Approximately 700 Supposedly Lose Their Lives in Tanzanian Poll Uprisings, Rival Announces
According to the chief opposition party, about 700 civilians have supposedly been killed during three days of voting clashes in the East African nation.
Violence Erupts on Polling Day
Uprisings erupted on election day over allegations that demonstrators described as the suppression of the opposition after the disqualification of key hopefuls from the election contest.
Fatality Numbers Reported
A rival representative stated that hundreds of civilians had been killed since the unrest commenced.
"As we speak, the fatality count in Dar es Salaam is around 350 and for another city it is more than 200. Including numbers from other regions across the nation, the final count is around 700," he remarked.
The spokesperson added that the toll could be even larger because fatalities may be taking place during a nighttime curfew that was implemented from Wednesday.
Further Reports
- An official insider supposedly mentioned there had been reports of more than 500 fatalities, "maybe 700-800 in the nationwide."
- The human rights organization reported it had received data that no fewer than 100 individuals had been slain.
- Rival groups claimed their estimates had been collected by a network of party members visiting medical facilities and medical centers and "documenting dead bodies."
Calls for Action
Rival officials demanded the authorities to "halt killing our protesters" and demanded a caretaker government to facilitate free and fair polls.
"Halt excessive force. Uphold the choice of the people which is fair elections," the spokesperson stated.
Authorities Response
Authorities responded by enforcing a curfew. Web outages were also observed, with global watchdogs stating it was countrywide.
On Thursday, the army chief condemned the clashes and labeled the protesters "offenders". The official announced security forces would attempt to control the unrest.
Global Reaction
The UN human rights office stated it was "deeply concerned" by the fatalities and harm in the unrest, mentioning it had obtained information that no fewer than 10 individuals had been slain by security forces.
The office mentioned it had obtained credible information of casualties in Dar es Salaam, in a northwestern region and an eastern area, with officials using live ammunition and teargas to disperse protesters.
Legal View
An human rights attorney claimed it was "unjustified" for law enforcement to use force, adding that the nation's president "must cease sending the police against the public."
"The president needs to listen to the citizens. The sentiment of the nation is that there was no fair vote … The people are unable to vote for a single contender," the advocate said.
