Robert Mugabe’s riot police returned to their violent ways yesterday as Thabo Mbeki, the South African mediator, sought to break Zimbabwe’s political deadlock.

Four students were injured when they tried to deliver a petition to Parliament in Harare protesting at the failure of most of the country’s universities to open at the start of the new academic year. Three students, including Clever Bere, the president of the Zimbabwe National Students Union, were arrested.

It was the first such heavy-handed action by police since President Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, signed a power-sharing agreement on September 15. Yesterday the two leaders were locked in discussions over the distribution of Cabinet posts at a Harare hotel with Mr Mbeki. At the weekend Mr Mugabe handed all but one ministry to his own Zanu (PF) party, effectively reneging on the deal.

The students picked this auspicious moment to air their grievance, assuming that they would receive a favourable hearing from the country’s first opposition-controlled Parliament since independence.

The initial signs were encouraging. Privilege Mutanga, a member of the Zinasu national executive, said that police told the 200 peaceful demonstrators to send two representatives to present the petition. They were, however, arrested as soon as they reached the doors of Parliament, Ms Mutanga said.

“Then the riot police charged us. They were about 30, and they had baton sticks, guns and dogs, so we scattered.” She tried to hide in a shop doorway but was dragged out and beaten and kicked. She was treated for bruising and contusions. The incident is seen as an indication that Mr Mugabe has already ordered the resumption of his policies of violent suppression since his U-turn on the power-sharing deal, which allocated 16 Cabinet posts to the MDC, and 15 to Zanu (PF).

Mr Mugabe’s aides insisted that the MDC could now reckon on just one seat at the Cabinet table. “As far as we are concerned, the only contention is the Ministry of Finance,” said Patrick Chinamasa, Justice Minister and Zanu (PF)’s chief negotiator. “We hope the facilitator will come up with fresh ideas,” Mr Chinamasa added. “The country has been drifting for the past six months. We cannot continue drifting.”

Mr Tsvangirai has threatened to walk away from the power-sharing deal unless his party is granted some powerful ministries. His aides were putting a brave face on the fresh round of talks, vainly expressing hope that Mr Mugabe might yet be forced to change course.

“We are placing our faith in the efforts of the mediator, and that Zanu (PF) can be persuaded that it has to share and not grab power,” said Nelson Chamisa, an MDC spokesman. Last night the talks were adjourned without agreement.

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