ZIMBABWE:A Zimbabwean MP, Nelson Chamisa, was beaten unconscious yesterday at Harare airport as he was about to fly to Brussels, his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said.
The attack followed the arrest of three other opposition leaders at the airport at the weekend and the snatching by government agents of the body of activist Gift Tandare, shot dead by police, to prevent a public funeral.
About 50 people, including Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader, were beaten and arrested while trying to attend a prayer rally eight days ago.
Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe threatened more violence while Mr Tsvangirai pledged further resistance.
Mr Chamisa, 28, spoke from hospital where he was awaiting surgery. Doctors said he could lose an eye. "Just as I was about to enter the door of the departure area, eight men jumped me and began hitting me with iron bars," said Mr Chamisa. "Nobody is safe in Zimbabwe. There is no security, no rule of law. I am praying for my country."
Pearson Mangofa, an opposition MP who drove Mr Chamisa to the airport, said his assailants shoved away passengers who tried to help him. The men grabbed Mr Chamisa's passport, bags and laptop computer before speeding off in two cars.
Seven of them wore suits while one wore an army vest. Mr Mangofa said the attack bore the hallmarks of Zimbabwe's domestic spy agency, the Central Intelligence Organisation.
Mr Chamisa suffered "terrible injuries" to his head, jaw and right eye, said Mr Mangofa, who took him to hospital. Mr Chamisa already had injuries to his groin and head from beatings in police custody last week with Mr Tsvangirai and others. He was due to attend a European Union parliamentary conference in Brussels.
Two of the three MDC activists arrested at the airport on Saturday were attempting to leave the country for medical treatment for injuries received at the previous weekend's prayer rally.
Sekai Holland and Grace Kwinjeh were taken by ambulance to board a flight to South Africa, but government agents seized their passports and took them back to the Avenues Clinic hospital, where they were under police guard last night.
Ms Holland (64) has a broken arm, a broken leg and an infection in deep tissue injuries. Ms Kwinjeh (30) has lost part of her ear lobe and has head injuries. The third person arrested was Arthur Mutambara, the leader of a breakaway faction of the MDC. He was being held by Harare police yesterday, according to lawyers who were seeking his immediate release.
Mr Mugabe claimed that the UK and the US were backing the MDC to overthrow his government. "We have given too much room to mischief-makers and shameless stooges of the West," he said. "Let them and their masters know that we shall brook none of their lawless behaviour."
Mr Tsvangirai told the BBC: "Things are bad, but I think that this crisis has reached a tipping point and we could see the beginning of the end of this dictatorship." - ( Guardian service)