CRS-12 9, police arrested the leaders of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) based on speeches made at a worker’s day rally. The head of the Progressive Teacher’s Union was also arrested. On May 5, more than 50 people were reportedly beaten by riot police during a public protest against the ongoing violence in the city of Bulawayo; eleven members of a women’s advocacy group were arrested. Some Zimbabwean officials, including the country’s police chief, have accused the opposition of rigging and inciting violence. The MDC reports that eleven of its newly elected legislators have been arrested since the March elections; several remain in detention. If convicted, they could lose their parliamentary seats. According to press reports, over 100 election officers were arrested on charges of committing fraud and abusing public office in favor of the MDC in the March elections, at least five have been convicted.54 Independent reports suggest that teachers, who held many of the election officer positions, have been targeted by government supporters. Table 1. Regional Efforts to Block Arms Transfer to Zimbabwe On April 18, 2008, as the Chinese freighter An Yue Jiang sat in the waters off South Africa’s port city of Durban waiting to unload its cargo, the High Court of South Africa issued a court order blocking the cargo’s transfer through South African territory.55 According to court documents, the ship carried 77 tons of bullets, rocketpropelled grenades, and mortars bound for Zimbabwe. Freight and dock workers of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) had already refused to unload or transport the shipment. Their protest was backed by the powerful Congress of Southern African Trade Unions (COSATU) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which called for an international boycott of the vessel, dubbed by some as the “Ship of Shame.” The unions based their protest on concerns that the weapons could fuel violence in the aftermath of Zimbabwe’s elections. The international media closely tracked the freighter’s location as it searched for another African port in which to unload the cargo. Zambia’s President publicly urged regional governments to bar the An Yue Jiang from entering their waters. He welcomed Mozambique’s decision not to allow the ship access, “because we don’t want a situation which will escalate the (tension) in Zimbabwe more than what it is.” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer called upon both the regional governments and China to prevent the weapons transfer. On April 22, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that the ship would return to China. The An Yue Jiang later docked in Angola to refuel and unload construction supplies bound for the Angolan market, but was denied permission to unload its Zimbabwe cargo. International Reactions The international community has been divided over how to respond to the current political impasse in Zimbabwe. As the weeks progressed after the elections without the announcement of official results, world leaders began to debate whether 54 “New Delay in Zimbabwe Elections,” Voice of America, May 5, 2008. 55 High Court of South Africa Durban & Coast Local Division Case No. 4975/08