation. We find it unacceptable that when we want to make progress there are some people whose conduct is inconsistent with rebuilding a new Zimbabwe,' he added.

(*Adds update regarding re-release of activists on bail. Story first moved May 6, 2009.)

© Inter Press Service (2009) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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