INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS (ICFTU)

ICFTU online...
205/101202/JL

Trade union leaders arrested in Zimbabwe, again.

Brussels, December 10, 2002 (ICFTU OnLine): In a continued programme of
harassment against trade unionists, at around 17h00 yesterday,
Zimbabwean police arrested 5 high-level members of the ICFTU-affiliated
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), including its General
Secretary, Wellington Chibhebhe. Although the detained trade unionists
were later released, the arrests are a chilling reminder of the
repression and intimidation faced by all those who do not support the
policies of President Robert Mugabe's regime.

In a recent interview with the ICFTU Wellington Chibhebhe deplored the
increasing repression against trade unionists, stating that "the ZCTU
has been equated as the opposition, wherever we go we are tailed and
even within the ZCTU it is not possible to speak freely."

His, and the other 4 arrests came against a background of steep economic
decline and on the eve of a 10 December national strike called by a
coalition of civic groups and supported by the ZCTU. Initial reports
indicate that tens of thousands of workers have joined the strike,
although in some areas, fear of reprisals by the Mugabe regime has left
workers with no option but to report to work.

The ICFTU represents 158 million workers in 231 affiliated organisations
in 150 countries and territories. ICFTU is also a member of Global
Unions: http://www.global-unions.org

For more information, please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2
224 0232 or +32 475 67 08 33.