Ibhetshu Likazulu hails govt

Pressure group Ibhetshu Likazulu has hailed government's move to finally issue birth certificates and identity cards to people who were affected by Gukurahundi.

The organisation's spokesperson, Mbuzo Fuzwayo, however, said the development must not overshadow the reconciliation and healing aspect as it was the most paramount issue in the whole debacle.

In April this year, Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko announced that government had resolved to bring the issue of Gukurahundi to finality once and for all.

He said the government was already working on a programme to issue birth certificates to families of the victims of post-independence disturbances in the Midlands and Matabeleland region.

"We are the leaders of this country and it's our responsibility to address those matters.

"What we have to do is to issue birth and death certificates to those who were affected by Gukurahundi and rebury their loved ones properly in terms of the laws of our country as well as economically empower them," Mphoko said then.

Fuzwayo said while the move was long overdue following years of outcry, "it was a welcome development because the national document makes someone to be a citizen of the country".

"They will now be able to get government assistance, right to vote to be voted for, get documents for their off-spring, get land and apply for loans," he said.

"But unfortunately, it's after a lot of damage because there is nothing said about the past loss for example those who didn't go to school, social losses, because someone couldn't write Grade 7 exams because of lack of documents."

He emphasised that there was need to bring closure to the atrocities that rights groups have described as the worst in Zimbabwe's history.

"Do the documents specify the cause of death, especially for those killed? What about those who disappeared?" he queried.

"It is not enough to give people documents they must push for truth telling, talk about compensation, promote reconciliation and build memorial sites."

He said issuing documents is just a part of what could have been done long back.

"Giving documents is a part of reconciliation, though late, but honestly it's not enough.

"The people still need answers on their relatives, what happened, where are they, when are they going to be told what is it that they did to be taken away from their families, get decent burials," Fuzwayo said.

"If truth be told, a certain generation has lost out completely, even those who have been given documents.

"It doesn't address the cycle of poverty, loss of education, among other misfortunes on the people from this region as a result of Gukurahundi."