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'Overreaction' Zimbabwe death toll rises to 13; political tension cited
Posted: Monday July 10, 2000 06:35 PM
HARARE (Reuters) -- President Robert Mugabe on Monday blamed Zimbabwe's main opposition party for the deaths of 13 soccer fans in a stampede, after police fired tear gas during a World Cup qualifier against South Africa. State-owned television announced one more death on Monday to add to the overnight toll of 12, and seven people remained in hospital, four in critical condition. Police announced a board of inquiry amid growing criticism that its men overreacted when provoked by taunts from supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) at Zimbabwe's match against arch-rivals South Africa. "There has already been finger-pointing from various quarters aimed at the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Let the nation be assured that there is nothing that is going to be swept under the carpet," Police Chief Superintendent Wayne Bvudzijena said in a statement.
The trouble broke out -- and the game was abandoned -- shortly after South Africa took a 2-0 lead in the 82nd minute. Although he did not mention the MDC by name, Mugabe pointed an accusing finger at the party. "It is quite disturbing to hear that the people who sparked off the disturbances were members of a planted group that had been taking advantage of the huge crowd to sloganeer and exhibit their symbols," Mugabe said in a statement. "I wish to express our apologies to the South African public and their gallant victorious team for our shocking and unseemly behavior which disrupted what had gone on as a clean game. "Sport should never turn into warfare." Police blamedThe MDC loosened Mugabe's 20-year-old stranglehold on power in voting two weeks ago, cutting his overwhelming parliamentary majority to just 62 of the 120 seats up for election. "What happened is totally unacceptable. The police overreacted and it is clear that some of these officers are partisan in their attitudes," said MDC spokesman Learnmore Jongwe. Health Minister Timothy Stamps said earlier on Monday that the police and match organizers were to blame. "It was an accident which should have been avoided...the police reacted far too extensively. I also blame the organizers because that stadium has problems with the exits which are too small," he told state-owned television. Television reported that the dead included five women, four men and three boys. It gave no details of the 13th victim. Witnesses said people in the crowd had shouted opposition slogans during the pre-match singing of the national anthem, or given the MDC salute and shouted slogans during the match. "The police may have been irritated by that," soccer fan Eddie Katanga said. A football official who declined to be named said police had appeared to try to prevent people fleeing. 'Exits blocked'"Police were deliberately targeting the exits where the people were trying to flee. Ambulances couldn't get into the stadium perimeter," the official said. Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said: "Obviously we are concerned but we will only make a full statement once we have received reports from the commanding officer [on the scene]." Zimbabwe Football Association president Leo Mugabe, a nephew and business associate of the president, said soccer officials was meeting on Monday to assess the tragedy. After the meeting on Monday, the association said it would submit a report on the match to soccer's world governing body FIFA on Tuesday. Reuters soccer correspondent Mark Gleeson said tension had built as Zimbabwe failed to equalize after South Africa took an early lead, and erupted into chaos and missile-throwing when Delron Buckley scored South Africa's second goal. "Buckley was slightly hurt and bottles and missiles just rained down on him and the team doctor. "The Zimbabwe team bench also came under fire and after about 90 seconds of this, one policeman fired a tear gas canister into the stand," he said. "Then the other policemen began firing and firing." Spectators spilled on to the pitch to escape the fumes and several were themselves hit by flying objects. Soon fans were lying on benches, stretchers and on the earth, some moaning in pain as they waited for medics to treat the most serious injuries first.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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