|
Back to Index
This article participates on the following special index pages:
Truth, justice, reconciliation and national healing - Index of articles
Justice
is the condition for national healing and reconciliation in Zimbabwe
Collen Makumbirofa,
Foundation of Reason & Justice
August 29, 2010
It-s true that
forgiveness is a necessary part on the side of the victim. Forgive
and seek justice for oneself and others. It must also be made clear
that forgiveness on the part of the victim is never meant to set
free the perpetrator from the consequence of crime -punishment
or paying compensation. There is so much abuse by the politicians
of the terms forgiveness, reconciliation and healing.
In Zimbabwe millions
of people have suffered at the hands of their ZANU PF government.
Tens of thousands of women have been raped by state militias, ZANU
PF War Vets, and CIO. Rape was a punishment for their loyalty and
support to the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Hundreds of
thousands of man, women and children have been starved, beaten,
harassed and tortured by ZANU PF for supporting opposition political
parties.
In provinces of the country
such as Matabeleland, innocent people were deliberately starved
to death when the government deliberately withdraws food and other
basic services. Provinces with overwhelming support OR votes for
the MDC were punished by poverty and starvation.
White commercial farmers
have lost the loved ones, property, peace and means of live hood
due to war vets and militias violence. This is after farmers have
been declared enemies of the people. In Mutare, Chiadzwa diamond
area thousands of people including women and children were shot
by helicopter gunships for the so-called illegal diamond mining.
Thousands of dead bodies from Marange were buried by the government
in old mining shafts; ZANU PF owned farms and some thrown in lakes.
The UN should investigate massive graving in ZANU PF owned farms.
Prisoners have been starved
and deprived of basic health care. Zimbabwe police cells and prisons
are known as "death traps." Prisoners are humiliated,
deliberately starved and treated as worse than animals; some spend
more than two days without eating. In winter they sleep without
blankets. Drinking water for prisoners is scarce and dirty. Proper
ablution services are not available. Rape of male prisoners by other
male is encouraged by officials and never punished for. Between
2000 and 2005 more than 5 000 prisoners have died.
The issue of healing
and reconciliation is being manipulated by both ruling and opposition
politicians who have so-much benefited from political violence.
Any national healing program that exempts ZANU PF criminals; CIO,
militias, War Vets and officials from being punished for their crimes
is a hoax.
True national healing
and reconciliation will come from justice, truth and democracy.
It adds an insult to an injury to hear people who were perpetrating
violence talking of reconciliation and national healing. Democracy
and rule of law which hundreds of thousand of Zimbabweans have died
for has not yet been achieved. Victims are still in agony and many
living in Diaspora fearing what awaits them if they return home.
It-s ridiculous
for the MDC leaders to talk of forgiveness and national reconciliation
whereas millions of victims are living as refugees in Diaspora.
Thousands of women and children are still being trafficked to/in
neighboring countries such as South Africa. And this is a consequence
of ZANU PF's 30 years of suppression and misrule. The MDC
which has been hijacked by ZANU Intelligence has ceased to be voice
of the oppressed Zimbabweans.
Think about these things!
Become part of world changer by advocating for punishment of political
crime in Zimbabwe
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
