Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the Movement for Democratic Change headed by Morgan Tsvangirai, lies wounded at a hospital in Harare yesterday. The Zimbabwean opposition legislator was badly beaten on Sunday as he tried to travel to Belgium, a day after his colleagues were stopped from taking a medical trip to South Africa, an official from his party said. - reuters
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP):
The spokesman for Zimbabwe?s main opposition leader was assaulted by security forces as he tried to leave the country yesterday, a party official said.
Nelson Chamisa, aide to Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, was assaulted at Harare International Airport as he was leaving for Belgium via London to attend a meeting of the European Union and Africa Caribbean and Pacific group in Brussels, the party?s secretary-general, Tendai Biti, said from Johannesburg.
?He was beaten on the head with iron bars. There was blood all over his face. He is in a critical condition at a private hospital in Harare,? Biti said.
The assault follows the re-arrests at the airport Saturday of three opposition activists, who were allegedly assaulted along with Tsvangirai when police broke up a March 11 protest meeting.
Terrorists
Meanwhile, President Robert Mugabe accused the opposition of being terrorists supported by Britain and the West, and Tsvangirai said the crisis in Zimbabwe had reached a ?tipping point?.
Grace Kwinje and Sekai Holland, among the most severely injured in last week?s incident, were prevented from leaving to receive medical care, and Arthur Mutambara, leader of an opposition faction, was later also arrested at the airport.
Harrison Nkomo, a lawyer for Mutambara, said Sunday his client was being kept at the Harare central police station, and that he was being charged with inciting public violence in relation to last week?s incident.
He said lawyers were to apply to the High Court Monday morning for an urgent interdict to have him released.
?His detention is illegal and we want it declared unlawful and for him to be released forthwith,? Nkomo said.
