Some 700 Apparently Lose Their Lives in Tanzanian Election Clashes, Opposition Announces
Based on the primary rival group, roughly 700 individuals have supposedly been slain during a three-day period of voting clashes in Tanzania.
Clashes Starts on Election Day
Unrest erupted on election day over what activists called the stifling of the opposition after the disqualification of prominent candidates from the presidential ballot.
Fatality Figures Claimed
An rival representative announced that hundreds of individuals had been lost their lives since the demonstrations began.
"As we speak, the fatality count in the port city is around 350 and for another city it is 200-plus. Combined with estimates from elsewhere throughout the country, the total figure is around 700," the spokesperson remarked.
The spokesperson added that the number could be even larger because killings could be taking place during a evening lockdown that was implemented from election day.
Other Reports
- An official insider allegedly stated there had been accounts of more than 500 dead, "perhaps 700-800 in the nationwide."
- Amnesty International said it had received information that no fewer than 100 civilians had been lost their lives.
- The opposition asserted their numbers had been collected by a network of party members visiting clinics and health centers and "tallying dead bodies."
Calls for Change
The opposition demanded the government to "stop targeting our activists" and demanded a caretaker government to enable just and transparent polls.
"Halt police brutality. Honor the will of the people which is electoral justice," the spokesperson stated.
Government Response
Authorities reacted by imposing a restriction. Internet disruption were also reported, with global watchdogs stating it was countrywide.
On Thursday, the army chief denounced the unrest and called the activists "lawbreakers". He announced security forces would try to contain the unrest.
International Reaction
The UN human rights office expressed it was "alarmed" by the fatalities and harm in the unrest, noting it had gathered information that at least 10 civilians had been lost their lives by authorities.
The organization mentioned it had received trustworthy information of deaths in Dar es Salaam, in a northwestern region and Morogoro, with law enforcement using gunfire and teargas to scatter crowds.
Expert Perspective
A human rights attorney claimed it was "unjustified" for law enforcement to use force, stating that the country's leader "should avoid using the police against the public."
"She must pay attention to the public. The feeling of the nation is that there was an unfair process … We cannot choose a single contender," the lawyer said.
