Nowhere to hide & accountability now reality

By Cathy Buckle

Every year it seems the changing leaves on the Msasa trees are more beautiful than they have ever been before and this year is no exception. In the last couple of weeks the Msasa’s have shaken off all their old dusty leaves and given us an African extravaganza.

From bright shiny red to deep dark port wine, the leaves have turned then to soft orange and caramel, then a tinted pinky brown before finally turning pale green and darkening as they prepare to face the summer sun. The display has been so beautiful this year that it had to be seen to be believed. On stretches of road where there are valleys or kopjes, the trees have appeared as rich Persian carpets and left you feeling as if you have walked into a child s exotic painting.

 At ground level it’s been a completely different sensation with the days filled with the noise of falling Msasa pods. As soon as the sun hits the trees in the morning the pods begin exploding and the intensity increases with the temperature. From every direction comes the click, crack sound of pods splitting open and spitting out their shiny brown seeds as they fall to the ground. Underfoot is a maze of pods, some flat and velvety on the underside but most curled and dark brown with sharp tips.

As if the colours, noises and falling pods weren’t t enough, this is also the time of year when the summer birds start reappearing.

Babblers and Thrushes running on the ground feasting on worms in the fallen pods; Drongoes and Bulbuls swooping down to spear termites newly emerged from the baked ground in their millions and hungrily devouring every blade of dry grass. The Flycatchers and Bee- eaters are back and the mocking calls of the Go Away birds all add to the spectacle of Zimbabwe at this time of year. A spectacle where every day ends with a bright red sun slipping into the horizon through the smoke, dust and haze.

This week it hasn’t t just been the beauty of nature which has lifted our spirits in Zimbabwe but also two pieces of news. The first is that a woman who took part in a number of violent farm invasions here has been denied asylum in the UK. She must return to live in the country which she helped turn into a begging bowl. She must return to be amongst people who saw her, know what she did and to whom.

The second piece of good news is that Genocide Watch have announced that the Gukurahundi mass killings in Matabeleland in the 1980 s have been classified as a genocide. With the official classification comes the fact that there is no Statute of Limitations and for the rest of their lives the perpetrators of mass murder can be held to account for their actions. So, at last, there is nowhere to hide and accountability becomes reality.

Until next week, thanks for reading, love Cathy. Copyright Cathy Buckle 18th September 2010.