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Zimbabwe
I-stories: 20 months on
Christian
Aid
October 20, 2011
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/eyewitness/africa/zimbabwe-i-stories-20-months-on.aspx
A year and eight
months on since Christian Aid's partner the Students
Christian Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ) launched the I-stories
booklet, Douglas Tigere, who led the project, reports back on
how the stories have helped to motivate other young Zimbabweans
to overcome painful experiences from their recent past, and move
towards peaceful political involvement.
The I-stories
booklet bravely shares the experiences of both survivors and perpetrators
of 2008's politically motivated violence - much of which
involved youth gangs at a community level.
With support
from Christian Aid, the booklet was printed and distributed nationwide
through SCMZ groups in schools, colleges and universities to its
5,000 members and beyond.
'The booklet
has become an important tool for discussions and dialogue, used
by every SCMZ branch in their study circles and dialogue meetings,'
says Douglas, adding that response to, and demand for, the booklet
has been 'overwhelming.'
Describing the
process of sharing the stories as 'humbling', Douglas
recalls being moved to tears on hearing others recounting their
experiences
during the 2008 elections: 'especially those who have
been beaten, abused or who experienced the harshest inhumane treatment
because of their belief in democracy.'
During the elections
run-off period, SCMZ member Matsiliso was arrested with her baby
son in her arms and made to spend the night in appalling cell conditions
for her part in mobilising young people to vote.
'They
said "we want to teach you a lesson, you are going to go into
the cells with your baby." People were being killed; people
just disappeared . . . people were being beaten up. I thought they
were going to do whatever [they wanted] to my son and get away with
it.'
Though Zimbabwe's
President is keen for elections early next year (2012), they may
be postponed until late 2012 or early 2013 as the Zimbabwean government
is under significant pressure from the South African Development
Community to wait until the conditions in country are conducive
to free and fair elections.
The I-stories
remain relevant, and reaching out to young people as urgent as ever
in promoting the peaceful political engagement of young Zimbabweans,
as Zimbabwe politics remain tumultuous and African news sites report
continued violent and disruptive behaviour by politically affiliated
youth with little police intervention or protection.
Christian Aid
continues to support SCMZ's work nurturing a culture of peace
among youth in Zimbabwe. 'Young people have been abused by
politicians as machinery for violence during election times or as
machinery to quell any dissent as political parties jostle for political
superiority,' explains Douglas. 'Ours is an intensive
campaign rooted in mobilising young people to desist from violence
and act as agents of peace in their communities.'
Visit the Christian
Aid fact
sheet
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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