Voter registration turns violent
From correspondents in Zanzibar, Tanzania
02dec04
POLICE opened fire on protesters at a Tanzanian voter registration centre in an opposition stronghold of Zanzibar today, killing three people and wounding dozens of others, police said.
Regional police commander Faraji Kayuga said officers opened fire when confronted by protesters at a centre in Ngombeni on the northern Zanzibari island of Pemba.
Opposition members tried to prevent the armed riot police from entering the centre, Mr Kayuga said.
A 16-year-old, Juma Omar Juma, died at the scene, Mr Kayuga said. Two others were taken to a hospital with critical injuries and died later, hospital officials said.
There were unconfirmed witness reports that dozens of others were slightly injured in the shooting.
Police have arrested more than 50 people in connection with violence at several polling stations, Mr Kayuga said.
The shooting follows an incident where two people were injured when a ruling party official used kerosene to set registration documents on fire at another registration centre, police said.
With the next election coming in October 2005, the opposition has accused Tanzanian officials of sending additional troops from the mainland to Pemba, an island of some 300,000 people that has never voted for the ruling party.
Most international observers declared the 2000 general elections seriously flawed, and both sides have since accused each other of arming militias ahead of the coming vote.
Voter registration on the islands began on Tuesday.