Violence on campus

Zimbabwe students make themselves heard - with songs and stones

While British PM Gordon Brown was in New York accusing Mugabe of trying to steal the election, anti-Mugabe violence broke out here yesterday for the first time since the vote. Students at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo rioted in protest over the delayed results.

With more than two weeks gone, and still no announcement, the students began their protest by gathering outside the university buildings and singing songs denouncing the Zanu-PF regime. Then they began to stone the buildings.

University spokesman Busani Bufana, while confirming that there were disturbances on campus, refused to say how much damage was done. But it is known that the college food shop had its windows and doors broken, and its stock looted.

College authorities called the police, who subsequently arrested five students, and detained them at Bulawayo Central police station. A police source told me: "We are following leads to see who incited the violence. We believe it was sparked off by the Students' Representative Council.

A student leader told me: "Until the election results are known, there will be no classes at this campus. Mugabe should know that, as students, we are prepared to die for democracy in our country."

Elsewhere in Zimbabwe yesterday at least 50 supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, including a newly-elected MP, were arrested.

White farmers - the 200 or so still trying to farm in Zimbabwe - were also coming under increasing attack from the so-called War Veterans. About 120 have had their land occupied, either in whole or in part, since the latest action against them began.

Trevor Gifford, President of the Commercial Farmers' Union, has himself come under attack. "Yesterday I had 20 Zanu-PF youths chasing my staff and trying to kill them," he said, adding that local farmers were "scared out of their wits."

Comments

[Big Daddy]

The Brits and Yanks are too soft. Maybe they should pay Mossad some cash to smuggle weapons into Zim to overthrow that black Hitler. Mossad have got big balls and could be quite useful in inciting some real violence against Zanu and their croonies. I'd like to see that!!