South African Police Planted Weapons on Dead Protesters, Inquiry Told
Police in South Africa have been accused of planting weapons on the bodies of mine workers killed during a pay rise strikes at the Lonmin platinum mines in Marikana, west of the capital, Pritoria.
34 miners were gunned down by police on August 16 after workers at the British-owned Lonmin platinum mines went on wildcat strike demanding higher pay, in the bloodiest ever police action since end of the racial apartheid era more than 20 years ago.
Previously before the police shooting, ten people including two police officers were killed at the same mine during three days of clashes involving members of two rival unions. 270 arrested mineworkers were charged with murder of their colleagues by the police under apartheid-era "common purpose" rule, prompting a major public outcry.
A judge-led inquiry was appointed by President Jacob Zuma to investigate all the 44 deaths, which also saw the freeing of the arrested workers over suspension of the charges pending outcome of the inquiry.
The court in Johannesburg saw video footage which showed dead bodies of miners with their hands handcuffed behind their backs. A lawyer representing families of the victims told the inquiry that photos taken by the police, presented to the inquiry suggested large knives had been placed near their bodies after they had been shot.
"The evidence clearly showed there is at least a strong prima facie case that there has been an attempt to defeat the ends of justice," lawyer George Bizos was quoted by the Sapa news agency, telling the court.
The police say they have begun an investigation into the allegations, adding that they had been aware of the photographs since they were handed to the inquiry two weeks ago.
The Marikana event caused a huge stir in South Africa, attracting comparisons with apartheid era policing. The police said they opened fire on the striking miners after being threatened by the protesters who advanced towards them, armed with machetes and clubs.
The Marikana strike attracted a widespread of unrest over increase of wages into other mines across South Africa, rocking the country’s highly lucrative mining industry.
Later in September the workers struck a deal with the owners of Lonmin on a 22 % increase of their initial pay of between 4,000 and 5,000 rand ($486-$608) a month, and resumed work after six weeks of closure of operations at the mines.
Libya: Rival Militias Clash in the Capital
The two rival groups were part of the revolutionary movement that ousted Col Gaddafi from power, but have since among several other groups under the Supreme Security Committee (SSC), refused to join the official police or army saying that they were still run by Gaddafi loyalists.
Heavy gun and rocket fire took place from early morning through to the afternoon in the heart of the city, prompting residents to arm themselves after calls to the police went unheeded. At least five people were wounded and a former intelligence building that now belongs to the SSC was set on fire and looted in the clashes.
Some fighters say the clash was over detention of a rival militia member whom they had come to free, while others said the SSC headquarters had been occupied by a group identified as Support Unit No.8 led by Mohamed al-Warfali.
"Mohamed al-Warfali and his lawless group of men have occupied the SSC building and refuse to come out," said militia member Mohamed al-Himrazy who accused Warfali's group of breaking SSC rules.
After more than 12 hours troops numbering almost 200 from the Libyan army moved in to restore order, taking over control of the SSC building.
The SSC run and paid for by the Libyan Interior Ministry, was set up last year to try to regulate armed groups, remains much better armed than the official police. The ministry has repeatedly promised to disarm the militias but has yet to do so, to the disgust of many Libyans.
The weekend clash has underscored the challenges the new Libyan government faces at the hands of the militias who still remain heavily armed a year after end of the revolution with the capture and murder of Col Gaddafi.
The semi-official militias in Libya still hold a great deal of power and have since end of the uprising, been clashing in other Libyan towns over control of territories and trial of fighters loyal to Col Gaddafi.
Elsewhere on Sunday, a car bomb exploded in front of a police station in
Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara has ordered police not to arrest or prosecute homosexuals pending the parliamentary debate on the issue. Before the order, same-sex acts carried a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.
"If we continue arresting and prosecuting people based on the said laws and later such laws are found to be unconstitutional, it would be an embarrassment to government," Mr Kasambara told Reuters news agency.
The authorities hope that the suspension of the legislation will encourage public debate and help parliament make better decision, but the move is seen to be unpopular with many religious leaders in
Western leaders have said they would cut aid to African countries where homosexuality practice is illegal, if they fail to recognize gay rights.
In 2010 two Malawian men were arrested and charged with public indecency after they publicly announced that they were getting married, attracting widespread condemnation from international community.
The two were pardoned by then president Bingu wa Mutharika who died of heart attack earlier this year on humanitarian grounds in the crime he termed as against “our culture, religion and against the law.”
Incumbent President Joyce Banda who succeeded Mutharika had promised in her first state-of-the-nation address to parliament that some laws regarding indecent practices and unnatural acts will be repealed as a matter of urgency.