Structural violence in Zimbabwe is human sacrifice

By Tendai Tagarira

Denmark based Conflict Analyst: (Studied Conflict Analysis with UN Peace University)

Like a giant merciless python, structural violence in Zimbabwe is strangling the most vulnerable, leaving them very little room to breathe.

Structural violence is deeply embedded in Zimbabwe’s social, political and economic fabric and it needs an urgent cure! Hardly does one hear coherent political intent or action genuinely geared to tackle the monster of structural violence. All one hears is the tiresome neighing and jockeying for political positions !

Structural violence is different from direct physical violence, yet it is a brutal form of violence, killing about 125,000 people daily across the globe. Structural violence are social, economic, po- litical conditions that prevent people from fulfilling their full potential (Pamela Scully, 2014) Struc- tural violence is an avoidable impairment of fundamental human needs and a cause of premature death (Galtun, 1969) It includes state violence, hate crimes, police violence.

Another scholar, James Gilligan, in his book Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic, defines structural violence as “the increased rates of death and disability suffered by those who occupy the bottom rungs of society, as contrasted with the relatively lower death rates experienced by those who are above them”

Now you are getting the picture! The terrible social, economic and political conditions that are ex- perienced by ordinary citizens such as deaths (which could have been avoided) because there was no medicine or bandages at the clinic is a form and example of structural violence. Another example is highly educated people resorting to vending or begging because there are simply no jobs. And police brutality against such vendors and beggars is also structural state sponsored violence.

It is obvious that the drivers of this sad state of affairs are both internal and external to Zimbabwe. Much of the internal drivers stem from many corrupt individuals operating with impunity across the board from the national, provisional, constituency, down to ward level.

The external drivers are the policy effects (unintended or not) of sanctions and the inability of Zimbabwe to participate in the international capital markets e.t.c In the end the people who really pay the price for the structural violence are the most vulnerable people.

So what is the cure? A common theory of change in Zimbabwe is that by replacing the leadership through elections, the country will inevitably get on a better trajectory. But is this true? Does merely changing the political jockey and or horse guarantee a better prospect for ordinary Zim- babweans, particularly the most vulnerable? Replacement may not necessarily be the medicine but could create preconditions for the cure. But what is the cure for the heinous human sacrifice called structural violence ?

The true measure of such a cure would be based on the effective improvement of conditions for the most vulnerable e.g orphans, widows, poor, sick e.t.c Such a transformation requires a change of hearts (attitudes and behaviour) and going beyond mere self interest and preservation. Just and righteous leadership and policy would need to be the uncompromising benchmark across the board. No one should be above the law and corruption should not be tolerated and rewarded.

As it is, structural violence in Zimbabwe amounts to state sanctioned human sacrifice. Few reap the benefits of the deadly system, but many pay the ultimate price with their lives. The hearts of many vulnerable people are essentially being ripped out and the victims are forced to watch the gore of their bleeding, beating hearts being consumed by an uncaring system. There must be an end to the evil practice and the Truth will set the people free. Only The LIVING GOD can help clean up the filth. When that spell is broken, the nation will become transformed.