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Truth, justice, reconciliation and national healing - Index of articles
ZimRights holds public meeting on torture
Zimbabwe
Human Rights Association (ZimRights)
May 31, 2010
More than 100 people
converged in Chivheya village in Chemhondoro area for a meeting
on torture held by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights).
In spite of the political
differences, Chivheya villagers came to the meeting to discuss issues
of torture and national healing. One of the testimonies was given
by an old woman who was abducted and tortured for four days because
her son was a Movement for Democratic Change supporter.
She was beaten stripped
off her clothes and was forced to move around the village wearing
sack to cover her body saying, 'Ndiri kutanda botso raMbuya
Nehanda!' (Meaning she was being punished for having scorned
the spirit of Mbuya Nehanda, who they refer to as the ancestor).
She has not been compensated for the shame that she suffered, considering
her age and non-involvement in politics.
However people of Murewa
have not lost hope for a violent free Zimbabwe. Many pointed out
that the constitution reform process has offered them an opportunity
to deal with violators and ensure that justice is delivered. To
them, the new constitution is a more permanent solution to their
protection against politically motivated violence.
Some of the aspects that
the people want in the constitution include limited executive powers
and a fixed five year presidential office term, only the House of
Assembly should function, that the amendment clause in the new constitution
be clearly spelt out and be inflexible to any amendments.
There is still
a lot of suppressed anger within the people of Zimbabwe resulting
in mounting tension and divisions amongst people living in the same
community, a major obstacle in efforts to achieve the peace and
harmony. All the architects of the 2008
violence should apologize and be punished for the pain and suffering
they have caused.
Visit the Zimbabwe
Human Rights Association (ZimRights) fact
sheet
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