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news report
 Friday March 22, 2002 15:35 by Gino - SWP swp at clubi dot ie
 ISO Activists Arrested by Tafadzwa Friday March 22, 2002 at 08:00 AM Latest news on arrests of ISO activists. Yesterday morining 5 I.S.O. members were arrested at the National Univerity of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo for supporting the ZCTU 3 day stayaway by calling students to also embark on a class boycott. The five are John Briggs Bomba the national co-ordinator of I.S.O. Students Union who is also the president of the National Union of University Students (NUUS), Bernard Mupamba the co-ordinator of Bulawayo Students Against Privatisation (SAP), Tendai Jeka, Richard Nyengera and Agrippa. They are being charged under the draconian P.O.S.A. section 17 for "disrupting lessons and inciting students" at NUST. They are being held at Bulawayo central police station. The cdes have also been severly beaten by the police in cells. The police have refused to take them to court today because they want to keep them for the weekend and also further assulting them. Their arrests mark the third consecutive day that opponents of the government have been targetted. On it Tuesday, Wellington Chibhebhe of ZCTU and Philip Pasirayi with 2 other students from University of Zimbabwe were respectively picked up by police. Wednesday - it was Morgan Tsvangirai and Ranson Gasela hauled before the courts -Today NUUS leader Bomba saw his turn. We strongly condem these arrests and also the continuating of violence in the townships that has seen the attack of several activists. We are calling for the immediate release of the 5 arrested comrades. Midlands State University has already started a class boycott in solidarity with the arrested students. Though students at NUST closed today for 1 week break they were on class boycott on Wednesday and Thursday. This afternoon I.S.O. and SAP members together with other activists are staging a peacefull demonstration outside the police station. We need not to give Mugabe and his government confidence in attacking workers, students and the ordinary people esp after the failed stayaway. Thank you http://www.voiceoftheturtle.org/iso
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Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3Could you please tell me the tactics of the ISO while working within the MDC.
Is the ISO opposing the rightwing neo liberal policies of the MDC leadership? How are they doing this, what programme are the ISO arguing for, is it a socialist programme?
Does the ISO argue for the MDC to break from the large landlords and big business?
by ISO Zimbabwe Tuesday March 19, 2002 at 03:50 PM
We will not wait for another 6 years! Workers, students & youths smash Zanu (PF) & neoliberalism now!
Socialist Worker
General Strike Now!
We welcome the call by ZCTU General Council for 3 days stayaway. The time for mourning is over comrades, we cannot accept Mugabe to rule us for another six years. As admittted by The Herald, Mugabe is now trying to please his real masters ... the IMF. Already he is lifting price controls with soft drinks, beer already up and bread, cooking oil, mealie-meal, electricity next. It is correct six years is too much. Kusiri kufa ndekupi? - already we are starving because of shortages. On 18 March the new tuition policy and privatisation of catering will be waiting for students. Student activists have been expelled, whilst dictators like Hill are to be re-appointed. Teachers are already under massive victimisation. Fascist laws like POSA are denying us our right to freedom of assembly (strike, demonstrations and labor meetings). Whilst Mugabe has already signed the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill into an Act his government refuses to pass a new Labour Act that protects casual / contract workers and guarantees a living minimum wage linked to inflation. We say Servants of the Rich and IMF Must Go!
When Reg. General Mudede declared Mugabe the winner many people felt like he was passing a death sentence. Some cried and sad faces were the order of the day. Nobody worried about their normal day to day activities. Many left work early and by noon most towns were like ghost towns.
Even though most people were angry there has so far not been major demonstrations or stayaway. This is not because the people don’t want to fight back. In Mbare, Highfield and Chitungwiza there has already been action ... but without determined leadership this has been quickly crashed. The problem is that leaders of the opposition and the labour movement, unlike in MADAGASCAR, are failing to give direction or openly call for mass action/ stayaway as mandated by the masses - instead they hang on western imperialist aprons or pray for a government of national unity with the dictator. Comrades this is not the time for cowards or imperialist bootlickers.. those who can’t stand the heat must get out of the kitchen now! The question that people are asking is “another six years, todii veduwe? (What should we do?)
Way Forward
The way forward is to go back to the traditions of 1997 - 98. Without any opposition MPs’ we managed to reverse the proposed taxes and won a 20% cost of living adjustment through mass action - general strikes. In Madagascar today and Serbia in 2000, mass action booted out dictactors who had stolen elections. This is what we must do now ... 3 days stayaway by ZCTU is not enough. ZCTU and Zinasu must call for an indefinate general strike, class boycott and mass action supported by a united front of progressive organistions. But if mass action is to succeed we have to avoid the mistakes made by the MDC leaders in the elections. Whilst the MDC leaders courted support from the bosses, commercial farmers, the western imperialists/IMF (Bridge) and unclear on the land issue, Mugabe built his support by his fake anti-imperialist stance on the land question, price controls, a minimum wage and “retreat” from IMF neo-liberal policies(ESAP). In the general strike we must demand both democracy and bread and butter issues. Let us start this process of not recognising the Mugabe government by demanding:-
1. The non recognition of the Mugabe government - No to a government of “National Unity!”
2. Right to education - reversal of tuition fees, privatisation and reinstatement of expelled students.
3. A new Labour Act and minimum wage linked to inflation and for the right to strike.
4. New democratic and anti-neoliberal constitution. Land to all peasants, full compensation to farm workers.
5. No to price increases, devaluation & privatization. Smash ESAP and Capitalism
Shinga Mushandi/Mudzidzi! Qina Msebenzi/Umfundi! Socialism Ndizvo!
Issued by I.S.O. and supported by ZINASU, PTUZ, Students Against Privatisation, National Union of University Students. Workers in engineering, printing, textiles & construction. For details phone: 704209, isozim@hotmail.com, P.O. Box 6758 Harare. Photocopy , fax and distribute
".....boycott and mass action supported by a united front of progressive organistions"
It sounds a bit like popular frontism to me. What about the independence of the Working Class movement? Surely the ISO must have learned the lessons of Spain in 30's, China in 20's, Chile in 1973 .....
Throughout the history of working class struggle whenever the workers' parties have collabarated and entered into popular fronts it has lead to a catastrophic defeat of the working class.
The workers MUST maintain a clear independent organisation and line.