The gay and lesbian community in Zimbabwe has added its voice to calls for the police to desist from using force against political activists, saying the incidents of July 4 and 6 should never be repeated.
In a statement late on Thursday, the Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) said the climate of violence and impunity that currently prevailed in the country was shocking.
“We would like to reaffirm our abhorrence for any form of organised violence against the citizens of this country and we insist that such incidents must never again be repeated. Citizens in Zimbabwe are not puppets or agents of foreign forces, as Government would have everyone believe,” GALZ said.
They said government should be responsive to the needs of all Zimbabweans, adding that the struggle by civic groups and democracy activists was for the benefit of all the country’s people.
“GALZ calls on the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to act swiftly to condemn and investigate the conduct of the police during this peaceful protest. We also call on the ministry of home affairs to investigate the conduct of police whose unwarranted use of torture on the peaceful protesters,” GALZ said.
It said it was now clear that Zimbabweans had come to the realisation that government and leaders belonged to them and not vise-versa.
GALZ members have been on the receiving end of police brutality and have frequently suffered insult from m President Robert Mugabe who refers to them as worse than pigs and dogs.
As a protest strike against Mugabe’s economic policies last week brought Harare to a halt, police fired teargas to disperse people and reportedly arrested 20.
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