As part of a continued effort to repress civic organizations, government security forces raided the headquarters of the Zimbabwe Trade Union Congress and beat and arrested opposition leaders during a peaceful march and prayer vigil.

"Workers are marching to protest the violation of their fundamental human rights," said Solidarity Center Executive Director Ellie Larson in a press release. "With 1,700 percent inflation, workers are desperate to provide food and shelter for their families. The ZCTU represents these workers and is seeking a peaceful dialogue with the Zimbabwe government to find solutions to the economic and social crisis and to end the suffering of millions of workers."

On Sunday, March 11, 2007, members of the ZCTU, the Movement for Democratic Change, and other democratic civil society organizations were severely beaten and arrested when they tried to attend a prayer vigil in a Harare township. One youth activist was killed. Two days later, police and national security officers ransacked ZCTU headquarters, assaulting three ZCTU staff members and arresting another. The attack came during the ZCTU's ongoing discussions with the country’s Labor Minister and other government officials about finding solutions to the increasing economic crisis.

"The Zimbabwe government needs to respect fundamental worker and human rights in its country," said Larson. "We call on the government to end the use of arrests and excessive force to silence the ZCTU and other opposition organizations."

The attacks are the most recent in an ongoing campaign of government repression.

Read the March 16, 2007, Solidarity Center press release

On September 14, 2006, police brutally attacked ZCTU leaders during a peaceful demonstration. Watch the video  

In June 2005, the Solidarity Center interviewed North Carolina AFL-IO President James Andrews about his life-changing trip to Zimbabwe as part of a Solidarity Center exchange program.