Zimbabweans lets not terrorize one another
By Psychology Maziwisa
One universally acknowledged strength of this country is that it is endowed with good people. Go to South Africa, Australia, the UK, America – to virtually any corner of this world and ask the opinion of those who have met Zimbabweans and they will tell you without any hesitation that, despite everything else that the tyranny has taken from them, Zimbabwean people have retained their fundamental good nature.
It is extremely sad, therefore, that some among us have allowed themselves to be manipulated by forces of darkness masquerading as liberators into terrorizing our innocent, law-abiding and vulnerable people.
Good people do not grab each other’s throats in Buhera. They do not go about terrorizing children and adults old enough to be their parents in Mwenezi. Good people do not chop off each other’s hands, burn each other alive, disturb other citizens’ peace and quiet, dispossess fellow citizens of hard earned belongings and summarily eject them from their homes. All this safe in the knowledge that their deeds – no matter how brutish – will go unpunished.
Good people have principles. They build and do not destroy. They are progressive and not regressive. They will not terrorize anyone for Mugabe or Tsvangirai. They listen to each other; learn from each other; respect one another. They work for the common good of their country. These are the Zimbabweans I know; the Zimbabweans we can be again. Terrorism and violence are destroying the hopes of millions of our people. Across the nation anxiety is replacing anticipation.
So long as we continue to terrorize one another we will plunge this country further into the tunnel of darkness, a tunnel from which we may never emerge. Victory will go to those who prefer hatred to love; animosity to peace; repression to democracy.
The trauma that this country was made to endure in previous elections, most especially in the period leading up to the June 27 presidential run-off, is well documented. It was so terrible an experience that it affected not only the victims and the perpetrators – for dozens of perpetrators afterwards came out and regretted their participation – but it stalled the progress that this country was about to achieve and set an otherwise beautiful country on an ugly path.
We should not, however, be so naïve as to accept the mendacious mantra that only ZANU PF supporters were and remain the sole perpetrators of the violence. ZANU PF supporters are certainly the main culprits but they are not alone in their culpability. For crying out loud, they now even terrorize one another at Harvest House!
As the dictator said in 1980, an evil remains an evil. Today we say, it remains so whether it is committed by ZANU PF against the MDC or by the MDC against ZANU PF.
However, now is not the time for finger-pointing. Our political leaders must be challenged to make tolerance and mutual respect a top priority because the future of Zimbabwe as a secure and democratic country depends upon it. Conflict between MDC and ZANU PF supporters threatens that future, holds back the legitimate aspirations of the Zimbabwean people, and destabilizes an entire nation.
The leadership of the Unity Government must quickly bring this political turmoil to a sustainable end and stop the lurching stop-start of the last few months. Make no mistake about it, it will require positive steps from them, a pragmatic approach to bring about a pragmatic result.
If Mugabe can go to Muzarabani to canvass for votes, he can go to Buhera to condemn the well documented and well known acts of political violence there. He certainly can go to Epworth. If Tsvangirai can go to Bulawayo to plead with voters to elect him, he can go to Inyanga where many continue to live in fear. He certainly can go to Headlands. It is no longer enough to denounce violence from the cosy and peaceful environment of one’s office or while enjoying uninterrupted electrical supply in a multi-bedroomed, western style mansion.
It is not helpful either to waste precious time referring to anything and everything as ‘null and void’ when what the people of Mwenezi, Bindura, Masvingo, Inyanga, Epworth, Glen Norah and the several other terrorism-stricken parts of our country need is effective action- action that requires that people be on the ground as opposed to being in Borrowdale, Strathaven or Munhumutapa. Only positive action will deter the dark forces of hatred, division and destruction operating in contemporary Zimbabwe.
If we do not act now, we miss a crucial opportunity to put our country on the course to democracy and may very well miss it for many more years to come. Let us end the carnage NOW. Let us stop the terror NOW. Let us promote tolerance and mutual respect NOW. There are many who will seek to throw sand in the gears of any attempt to move from violence to peace. To those we say Zimbabwe is not for you.
Psychology Maziwisa is the Interim President the Union for Sustainable Democracy. He can be contacted on [email protected]
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