Zim soldiers attack civilians in Harare

COMMENT - This makes about as much sense as the Brooks Brothers Riot. " The soldiers also accused people of doing nothing about the crisis in the country. " I guess they're with the MDC?

Zim soldiers attack civilians in Harare
Written by Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 9:10:41 AMZ

A GROUP of uniformed soldiers from the Zimbabwe Army on Monday ran amok in the capital Harare and attacked civilians whom they questioned how they were surviving when members of the defence forces were finding life hard. The dramatic incident caused mayhem in the city and almost sparked riots, but armed military police had to be called in to quell the situation.

Scores of unarmed soldiers, estimated to be over 200, were said to have caused similar incidents on Saturday and promised to return on Monday. Eyewitnesses said the soldiers went berserk after they couldn't withdraw their monthly salaries from the banks.

They assaulted people, mainly civilians and foreign currency dealers, questioning where they were accessing the scarce Zimbabwean dollar that they were changing on the streets when the banks' withdrawal limits were only Z$500,000 (about 15 US cents at yesterday's rate).

The soldiers also accused people of doing nothing about the crisis in the country. They randomly beat up and kicked everyone they came across.

Witnesses said the soldiers were dropped in army trucks and buses across the city before they started their attacks.

Chanting "the war is on" and "attack", the troops ran through the streets and punched and knocked down foreign currency dealers and bystanders.

Some dealers and youths loitering in the streets retaliated, hurling stones and other missiles at the soldiers, causing chaotic scenes.

Several shops were damaged and looted but military police were quickly called in, who fired tear gas to disperse both the soldiers and civilians.

There was no official comment from the army or the police despite repeated attempts to secure them, but Murdoch Chivasa, a spokesperson of the National Constitution Assembly, described the acts as "anarchy and lawlessness."

"Today's protest by members of the national army is a clear testimony that the state security is in danger. It is a clear signal that if nothing is done in the next few days, the country might degenerate in chaos and hubbub."

Chivasa said the solution was an immediate action by SADC and the Zimbabwean political parties in setting up a transitional authority with the chief mandate of averting the humanitarian catastrophe ravaging the country.

"The NCA notes sadly that the breakdown in the security system comes at a time when the government is ball-watching as cholera and anthrax threatens the existence of the nation, threatening to wipe out the whole populace. It is in this wake that the NCA calls for a transitional authority to be put in place to avert impending anarchy," he said.