ZIMBABWE: THOUSANDS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS HOLD ELECTION RALLY IN AN EVENT TWICE AS BIG AS THE RULING PARTY'S MAIN EVENT

Record ID: 215541

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: THOUSANDS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS HOLD ELECTION RALLY IN AN EVENT TWICE AS BIG AS THE RULING PARTY'S MAIN EVENT
  • Date: 18th June 2000
  • Summary: HARARE, ZIMBABWE (JUNE 18, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. TRACK SUPPORTERS OF THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC)ARRIVNING FOR THE RALLY 0.09 2. MV POLICE SPEAKING ON LOUDSPEAKER AT MDC RALLY 0.17 3. SLV MDC SUPPORTERS DANCING ATOP BUS 0.29 4. MV MDC SUPPORTERS DANCING/ CHANTING IN SHONE "SLAUGHTER SLAUGHTER" 0.40 5.
  • Embargoed: 3rd July 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HARARE, ZIMBABWE
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Reuters ID: LVA3DRYNCQK5XR7ZPFA0I6UG5SNH
  • Story Text: Thousands of Zimbabwe opposition supporters have
    crammed Harare's independence stadium for an election rally
    twice as big as the ruling party's main event.



    Jubilant Zimbabwe opposition supporters gathered at the
    Rufaro stadium in Harare on Sunday (June 18) for an election
    rally before parliamentary elections next weekend.

    European Union observers estimated the crowd at around
    10,000 an hour before Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
    leader Morgan Tsvangirai was due to speak.

    On Saturday, ruling ZANU-PF officials apologised publicly
    to President Robert Mugabe for the poor turnout of around
    5,000 at his major Harare rally before the elections.

    The mood at Sunday's MDC rally briefly turned ugly when
    party supporters accused a man in their midst of involvement
    in the abduction and assault earlier in the day of MDC
    supporters heading for the rally.

    A mob chased the man, who later gave his name as Felix,
    against a chainlink fence protecting the playing field and
    beat and kicked him until police with dogs drove them back and
    rescued the man.

    At least 29 people, mostly opposition supporters, have
    died in political violence linked to the election campaign and
    the invasion of hundreds of white-owned farms by
    pro-government militants since February.

    Before the rally, police set up roadblocks on routes
    towards the stadium where Britain's Union Jack flag came down
    in 1980, searching cars and questioning drivers.

    Mugabe acknowledged on Saturday for the first time that
    his ZANU-PF party faced a strong challenge in Harare province,
    which holds 19 of the 120 seats at stake in the June 24-25
    poll.

    A poll published on Friday suggested the MDC was poised to
    win 70 of the 120 contested parliamentary seats, but
    government ministers have dismissed the survey. Under the
    constitution, Mugabe appoints another 30 members to
    parliament.

    Most of the parliamentary seats are in rural areas where
    pro-government militants have employed strong-arm tactics
    against rural voters, warning there will be reprisals if the
    MDC wins.

    During the election campaign, thousands of Zimbabwean
    villagers have fled their homes to escape a terror campaign
    that human rights monitors have said is orchestrated by senior
    members of Mugabe's party and government.

    They said more than 13,000 rural people had sought refuge
    in towns and cities to escape political violence in the run-up
    to the poll and others had had their identity books destroyed
    by government supporters, making it impossible for them to
    vote.

    Mugabe has vowed to press ahead with the land invasions
    after the election, but denied responsibility for the violence
    and urged party supporters to campaign peacefully.

    (ANY/RL)

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