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Violence, recrimination and arrests after policeman's death in Glen View - Index of articles
National Heroes Day: Time to remember our true heroes and heroines
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
August 10, 2012
The 13th and
the 14th of August 2012 mark the commemoration of Zimbabwe's
Heroes and Defence Forces Days. This is a time when the nation celebrates
and remembers the selfless dedication of our heroes and heroines
who toiled and moiled for the Liberation of Zimbabwe. These include
Edgar Tekere, Ndabaningi Sithole, Josiah Tongogara, Jason Moyo,
Hebert Chitepo, Lookout Masuku, Joshua Nkomo and all other luminaries
of the liberation struggle who sacrificed their lives fighting for
freedom and independence. Yes, they did it for Zimbabwe and all
of its people; regardless of race, colour, creed or political affiliation.
The liberation
war was not only aimed at defeating the white colonial regime but
centred on ushering in a new culture of tolerance, peace, democracy
and state accountability. It is regrettable that the values and
principles that guided the liberation struggle are now being negated
with unmatched impunity by those in Government today.
Human rights
defenders in Zimbabwe are under constant threat under the Mugabe
administration through subjection to long incarcerations on unfounded
grounds because of their belief in self determination and respect
for humanity. These include the erstwhile President of the Youth
Assembly of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC -T) Solomon
Madzore, and 28 others who have been incarcerated
at Chikurubi Maximum prison on false charges.
As Zimbabwe
celebrates this day, it is befitting to also pay our tribute to
the heroes and heroines of today who are selflessly preaching the
gospel of true independence, respect for human rights, transparency,
accountability, social and economic justice and other tenets of
Democracy. These are our heroes, for they continue to be branded
and labelled with defamatory names and yet they rise above selfishness
and put themselves at risk for the betterment of all Zimbabweans.
Solomon Madzore, Cynthia Manjoro, Rebecca Mafukeni, Yvonne Musarurwa,
Tungamirai Madzokere, Lazarus and Stanford Maengahama, Phineas Nhatarikwa,
Stanford Mangwiro and many others are the golden names cast in our
Hall of fame and shall always be respected.
If human rights
activists continue to be harassed and persecuted and if ordinary
Zimbabweans are brutally assaulted or even killed for supporting
a political party or for having a divergent view then we must ask
ourselves whether this is what our fallen heroes longed for.
On the 14th
of August, Zimbabwe celebrates Defence Forces Day. Zimbabweans salute
the positive and heroic acts of our defence forces in bringing about
our national independence and their involvement in international
peace missions. In any country, the defence forces play an important
role in safeguarding the country and its citizens. They are commissioned
and sworn in to uphold the country's Constitution.
As Crisis in
Zimbabwe Coalition we have no reason to fight our national institutions
if they are performing their national duty in a professional and
non-partisan manner. But, we naturally take umbrage at the militarisation
of our politics and the politicisation of the military. Today we
witness with a pinch of salt the continued interference by our security
forces in civil matters. The Security Chiefs continue to issue out
partisan statements with impunity while other pockets of the police
and the CIO have deliberately become a ZANU PF brigade. The past
few years have seen the deployment of some members of the army into
the villages to brutalise and attack innocent civilians on the basis
of their political affiliation.
As the nation
commemorates the Heroes and Defence forces Day Zimbabweans must
acknowledge and celebrate the sacrifices that were made by these
Heroes and Heroines. Zimbabwe should also thrive to safeguard the
legacy of our heroes by defending the constitution of the land.
Zimbabweans must defend the natural resources including
the Diamonds so that the present and future generations benefit.
The Heroes Day is for all Zimbabweans and let us celebrate it in
a non partisan manner. Another Zimbabwe is possible.
Visit the Crisis
in Zimbabwe fact
sheet
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