Zimbabwe's opposition leader to continue "struggle"
Mr Tsvangirai is leader of the MDC
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Wednesday, 14, Mar 2007 06:46
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has vowed to continue his political "struggle" after condemning a "sadistic" attack against him and other activists while in police custody.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader made the pledge on leaving a Harare court yesterday, when the former trade unionist appeared with a wound to his head and a swollen eye, before being detained at a local hospital.
"The police assaulted defenceless civilians but the struggle continues," said Mr Tsvangirai, whose treatment has sparked further international concern about the autocratic rule of Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, whose Zanu-PF party is accused of suppressing opponents.
But Mr Mugabe's government remained undeterred by the furore surrounding the alleged persecution of Zimbabwe's opposition.
"Those who incite violence, or actually cause and participate in unleashing it, are set to pay a very heavy price, regardless of who they are," a statement from information minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said.
Mr Tsvangirai, 55, was arrested along with other opposition leaders on Sunday, when police broke up what activists described as a prayer meeting in Harare.
He was among 50 activists who appeared before a court in the Zimbabwean capital yesterday, with 12 of those arrested permitted by the authorities to stay in hospital overnight following two days spent in police custody.
MDC official Tendai Biti, who is among those who claim to have been beaten by police, told the BBC that Mr Tsvangirai was in "a very bad condition".
Lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, who is representing Mr Tsvangirai and other activists, said following yesterday's court appearance that the Zimbabwean authorities intended to charge the activists with incitement to violence for holding a prayer meeting which had been declared illegal by the state.
The activists are due to appear in court again today over the incident, during which one opposition campaigner was shot and killed by police.
Zimbabwean information minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu was quoted on state radio as saying that the activists had attacked police and were responsible for the ensuing violence.
But members of the international community, including US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, have condemned the actions of the Zimbabwean police, saying that the violence again illustrates the "repressive" nature of President Mugabe's regime.
"The world community has again been shown that the regime of Robert Mugabe is ruthless and repressive and creates only suffering for the people of Zimbabwe," said Ms Rice in a statement.
Meanwhile British prime minister Tony Blair said the situation in Zimbabwe was a tragedy for the country's people.
Opponents of Mr Mugabe say that the 83-year-old president is responsible for the mass unemployment and hyperinflation which is crippling Zimbabwe, but he insists that western sanctions and the legacy of white supremacy in the country are to blame for the state of the south African nation, where reports about human rights abuses have continued to grow.