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Maseko awarded Democracy and Governance Award as Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition launches 10 year logo
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
October 05, 2010
"Gukurahundi
is a sensitive and live issue. I have given it a face and a voice . . .
I am prepared to take the first bullet for it". Owen Maseko
Renowned Bulawayo based
visual artist, Owen Maseko was on Thursday 30 September 2010 awarded
the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Democracy and Governance Individual
Award in recognition of his bravery in 'giving a face and
voice to the Gukurahundi massacres' through visual arts.
Between 1982 and 1987,
the Zimbabwean government unleashed the Korean trained Fifth Brigade
on innocent civilians in the Matebeleland and Midlands provinces
killing more than 20,000 people This period was known as the Gukurahundi
('the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring
rains'). Maseko, who expressed the harsh reality of the Gukuranhundi
through artwork, was arrested on the 26th of March 2010 for holding
a sol exhibition at the Bulawayo Art Gallery that authorities labeled
as 'tribal art work'. The exhibition was subsequently
banned. Speaking at the ceremony, Maseko said, "Gukuranhundi
is a sensitive and live issue. I have given it a face and a voice . . . ..I
am prepared to take the first bullet for it".
A special award
was given to Chief Mutekedza of Chilomba, Chivhu district in recognition
of his resilience in protecting villagers from this area from the
violence that engulfed most parts of the country in the run up to
the June 2008 Presidential runoff fiasco.
The Zimbabwe
Human Rights Association (ZimRights) was the recipient of the
organizational award in recognition of its sterling work in fighting
for human rights and social justice. Over the past 18 years, the
organization embarked on various programs to sensitize people on
issues of national importance and is currently undertaking peace
building programs across the country.
Organizations
which were nominated for the organizational award were also awarded
with certificates in acknowledgement of their work. These organizations
are the National Association for the Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH),
Centre
for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ), Zimbabwe
Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA) and Youth
Agenda Trust (YAT).
The awards,
given annually by the Coalition, were first awarded to the Students
Solidarity Trust in 2007 with Mrs. Gertrude Hambira receiving
the individual award. In 2008, the organizational award went to
Zimbabwe
Peace Project (ZPP) with Sydney Chisi receiving the individual
award while Centre
for Research and Development (CRD) was the 2009 recipient together
with Zimbabwe's youngest detainee, two year old Nigel Mutemagawu.
At the same
occasion, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition launched its ten year
logo ahead of The Coalition's 10th anniversary in 2011. Launching
the logo, The Coalition's Chairperson, Mr. Jonah Gokova said
that the logo symbolizes the Coalition's 10 year journey which
was largely brought about by the legitimacy and governance crisis
in Zimbabwe. He further noted that through the ballot, Zimbabweans
can end the crisis in the country.
Visit the Crisis
in Zimbabwe fact
sheet
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