Pemba Killings (December 01, 2004)
Pemba Killings (Dec 01, 2004)
A 16-year old boy, Juma Omar Juma, has been killed and two other people seriously injured during the voters registration exercise in Pemba. It is believed that the three were shot by soldiers from the Zanzibar's Coastguards (KMKM), apparently acting through orders from government authorities.
We have the bullet-riddled picture of the late Juma Omar Juma but cannot post it on the web. If you would like to spread the word in the spirit of respecting human rights, please write to the webmaster for a copy of the picture.
Zanzibar Law Society (Press Release)
ZANZIBAR LAW SOCIETY
P. O. Box 3186 Zanzibar
Tel. 0747 412060 Fax. (024) 2239118
Bwawani Hotel, Ground Floor, Suite No 107
Date: 2nd December, 2004
PRESS RELEASE
Yesterday, Wednesday December 1, 2004 one Zanzibari was killed by gunshot and two others were seriously wounded by live bullets fired to them by members of Zanzibar Paramilitary forces. According to news release by both Government owned Television and Radio Zanzibar and private media, this event took place at Ng'ombeni - Mbuyuni Centre, in the South Region of Pemba.
We haste to make this press release based on the information we have so far collected from media because we, in the Zanzibar Law Society, are shocked by these horrible news taking place in the first week of voters registration to the Permanent Voters Register.
We are horrified that a member or members of the paramilitary force would open fire to citizens who are protesting against registration of those military personnel. We ask ourselves why these military men or women went to the Registration Centre with loaded arms. We ask ourselves whether they went for registration or to keep the peace. But if it were for registration, then the Election law prohibits them from carrying arms the same way ordinary citizens are not allowed to go with their machetes or knives.
The question still lingers: why would they carry arms; were they authorized by their commanding officer or they acted on their own.
We are equally baffled and shocked by the statement given by the Regional Police Commander, who said the police heard sounds of gunshots around 10.00 hours on Wednesday December 1 and when they arrived at the scene, they found one person aged 16 dead and two others wounded. We ask ourselves where were these good Police officers when the shooting took place; are not they supposed to be at registration centres to ensure the smooth conduct of registration exercise and protection of the citizens? Why we are not told of any arrests or whether it was a stray bullet or bullets.
The Zanzibar Law Society strongly condemns the killing and the wounding of innocent civilians by members of the Paramilitary. We cannot see any justification of killing an innocent civilian. By innocent civilian, we mean any person who has not been convicted by a duly constituted court of law.
We trust our law enforcement organs will work to bring to justice the perpetrators of this gruesome act so that people should feel free to get themselves registered as required by the Electoral law.
Zanzibar has already seen too much bloodshed over politics and election processes. We call upon all leaders of political parties and powers that be, to be more responsible in their words and deeds. Let Zanzibar be not enslaved by its dark history. Let us prove them wrong all those who seriously believe that the 2005 General Elections will be marred with irregularities and drenched in blood.
We urge the Zanzibar Electoral Commission to ensure that the Electoral laws are observed by all and that it is the rule of law and not the rule of jungle which prevails towards a better, free and safer Zanzibar.
GOD BLESS ZANZIBAR
GOD BLESS TANZANIA
Salum Toufiq
President, ZLS
CC: Hon. Chief Justice;
Hon. Attorney General;
Hon. DPP;
President, Tanganyika Law Society;
President, East Africa Law Society;
CEO, East Africa Law Society
Paramilitary Commander Stabbed to Death
At 8:00 pm on Thursday, December 02, 2004, the commander of CCM's paramilitary, Maj Ayoub Mohamed Suleiman was stabbed to death in Chake Chake, Pemba. The paramilitary group together with other forces of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government have been involved in acts of violence against civilians during the voters registration exercise in Pemba.
Excerpt from CUF's Press Release
The Civic United Front (CUF) has received firm evidence from its representatives in Pemba and from media reports that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar or Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar (SMZ) in Swahili is engaged in some evil political machinations during the ongoing process of voters registration in Pemba. The evil acts are orchestrated by SMZ through members of the Zanzibar Coastguards (KMKM), National Service or Jeshi la Kujenga Uchumi (JKU) in Swahili and CCM paramilitary or Kikosi cha Valantia (KV) in Swahili.
Read the whole report in Swahili ...