Military

DATE=6/2/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ZIMBABWE / PROTESTS (L)

NUMBER=2-303893

BYLINE=PETA THORNYCROFT

DATELINE=HARARE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///// THIS IS LONG VERSION OF MCDONOUGH SHORT CR 2-303887 /////

INTRO: Zimbabwe police arrested several opposition leaders, as an anti-government general strike began across the country. Peta Thornycroft reports from Harare.

TEXT: The opposition reports security forces attacked one of its members of parliament, and he has been admitted to a city center hospital with serious injuries. At least three activists were reported shot and injured in the Highfields Township. Their condition is not known.

Earlier, police arrested Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, as he was about to begin leading a march from the poor suburban townships to the city center.

/// OPT /// Police first tried to arrest Mr. Tsvangirai late Sunday, but failed because he was not at home. /// END OPT ///

Most of Zimbabwe's towns and cities were closed as part of anti-government protests. But a strong security presence prevented planned mass demonstrations.

The government has vowed to crush the mass action, and distributed tens-of-thousands of leaflets around Harare, warning people not to join the demonstrations and to go to work instead.

Heavily armed police tear-gassed hundreds of students at the University of Zimbabwe and broke up their protest march before they left the campus. More than 20 were being questioned.

Although the protest marches were blocked, the general strike closed more than 90-percent of the businesses in Harare and the second city, Bulawayo.

The opposition says it called the mass action to pressure President Robert Mugabe to negotiate a transfer of power and new elections. The president says he will not do that.

In addition to Mr. Tsvangirai, at least three opposition members of parliament were arrested, and police tried to arrest at least another three, who had not spent the night at their homes.

/// OPT /// The secretary-general of the Movement for Democratic Change, Welshman Ncube, was one of those the police were hunting. He said he had not stayed at home, but people working for him at his home had been attacked and injured. /// END OPT ///

Scores of other activists and those due to lead the marches, were arrested in various urban areas. Police used tear gas in several townships, breaking up marches as soon as crowds formed.

Thousands of people loitered on Harare streets, in front of closed shops and banks. They said they were waiting for the order to join up and begin marching behind Mr. Tsvangirai, who was in police custody.

/// REST OPT ///

Mr. Tsvangirai was charged with contempt of a court order issued Saturday, banning opposition strikes and demonstrations. He appealed the court order and was released into the High Court where he is already on trial for treason.

The government asked the High Court to tighten bail conditions to forbid Mr. Tsvangirai and his two co-defendants from making inflammatory statements or inciting people to mass action. The judge postponed a decision on new bail conditions until Tuesday. (SIGNED)

NEB/PT/AWP/RAE/TW