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Youth Forum condemns Chihuri's directive
Youth Forum
February 18, 2009

The Youth Forum condemns in the strongest terms the directive by the Commissioner-General of the police Augustine Chihuri, for the police to drop all politically motivated murder charges for crimes which were perpetrated towards the June 27 run-off presidential election. Chihuri has gone on to deploy his deputy Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to visit all provinces and explain to senior officers the implication of the directive.

Media reports and human rights watchdogs reported that over 120 people were killed in the period preceding the run-off election of June 27. Most of the victims were MDC officials, sympathizers and supporters. Hundreds of thousands more were either displaced, tortured or were adversely affected due to the reign of terror unleashed on Zimbabweans for voting for the MDC. To date there are a lot of people who are still unaccounted for in the aftermath of the violence.

Such a directive smacks of wishful thinking on the part of Chihuri who has hitherto proffered impunity to his fellow criminals who have been implicated for various crimes including economic crimes and crimes against humanity as head of the police force. Chihuri's utterances are indeed an affront to the ideals of building democracy in Zimbabwe. The Youth Forum has always maintained that the foundations for lasting peace in Zimbabwe should be premised on an open, transparent and objective transitional justice process that will be based on the four fundamentals of attaining justice in post-conflict societies. Such a process should be led by an independent and impartial Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Firstly, there should be an open process of truth-telling and apologies on the part of known perpetrators of violence. There is need for all known and unknown perpetrators of violence to put to light what really transpired during the conflict period so that all those who were murdered or are still missing can be accounted for. If the victims are ever to forgive the perpetrators, there is a strong need to lay out the truth. Second to this, there is also a strong need for reparations to be paid to the victims who lost sources of livelihood, property or bread-winners as a direct result of the violence. To date some victims of violence are living near-destitute lives after having lost property that included livestock, houses and home based industries. There is obviously need to compensate such victims so that they are able to pick up the pieces and carry on with their lives.

Thirdly, there is also need to heal the wounds of the survivors of the conflict, some who escaped death and also those who lost their loved ones as a result of the violence. It is necessary to have a comprehensive post-traumatic counselling service to cater for such survivors. Fourth is the need for justice to take its course. In light of recent developments where the previously feuding political players are working together in an inclusive government, this may entail restorative rather than retributive justice. It is fact that mostly youth were used as canon fodder to perpetrate violence at the behest of the elderly politicians. As such it is the considered view of the Youth Forum that these perpetrators of violence need counselling and an opportunity to reform so that they are incorporated back into society. Some of these perpetrators of violence live in constant fear for their lives and such uncertainty will not help to bring about lasting peace. While there are some perpetrators of violence who deserve jail sentences for the crimes they committed, especially those who were at the helm of orchestrating violence.

Chihuri's utterances indeed smack of down-right arrogance and ignorance on the need to transform our country into a thriving democracy. As the youth we will not tire until we see a democratic Zimbabwe where youth enjoy sustainable livelihoods based on their participation in the governance process as equal partners, and not at the behest of elderly politicians.

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