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Zimbabwe opposition accuses government of brutal crackdown | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Zimbabwe's opposition says its members have been victims of a brutal crackdown in response to violent protests against a sharp rise in the price of fuel. | |
Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa said many of its members had been detained including four MPs. | |
He said security forces had attacked families in their homes. | |
The government has blamed the MDC for stoking the violence. Rights groups say at least 12 people have been killed but this has not been officially confirmed. | |
The trade union umbrella group that called the protests, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, says its leader, Japhet Moyo, has also been arrested. | |
Earlier it emerged that South Africa had rejected a request from Zimbabwe for an emergency loan of $1.2bn (£932m) in December. | |
The government had hoped the cash would help stabilise the economy and resolve fuel shortages in the country. | |
On Sunday, the government said the security forces' actions were just "a foretaste of things to come". | |
News of the violent crackdown emerged despite the country's internet, including social media and messaging apps, being cut off. | News of the violent crackdown emerged despite the country's internet, including social media and messaging apps, being cut off. |
Speaking to the state-owned Sunday Mail newspaper, a presidential spokesman blamed the MDC for the violence that has accompanied the protests. | |
"The MDC leadership has been consistently pushing out the message that they will use violent street action to overturn the results of [last year's] ballot," George Charamba said. | "The MDC leadership has been consistently pushing out the message that they will use violent street action to overturn the results of [last year's] ballot," George Charamba said. |
The opposition rejected a court ruling in August that confirmed that President Mnangagwa had beaten Mr Chamisa. | The opposition rejected a court ruling in August that confirmed that President Mnangagwa had beaten Mr Chamisa. |
What is the opposition saying? | |
"There is no justification whatsoever of having soldiers with live ammunition, with guns, machine guns, AK47 on the streets, beating up citizens," Mr Chamisa told the BBC. | |
"People are being approached in their homes, they are being taken out of their homes with their families even if they are sleeping... a lot of people have been arrested for no apparent reason." | |
The MDC's national chairperson, Thabitha Khumalo, said that she had gone into hiding after the police and military turned up at her home at night. | |
Why has the fuel price increased? | Why has the fuel price increased? |
Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa announcement of a steep increase in the fuel price over a week ago led to angry protests in the capital, Harare, and the south-western city of Bulawayo. | |
The price rise was aimed at tackling shortages caused by an increase in fuel use and "rampant" illegal trading, he said. | |
But many Zimbabweans, worn down by years of economic hardship, suddenly found they could not even afford the bus fare to work. | But many Zimbabweans, worn down by years of economic hardship, suddenly found they could not even afford the bus fare to work. |
The new prices mean Zimbabwe now has the most expensive fuel in the world, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com | The new prices mean Zimbabwe now has the most expensive fuel in the world, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com |
Many feel that the president, who has been on a tour of Russia and Asian countries, is failing to live up to his promises following his election last year in disputed polls. | |
He has been struggling to revive the economy, which is experiencing high inflation while wages have stagnated. | He has been struggling to revive the economy, which is experiencing high inflation while wages have stagnated. |
The president has now cut short his foreign tour to return home "in light of the economic situation", he said on Twitter. | |
Access to the internet was intermittent throughout the week, but people found they were unable to use social media and the WhatsApp messaging platform, which has become a common way to share news. | Access to the internet was intermittent throughout the week, but people found they were unable to use social media and the WhatsApp messaging platform, which has become a common way to share news. |