Gukurahundi and Reconciiation. Greetings vaDARE from all the corners of Zimbabwe.I am inspired to write this opinion on the death of Arnold Payne the gallant son of the soil who pushed a wheelbarrow over 500km in highlighting the need for authorities to construct the Zambezi water project and provision of water in the hot,arid Matebeleland regions.Arnold walked with millions of people in mind and soul as he decided to stand up and be counted and his efforts were in vain by the time of his death.His death is sad in that his dream remains a pipedream and there is no notable progress on the project to bring water to the people and create a green belt in Matebeleland.If I can feel such pain for the dreams of Arnold Payne ,i shudder to think of the pain the common person endured during the period of Gukurahundi.Acc ording to the CCJP report approximately 20 000 civilians of all ages were killed defenselessly in the period for accusations of abbetting and assisting so called desidents.The report is chilling and gives a very detailed account of atrocities committed by the regular army where a scortched earth policy was adopted and fear was struck into the hearts of men and women.The number of real desidents killed during that period is insignificant to the number of decimated civilians without regard to human life.That politicians still living commandeered the exercise is a fact surely I cannot reconcile myself to.Many of us today take the Gukurahundi period as something that can be buried in the sand ,but the blood which watered Matebeleland has sprouted repeatedly into mushrooms to remind us that we can never wish it away.Its a fact that blood was needlessly spilt in that time and to say it was a moment of madness and leave it at that is a serious injustice to humanity,consciense and an afront to those particular Zimbabweans who lost children,wives,sons,daughters, livestock and livelihoods during that time.Our elders must not create problems and leave them unsolved for our generation.Our generation is clearly asking for closure for the people of Matebeleland,we are asking for the restoration of the pride and confidence of these subjugated people who are our brothers in all ways and we seek to tear down the wall of mistrust and fear.As leaders of parties we are going to lobby and engage gvt to engage the people who lost relatives and properties with a view to seek compensation and closure.In that light we call upon the involvement of churches and the international partners to make available any assistance towards recognised victims of Gukurahundi.Their hearts must be opened and emotions sapped with an understanding that the acts against civilians were a calpable mistake and lack of better judgement.Today we urge the gvt and ask them to correct the wrongs of Gukurahundi as we wish to once and for all close the chapter.The bottled anger can only open where there is remorse and a clear call for fogiveness.I am proposing a tripartite meeting between,politic ians,churches and traditional chiefs and nongovernmental organisations to please urgently convene a round table to obviously seek funds and offer spiritual cleansing for the blood which flowed in Matebeleland.We dont seek anything but a better Zimbabwe for all who live within it.I am from today onwards taking it up upon myself to invite likeminded Zimbabweans to the cause for greater harmony and perpetual peace. Siyalungisaaaa
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 16:32:32 +0000
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