Petrol attack on home of Zimbabwean rights activist

The raw story

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Sunday December 31, 2006

Harare- Unknown attackers poured petrol round the Harare
home of a prominent Zimbabwean rights activist and set the fuel
alight, Lovemore Madhuku claimed on Sunday.
Madhuku, the chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly
(NCA) said he and the other nine occupants of his home in the medium-
density suburb of Waterfalls woke shortly after midnight on Saturday
to find flames surrounding the house.

We were woken up by the sound of screaming, Madhuku told Deutsche
Presse-Agentur dpa in a telephone interview.

After ten minutes those inside the house broke windows, poured out
water and managed to douse the flames, he said.

"We discovered a five-litre bottle of petrol hidden next to the
wall," Madhuku said.

There was no independent confirmation of the attack.

Madhuku said he suspected state agents were behind the incident.
The NCA has mounted sustained anti-government campaigns since its
formation in 1999, and Madhuku and other members have been arrested
on several occasions.

But there have been reports of discontent within NCA this year,
mainly because of Madhuku's decision to continue as chairman. Other
NCA members were seriously opposed to prolonging his leadership.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency