TUC Protests over mass arrests of trade unionists in Harare.

HE Mr Gabriel Mharadze Machinga
Ambassador
Zimbabwe House
429 Strand
London WC2R 0JR

Dear Ambassador

Arrests and Assaults of Trade Unionists in Harare

On behalf of the TUC General Council, I write to express our outrage over the arrests of, and assaults on, a number of trade unionists including Mr Wellington Chibebe, General Secretary, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions by the Zimbabwean Police today (03 Dec. 08) following their handover of a petition to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

Our information is that Gertrude Hambira, General Secretary, General Agricultural and Plantation Workers' Union, Angeline Chitambo, President, Zimbabwe Energy Workers' Union, Tecla Masamba of Communications and Allied Workers' Union of Zimbabwe, Martha Kajama of National Engineering Workers' Union of Zimbabwe, Mirriam Katumba of the Women's Advisory Council and a number of other prominent trade unionists have been arrested and assaulted today.

As we have pointed out to you on numerous occasions in the past, the arrests of, and assaults on, trade unionists over activities pertaining to the exercise of their legitimate rights and duties constitute a gross violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98(1998) and Convention 87 (2003), is obliged to observe the workers' rights enshrined in them. These incidents will, no doubt, tarnish the image of your country and further aggravate the current crisis, making national dialogue and reconciliation even more difficult.

We urge you to pass on our deep concern over the colleagues concerned to your Government, and use your influence with the authorities to ensure that they are released unharmed without delay and that all Zimbabweans are allowed to exercise their democratic rights without interference from the State.

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Barber
General Secretary