Police Brutality in Tanzania: The World has a Right to know!

The Informer · Nov 15, 2011

Naomba wana JF tufananishe editorial hii iliyotoka kwenye gazeti binafsi la THISDAY la Januari 17, 2011, na ile iliyotoka gazeti la serikali la Daily News kusema "Shame upon you Chadema" kuhusu mauaji ya raia Arusha...

Who is policing the Tanzania Police Force?

ON January 5, this year, police shot dead at least two unarmed civilians and left a dozen others nursing gunshot wounds following street demonstrations organised by Tanzania's main opposition party, CHADEMA.

Apart from shooting to kill, riot police kicked, punched and repeatedly clubbed scores of demonstrators, including women, some of whom sustained head injuries and other horrid wounds.

Disturbing television footage and photographs from the Arusha demonstrations highlighted a police brutality of epic proportions.

There has been widespread public outrage following the incident, with calls for official resignations and a judicial inquiry.

A high-ranking police official has swiftly dismissed suggestions that police had overstepped their authority and sought to defend law enforcers for killing unarmed citizens.

Police followed their statement of defence with paid advertisements in local newspapers absolving themselves of any wrongdoing and pointing a finger of blame squarely at opposition figures for allegedly organising and leading a banned demonstration.

Disciplined police officers respect and follow established rules of engagement for crowd control whenever they are forced to contain riots or unlawful gatherings.

These include issuing verbal warnings for people to disperse and proceeding to contain the situation if the demonstrators do not heed the warnings.

The use of tear gas, water cannons and low velocity, rubber-coated bullets are some of the accepted methods employed by professional riot police across the world to control hostile crowds.

Police officers are required to use a reasonable amount of force in conflict situations and should never be allowed to brutally assault or kill unarmed civilians.

Live ammunition or live rounds may only be used as a last resort of self defence when police are being attacked by armed rioters, not against unarmed persons who present no credible threat to the police or other citizens.

The Arusha incident is not the first time that Tanzanian police have been accused of being trigger-happy. There is a long list of incidents over the years where civilians were killed by the police in the name of law enforcement.

While appreciating the difficult and important role of the police in maintaining law and order, we condemn heavy-handed tactics that raise cries of police brutality.

Police abuse has become so common in Tanzania to the extent that a well-known Kiswahili saying -- "Unauliza makofi polisi?" -- has been coined thanks to the notoriety of the police for slapping and physically assaulting suspects during arrest and/or detention.

The government must wake up to the blatant abuse of human rights and rule of law being perpetrated by the police and other members of the country's law enforcement agencies.

Tanzania has historically been hailed as a stable nation in an often unsettled region, hence shouldering the burden of sheltering refugees from its war-torn neighbours.

However, the country's fragile peace is being threatened by the same people entrusted with the task of protecting it.

Protesters who take part in a banned demonstration are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the courts of law, which have inherent powers to punish convicted offenders.

On the other hand, police must also avoid unleashing blunt state power on unarmed citizens and arbitrarily crushing their civil rights.

The government must decisively deal with a growing crisis of confidence in the Tanzania Police Force, whose members are seen in the eyes of many people as an armed group notorious for taking the law into their own hands and assaulting innocent people.

One way of doing that is by appointing an independent judicial inquiry into the Arusha killings to determine what really happened.

Opposition leaders and their supporters are supposed to abide by the law in exercising their civil liberties.

However, excessive violence and abuse of citizens by police officers is inexcusable.

Police brutality remains one of the most serious human rights violations in Tanzania, but has been largely ignored by the government.

Members of the Tanzania Police Force, from senior officers to the lower cadres, need to be retrained on effective crowd control, civil liberties, human rights and the rule of law.

The Home Affairs Ministry should also set up an Internal Affairs Unit responsible for investigating allegations of police brutality, complaints of police misconduct and violations of rules and regulations.

The killing of unarmed civilians in Arusha recently and other similar incidents previously suggest that some members of the police could be wantonly acting as the judge, jury and executioner.

We must stand up against tyranny in this country, whether perpetrated by civilians or men (and women) in uniform.

Home*»*Editorial

Nazjaz · Nov 15, 2011

dunia inajua uovu wa polisi wa Tanzania, ila Said Mwema tu, ndiye ajuaye wema wa Polisi wa Tanzania

ubun2 · Nov 15, 2011

The world needs to see what is taking place in peaceful warless Tanzania. Police are there to serve and protect the public. If anyone has a phonecam, use it. Record what is taking place in front of your eyes. Get a twitter account & upload images and tag them.

Ulukolokwitanga · Nov 15, 2011

Wazungu wanafurahia utawala wa JK kwakuwa nchi ikiendelea kuwa maskini wao wanaendelea kututawala kwa vijimisaada kidogo. Hawataki kuwe na descent govt kwani ushawishi wao utaisha. Ndio maana ni nadra sana kwa vyombo ya habari vya mlengo wa kimagharibi, hasa BBC ya Cameron kuripoti kwa undani ukandamizaji wa polisi wetu.

Dawa ni kuanzisha mapambano sisi wenyewe sio kutegemea jumuia ya kimataifa ya unafiki. Aliyeua raia wasio na hatia Arusha na aliyeua Benghazi wote wanastahili kwenda kwa Ocampo, lakini huyu Andengenye wa Arusha wala hatafutwi...

Possibles · Nov 15, 2011

Hii imeninyima raha kabisa.Naunga mkono hoja.the World must know.Binti wa watu alikuwa kajificha so hakuwa na madharahata kidogo.Hajashika hata jiwe.Hivi wanapotuliza ghasia wanahangaika na wenye silaha au waliojificha!!?Inakera mno tena sana

Dingswayo · Nov 15, 2011

http://observers.france24.com/

Mzee Mwanakijiji · Nov 15, 2011

Mojawapo ya disadvantage kubwa tuliyo nayo katika kuujulisha ulimwengu ni kuwa hatuna watu ambao wako fast enough kutoa taarifa. mara nyingi hadi habari ije muda unakuwa mepita sana.

Kuanzia Arusha na Mbeya watu wa CNN walitaka taarifa kutoka kwangu na mimi nikawafuatilia watu Mbeya na Arusha hadi leo hawajajibu! Labda tatizo niliwaambia wanaweza kuhojiwa na CNN kwa ajili ya habari n.k wakaamua kusepa!

Pascal Mayalla · Nov 15, 2011

Mzee Mwanakijiji said:
Mojawapo ya disadvantage kubwa tuliyo nayo katika kuujulisha ulimwengu ni kuwa hatuna watu ambao wako fast enough kutoa taarifa. mara nyingi hadi habari ije muda unakuwa mepita sana.

Kuanzia Arusha na Mbeya watu wa CNN walitaka taarifa kutoka kwangu na mimi nikawafuatilia watu Mbeya na Arusha hadi leo hawajajibu! Labda tatizo niliwaambia wanaweza kuhojiwa na CNN kwa ajili ya habari n.k wakaamua kusepa!

Kusema ukweli, I personaly feel bad to let down the people of Tanzania kwasabu ni mimi ni miongoni mwa wenye pa kusemea ila nimejikuta nikijikalia kimya ili hapo pa kusemea pangu pasijwe ziba mdomo.

Namalizia kujipanga, nikishasimama imara, nitajitolea kusimama imara kwa kusema na liwalo liwe angalau familia itaendelea kula ugali na sometimes unajikuta unajinyamazia kwa kutanguliza maslahi ya familia mbele ndipo yanafuatia maslahi ya taifa.

Idadi ya wanaokufa mikononi mwa polisi ni wengi un imaginable na wengi ni mwizi wa kuku tuu, wale wezi wa Epa waliambiwa warudishe walicho chota, na walioshindwa ndio hao waliofikishwa mahakamani.

Nazjaz · Nov 15, 2011

Mzee Mwanakijiji said:
Mojawapo ya disadvantage kubwa tuliyo nayo katika kuujulisha ulimwengu ni kuwa hatuna watu ambao wako fast enough kutoa taarifa. mara nyingi hadi habari ije muda unakuwa mepita sana.

Kuanzia Arusha na Mbeya watu wa CNN walitaka taarifa kutoka kwangu na mimi nikawafuatilia watu Mbeya na Arusha hadi leo hawajajibu! Labda tatizo niliwaambia wanaweza kuhojiwa na CNN kwa ajili ya habari n.k wakaamua kusepa!

Tunaangamia kwa kukosa maarifa

Biohazard · Nov 15, 2011

this will come to an end

Mag3 · Nov 15, 2011

Mzee Mwanakijiji said:
Mojawapo ya disadvantage kubwa tuliyo nayo katika kuujulisha ulimwengu ni kuwa hatuna watu ambao wako fast enough kutoa taarifa. mara nyingi hadi habari ije muda unakuwa mepita sana.

Kuanzia Arusha na Mbeya watu wa CNN walitaka taarifa kutoka kwangu na mimi nikawafuatilia watu Mbeya na Arusha hadi leo hawajajibu! Labda tatizo niliwaambia wanaweza kuhojiwa na CNN kwa ajili ya habari n.k wakaamua kusepa!

Pamoja na yote Mwanakijiji, sisi tulio na bahati ya kutumia mtandao hatuwezi kuendelea kukaa kimya, tumewaangusha sana ndugu zetu, watoto wetu, majirani zetu na rafiki zetu ambao kila kukicha wanapata mateso mikononi mwa polisi wetu. Lazima sasa tupige kelele na tuendelee kupiga kelele hadi dunia itusikie, ni kunyamaza kwetu ndio sababu ya dunia kukaa ikidhani kuwa Tanzania ni ya amani na hatuna tatizo.

Picha kama hii can speak a thousand words hata kama hakuna aliyehojiwa na kuna ulazima sasa wa picha kama hizi tuzisambaze sisi tulio na access kwa vyombo mbali mbali vinavyojali haki za msingi za raia. Hii moja tu nimejaribu kuwaonyesha watu wachache tu ninaowafahamu na amini usiamini hawaamini kama kitu kama hiki kinaweza kutokea popote pale duniani penye utawala wa sheria unaojali haki na usawa.

Sijali · Nov 16, 2011

Advanced state of terrorism!

I was in Tanzania a week ago. I drove from Lungalunga to Tanga in a Kenyan registered car. I swear I will never repeat the feat because of Tanzanian police greed and unashemed way of demanding bribes. Better Kenyan police who ask politely..

Tanzanian police are used to threats, intimidations and outright blackmail. I despise them because they are mostly uneducated lot, possibly illiterate, pretending to be smart. I was stopped 4 times on the 64-km drive to Tanga! At one instance, I was escorted back to Duga police station for refusing to pay a bribe over a stupid and malicious charge:

I parked my car wrongly when the policeman, who doubled up as a traffick officer, stopped me! If it was not for the intervention of the Tanga RCO I would be in detention as they let me know! I wonder how many innocent Tanzanians languish in jails for no reason just a policeman who wanted to show he is the boss!

Tanzania is really becoming a hell on the earth.

Ame · Nov 16, 2011

Pasco said:
Kusema ukweli, I personaly feel bad to let down the people of Tanzania kwasabu ni mimi ni miongoni mwa wenye pa kusemea ila nimejikuta nikijikalia kimya ili hapo pa kusemea pangu pasijwe ziba mdomo.

Namalizia kujipanga, nikishasimama imara, nitajitolea kusimama imara kwa kusema na liwalo liwe angalau familia itaendelea kula ugali na sometimes unajikuta unajinyamazia kwa kutanguliza maslahi ya familia mbele ndipo yanafuatia maslahi ya taifa.

Idadi ya wanaokufa mikononi mwa polisi ni wengi un imaginable na wengi ni mwizi wa kuku tuu, wale wezi wa Epa waliambiwa warudishe walicho chota, na walioshindwa ndio hao waliofikishwa mahakamani.

Ukiipenda sana familia yako mwenye hiyo pumzi yake atakunyang'anya kabla hujajaza store house yako nao watabaki omba omba mtaani....Wale je walioachwa na hao waliouawa bila hatia vipi wao hawajaumbwa kwa sura na mfano wa Mungu? Gosh mm huyu niko tayari muda wowote saa yeyote kwa lolote lile maadamu si lakumdalilisha mwingine au kutaka kuua personality yake...Mbele ya haki hata wakinitoa kichwa its just a pleasure to me!

Mag3 · Nov 16, 2011

Possibles said:
Hii imeninyima raha kabisa.Naunga mkono hoja.the World must know.Binti wa watu alikuwa kajificha so hakuwa na madharahata kidogo.Hajashika hata jiwe.Hivi wanapotuliza ghasia wanahangaika na wenye silaha au waliojificha!!?Inakera mno tena sana

Mwezi wa October mwaka 1966, wanafunzi wa elimu ya juu wakiongozwa na wale wa Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam, walifanya maandamano ya kugomea sheria mpya ya JKT iliyopitishwa na Bunge. Pamoja na mabango waliyokuwa wameyatayarisha yaliyosema "afadhali wakati wa mkoloni" pia walikuwa na ujumbe maalum waliotaka kumfikishia Raisi Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere waliouita "ultimatum".

Mwalimu Nyerere kwa busara kubwa alihakikisha wanafunzi wote walioandamana hawabughudhiwi bali wanapewa "escort" hadi Ikulu ambako angewapokea. Na kweli walipofika Ikulu walikaribishwa na msemaji wao akaombwa asome ujumbe waliokuwa nao na Mwalimu alimsikiliza kwa makini hadi alipomaliza. Mwalimu hakukubaliana nao na hivyo aliamuru chuo kifungwe na warudi makwao wakakomae kwanza.

Huo ndio ulikuwa utawala na hakuna mwanafunzi hata moja aliyedhurika kwa kupigwa virungu au kurushiwa mabomu ya machozi. Siku hizi tunao viongozi ambao wako tayari kuwapiga mabomu hata watoto wa chekechea kama watathubutu kulalamikia magari yanayopita barabarani kwa kasi na hivyo kuhatarisha maisha yao. Ni kama vile kazi ya jeshi la polisi si tena kutulinda sisi na mali zetu bali kutupiga mabomu na kupora mali zetu.

Kusema kweli hakuna picha iliyonihuzunisha kama ya huyo binti hapo juu na nimebaki nikijiuliza hivi huyo Mkandala si mzazi ? hana familia ? hana watoto ? Je alijisikiaje alipoitazama hiyo picha ? Alikunywa hiyo glasi yake ya whisky na kujipongeza kwa kazi nzuri aliyoifanya ya huyo binti kudhalilishwa na hao wahuni ? Mkandala, Mkandala, Mkandala najua ulienda shule lakini mbona hata hujaelimika ? Shame on you !

Augustine Moshi · Nov 16, 2011

Njia ya uhakika ya kueleza ulimwengu wote ni kuweka kwenye youtube.

Ukiweza kuweka video ya polisi wakiwapiga risasi na mabomu wananchi youtube basi dunia yote itasoma.

Hapa wanafika wachache sana, hasa kwa vile ni mahali pa lugha ya Kiswahili.

Hiyo picha imenitia uchungu sana. Ila inaweza kuonwa tu na wale ambao wamelog in. Yaani ni registered members wa jf tu ndio wanaweza kuona hiyo picha. Hao ni watu wachache sana. Kwa nini isiruhusiwe kuonekana na wote wanaofika hapa? JF Moderator upo upande gani wa haya mapambano?

Mag3 · Nov 16, 2011

Augustine Moshi said:
Njia ya uhakika ya kueleza ulimwengu wote ni kuweka kwenye youtube.

Ukiweza kuweka video ya polisi wakiwapiga risasi na mabomu wananchi youtube basi dunia yote itasoma.

Hapa wanafika wachache sana, hasa kwa vile ni mahali pa lugha ya Kiswahili.

Hiyo picha imenitia uchungu sana. Ila inaweza kuonwa tu na wale ambao wamelog in. Yaani ni registered members wa jf tu ndio wanaweza kuona hiyo picha. Hao ni watu wachache sana. Kwa nini isiruhusiwe kuonekana na wote wanaofika hapa? JF Moderator upo upande gani wa haya mapambano?

Augustine Moshi, nafikiri hao Mods wamekusikia, hiyo picha tafadhalini maMods muiruhusu ionekane kwa wote wanaotembelea JF hata bila ku"log in". Mimi kwa sasa nazi"print" kwa wingi hizo picha. Nitawafikishia watu wengi kadri ya uwezo wangu waweze kuona ni kitu gani kinatokea kwenye Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam, Tanzania kinachoongozwa na Prof. Rwekaza Mkandala na jinsi hata wanafunzi wanavyodhalilishwa wanapodai haki zao.

Haya mambo yamekuwa yakifanyika mara nyingi tu na sisi tumekuwa kama washangiliaji tu lakini yabidi sasa tujiulize ni mzazi gani anafurahi kumwona mwanaye anadhalilishwa kama huyo binti ? Leo hii nilitegemea kusikia hawa wahuni (eti wanaitwa walinda usalama) wanafikishwa kortini kwa kosa la kumdhalilisha huyo binti lakini wapi, wanaofikishwa mahakamani ni majeruhi walionyanyaswa na kupokea virungu kutoka kwa vijana wa Saidi Mwema !

I am mad, really mad !

Mr.Right · Nov 16, 2011

Ubabe upo hata ktk Dunia ya Kwanza.

Mr.Right · Nov 16, 2011

Mr.Right · Nov 16, 2011

Siyo TZ peke yake

Mr.Right · Nov 16, 2011

Mzee Mwanakijiji said:
Mojawapo ya disadvantage kubwa tuliyo nayo katika kuujulisha ulimwengu ni kuwa hatuna watu ambao wako fast enough kutoa taarifa. mara nyingi hadi habari ije muda unakuwa mepita sana. Kuanzia Arusha na Mbeya watu wa CNN walitaka taarifa kutoka kwangu na mimi nikawafuatilia watu Mbeya na Arusha hadi leo hawajajibu! Labda tatizo niliwaambia wanaweza kuhojiwa na CNN kwa ajili ya habari n.k wakaamua kusepa!

Sasa CNN ndiyo watatusaidia? Mbona watu wa Occupy Wall Street wametoswa? Mnataka Dunia ijue? kwani unafikiri hawajui? Wake up TZ.

Police Brutality in Tanzania: The World has a Right to know!

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