Web shutdown aims to stifle dissent
Zimbabwe imposed a ‘‘total internet shutdown’’ for most of yesterday in what critics called an attempt to hide growing reports of a violent crackdown on protests against a dramatic fuel price increase.
Badly injured people streamed into a hospital in the capital, Harare, and rights groups said at least 12 people had been killed this week.
Petrol in the economically shattered country is now the world’s most expensive, and since Tuesday Zimbabweans have heeded a nationwide call shared on social media to stay at home in protest. Others took to the streets.
Since then, graphic reports have emerged of security forces targeting activists and labour leaders while the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa blames the opposition for the unrest.
Access to the internet and popular social media apps like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp has been intermittently blocked as the country’s largest telecom company, Econet, sends customers text messages relaying the government’s orders and calling the situation ‘‘beyond our reasonable control’’.
The shutdown cut off crucial access to the electronic bank deposits that Zimbabwe’s struggling government, without a national currency, uses to pay teachers and other public workers.
Some people said they stayed home this week because they were running out of money to afford even a bus fare.
As the few shops that are open run out of basic necessities such as bread, hungry Zimbabweans who have ventured out in search of food risk confrontations with security forces.
More than 600 people have been arrested, among them a prominent pastor and activist, Evan Mawarire, who has supported the protests on social media and faces a possible 20 years in prison on a subversion charge.
Mawarire called it ‘‘heartbreaking’’ to see the new government acting like that of long-time former leader Robert Mugabe, whose repressive regime also charged Mawarire with subversion.
For the second time since Mnangagwa took office, the military is in the streets to put down protests – a sight rarely seen during Mugabe’s 37-year rule.
In addition to the 12 people killed this week, at least 78 had been shot and more than 240 had faced ‘‘assault, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment’’, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said yesterday.
The demonstrations amounted to ‘‘terrorism’’, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said.