She was so badly beaten across her breasts that they swelled for days and later pus accumulated inside them. She had to visit the hospital everyday for almost a week to get the pus squeezed out. Jane* had committed the “serious crime” of participating in a demonstration to demand that the voices of ordinary Zimbabweans be included in the SADC mediated talks.

Little Trish may well go down in the annals of this country as among the youngest individuals ever to be arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). Only 3 months old and with only two nappies at hand, she and her mother were illegally detained for four days in prison. Learning of this cruelty through the media, well-wishers donated some nappies but the police decided Trish had no right to clean diapers and kept them away.

This is what life has typically become for members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA – meaning “come forward”). Illegal detentions, assault, death threats, physical and mental torture, humiliating and degrading treatment, you name it. Anything to break the spirit of these human rights defenders who’ve succeeded in becoming a nuisance to state agents while fighting for the rights of all of us.

These women are often incarcerated in extremely bad conditions where they are deliberately crowded into police cells designed for much smaller numbers. The cells are filthy, containing human excrement, fleas and lice. The blankets – if provided – are in the same condition. The toilet normally doesn’t flush and the women are denied sanitary pads.

In detention they also undergo degrading treatment like being forced to remove underwear – a particular fetish for some police officers. They are tortured through falanga – beating the feet soles of their feet, or are made to stand for long periods with bent knees (known as air chairs).

WOZA has thus just released a damning report: The Effects of Fighting Repression with Love that documents the nature and extent of violence experienced by WOZA at the hands of repressive state apparatus (police, army, and intelligence).

According to Wozani Moyo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, “The targeted abuse at WOZA is systematic and meant to weaken democratic movement in the country.” It is also meant to intimidate and deter them from participating in further civic action.

But WOZA women are determined. They have persevered in spite of recurrent harassment and mistreatment. They withstand the pain and are prepared to suffer anytime for the sake of a brighter future for their children, and to stand up for their rights. According to WOZA, this is “tough love” which is an appropriate response to the crisis in Zimbabwe and a cause to apply pressure upon the Zimbabwe government through peaceful protest.

The report not only seeks to document abuses against WOZA women; it also aims to bring to the attention of Zimbabweans and the international community at large their bravery in trying to make a difference.

With a membership of over 55 000, WOZA continue on their journey to demand freedom chanting slogans like Strike A Woman, Strike A Rock!

*Not her real name

This entry was posted on March 20th, 2008 at 3:00 pm by Natasha Msonza and is filed under Activism, Uncategorized, Women's issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.