Human Rights: When is enough, enough?

By Psychology Maziwisa 

June 27 must by all relevant accounts be set aside as Human Rights Day in Zimbabwe. After victoriously engaging in what my University Law lecturer and Dean (Michael G Cowling) aptly described as ‘the most intense liberation struggle in Africa’, Zimbabwe became for all intents and purposes an independent, constitutional democracy.

For a time Mugabe’s government embarked on countless reforms, in the process making our educational system the envy of many nations. We were the bread basket of Africa. But most importantly no one was above the law. We lived in harmony, side by side, in prosperity and safety. We were a God fearing lot. 

Alas some among us became too self-interested. They vowed to retain power at all cost even if it meant bringing down anything and everything with them in the process. In contemporary Zimbabwe democracy has become a tool to be used and abandoned whenever it becomes politically expedient to do so. The result: a county in ruin. 

From the farcical 2002 presidential election to the bloody presidential run-off of June 27, 2008 there has been a flagrant disregard for human rights in Zimbabwe. This has been the default mode for over two decades and is likely to continue for as long as Mugabe cannot be persuaded to bow out. A myriad of opposition supporters, actual or perceived, have been abducted and, in many instances, killed. 

The right to vote for a government of our choice has been effectively negated through ZANU PF’s manipulation of the political environment by means of sustained violence, intimidation, abduction and unlawful killings. 

Peaceful demonstrations have hitherto been dispersed by violent means. Dozens of innocent protestors wounded in such clashes. Student leaders, members of the opposition, civic leaders, and multiple other progressive Zimbabweans have often been arbitrarily and continue to be so arrested and detained. 

The last presidential election served only to demonstrate the political philosophy of Mugabe namely that politics is a lifelong war to seize and hold power. All sorts of crazy slogans have been used, among them, ‘MAZDA’  (Mugabe achatonga dzamara afa- Mugabe shall rule until he goes to the grave). We cannot afford to take these slogans lightly. It is the intention of ZANU PF to achieve this, as it always has, by violence, abductions and unlawful killings every step of the way. 

Immediately preceding the June 27 presidential run-off, many Zimbabweans were abducted from their homes during the quiet early hours of the morning by groups of unidentified assailants, driven to remote locations, interrogated and tortured for several days on end. Several were burnt alive. Limbs were chopped off. 

Our Constitution very clearly prohibits torture and other inhuman and cruel or degrading treatment but the government seldom investigated reported abductions and killings or prosecuted the perpetrators. Torture camps were set up across the country. There was a notorious torture camp even as close by as Mbare. Of course Mugabe knew about all these disturbing goings on. He was behind them. He always is. 

In 2005 without prior notice or alternative accommodation the people of Zimbabwe had their homes demolished in yet another ruthless political campaign. Disguised as Operation Murambatsvina, a huge portion of an already downtrodden and vulnerable population lost their homes and livelihood. Hundreds of thousands of school children had their education interrupted. UN special envoy, Anna Tibaijuka, said of this atrocity: ‘Murambatsvina was carried out in an indiscriminate and unjustified manner with indifference to human suffering’. The operation precipitated ‘a humanitarian crisis of immense proportions’, she said. 

When Jonathan Moyo was appointed Minister of Information and Publicity, his role became the cold-blooded perpetuation of the repressive rule of his equally callous appointer. Thanks to him, under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) the government could ‘lawfully’ arrest Zimbabweans for criticising Mugabe in public. Newspapers were censored; the only independent daily paper altogether shut down. 

Indeed I myself was hunted down by three security officers in plain clothing within days after criticizing Mugabe and his ZANU PF party in an opinion piece published in The Zimbabwe Independent on 19 February 2010. Virtually from nowhere the serious looking men knocked on the window of my parked but idling car. I rightly asked who they were to which they impatiently retorted, ‘security officers’.

They ordered me to come with them. I immediately knew what it was all about. The paper had been published the previous Friday and Monday morning three men with bitter faces, identifying me by name, ordered that i come with them straight away! I did the only responsible thing in the circumstances. I sped off. I very discreetly left my own country hours later. It is bad enough to live in fear anywhere but to do so in one’s own country is heart breaking. 

The Chiadzwa diamond fields are a great national treasure that has served only the powerful in our midst at a time when the country is in dire economic straits. Members of the military killed between 200 and 300 of our innocent people there. Dozens of those killed were women and children. 

Certainly the advent of the inclusive government has brought with it relative economic and political stability but in Zimbabwean politics nothing is cast in stone. ZANU PF- alive to the reality that it cannot possibly win in a free and fair election- not in the next 100 years- is steadily reverting to the culture of violence and setting up as much logistical support as will be necessary to decisively ward off potentially overwhelming opposition at the next election. (Whenever that will be). 

Meanwhile intransigent senior ZANU PF stalwarts have already started to proclaim the high-sounding mantra that their party will stop at nothing to defend the sovereignty of Zimbabwe and will decisively deal with those forces bent on regime change. Well  the people of Zimbabwe are desperate for change and they need it now. 

Honourable Prime Minister, the inclusive government owes it to the people of Zimbabwe to acknowledge that the excesses of the Mugabe regime have hurt many of our innocent, law abiding, vulnerable citizens and part of that acknowledgment must come in the form of declaring June 27, Human Rights Day. It may not cure all our political troubles but one thing is for sure: It certainly will be a huge step towards the restoration, promotion and protection of the rights of every Zimbabwean. Enough!

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