Injured Zanzibaris fleeing to Kenya

Injured Zanzibaris are fleeing the violence-hit islands to Kenya's port of Shimoni, in Coast province, diplomatic sources told IRIN on Tuesday. "There are reports that the injured are not being allowed in [Zanzibari] hospitals and this could have occasioned the exodus," a source said. "It has also been said that some boats suspected to be carrying the migrants are being attacked by helicopters in the Indian ocean and there are a couple of bodies floating in the waters," the source added. "About 100 people are said to have drowned as a result." The Kenya Television Network (KTN) also reported on Monday that several injured people from the island had arrived in the port of Shimoni on Sunday night in a dhow, fleeing bloody clashes between police and members of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF). Ten of the arrivals in Kenya had serious gun wounds and have been admitted to the Msambweni district hospital. They were accompanied by their relatives who said that more Zanzibaris were expected. So far, 50 people have arrived at Shimoni. KTN added that about 20 people had drowned while trying to flee. The fighting broke out on Saturday on the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, and also Dar es Salaam on the mainland, after police used heavy-handed tactics to put down opposition demonstrations. At least 30 people are said to have died in the skirmishes, including four policemen. Scores of others were injured and more than 200 arrested. A BBC report said they detainees were reportedly arraigned in a kangaroo court on Sunday night, a session which journalists were not allowed to attend. Eyewitnesses said the police presence in Zanzibar and Pemba was heavy. They were patrolling the streets and people could not leave their houses. News organisations said hospitals were instructed not to treat any of the injured. "The heavy-handedness with which the police have acted in breaking up the demonstrations is disappointing," Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania Nils-Johan Jorgensen told IRIN. He noted that the opposition had urged peaceful demonstrations calling for a re-run of last year's general elections, a new constitution and a new electoral commission for both the island and mainland. "Freedom of speech and that of holding peaceful demonstrations are provided for in the constitution. The violence is just setting very grave conditions for dialogue," Jorgensen commented. Both the country and the international community had now been plunged "into the uncertainty of where do we go from here", he added. "One would just like to see what could be done to re-establish some kind of dialogue. The Commonwealth initiative could just be a starting point." Observers say Tanzania's long standing status as a peaceful nation is steadily eroding and hopes of national cohesion are fast dwindling. The almost 10-year standoff between the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and opposition, CUF, following the latter's election defeats in 1995 and 2000 has seen the cracks widening. The CUF is particularly strong in Pemba and Zanzibar where it has presented a very stiff opposition to the ruling party. "People are shell-shocked by what happened," Swedish Ambassador to Tanzania Sten Rylander told IRIN. "The situation is still unfolding and we are still monitoring it". In a last ditch effort on Friday, to avert the tension which was building up after the arrest of CUF's national chairman, Professor Ibrahim Lipumba, European Union (EU) heads of mission in Tanzania issued a press statement expressing "deep concern". They described the arrest and assault of Lipumba and other widespread arrests and beatings by the police as worrying. Lipumba was arrested two days before Saturday's planned peaceful demonstrations by CUF supporters. Noting that the right of assembly was a fundamental human right, they "strongly urged" the governments of Tanzania and Zanzibar to discuss with the leadership of the opposition parties a framework for holding peaceful gatherings. "We also urge all parties to exercise restraint and avoid provocative actions. EU heads of mission renew their call for dialogue to find a solution acceptable to all parties," the statement said. However, the statement fell on deaf ears. Swedish Secretary of State for Development Cooperation Gun-Britt Andersson, who was in the country at the time, cancelled her trip on Saturday night. She told journalists she was "shocked and very sad about the developments". She called on the Tanzanian government to uphold democratic principles and respect for human rights. The Tanzanian government, for its part, said on Monday that the measures taken to stop the demonstrations organised by the CUF "did not violate human rights". Tanzanian radio quoted the state minister in the office of the prime minister, Ramadhani Mapuri, as saying that the steps were taken in order to "avoid more bloodshed which would have occurred had the planned demonstrations succeeded". Mapuri was issuing an official statement on the death of "16 people" during clashes between the police and the CUF supporters in Zanzibar. He said the police did not employ any "excessive or brutal means" to disperse the demonstrators, claiming the police were defending themselves in a bid to stop the demonstrators from attacking police stations. The report also said that 40 CUF supporters were on Monday arraigned in court in Dar es Salaam. It added that all those charged with offences relating to the demonstrations would appear in court on 13 February.