'Gukurahundi victims day must be put on national calendar'

THE MDC led by Welshman Ncube has called for the Zanu PF led government to consider declaring the Gukurahundi Victims day in Zimbabwe's national calendar of events in order to at least relieve the relatives of the victims and their families from the trauma they have gone through since the genocide with happened between 1980 and 87.

Matabeleland South MDC Chairman Pilate Ndebele said people in Matabeleland and Midlands who were affected by the massacres are still pondering as to why the government does not appreciate their call for recognition and how they can make the President Robert Mugabe and his cronies understand that they were morally, physically and spiritually affected by the disturbances.

Ndebele said people appreciate the move by Mugabe and late Vice President Joshua Nkomo of signing a unity accord which led to the stop of the massacres, but sadly that was not enough to put back the victims and relatives to a position where they would say the government really cares about them.

"The nation commemorates various national events which has something to do with the liberation of the country which we appreciate," said Ndebele.

"But the issue of Gukurahundi which claimed more than 20 000 people remains an ignored blind spot yet the victims are still grieving and nursing the pains of having lost their parents and children who were their bread winners."

He said yes the president has at some point admitted it was a moment of madness but asked what then he did to show that he is passionately having contrition over the killings.

"The initial stage in which the government can consolidate victims and their relatives is by choosing a certain date and declare it as one of the most important national days for celebration in which these people will start having recognition," said Ndebele.

He gave an example of the day in which South African students were killed after they protested against the teaching of Afrikaans at schools a day which is celebrated in South Africa and all African nations as the 16 days of Activism day.

Ndebele said the day will be so much important to the affected people who will be able to see that government is concerned about them.

He said people especially young ones must be taught the proper history especial about why the unity accord was signed as the government seems to be silent about it.

"Children must be told that Unity accord was as  a result of the mass killing which was done by state forces on the suspected Zipra and Zapu supporters most of them who were civilians," he said.

Ndebele's calls come at a time when Ibetshu Likazuklu a pressure group based in Bulawayo has repeatedly been blocked by the police from conducting the Gukurahundi prayer and celebration meetings on the grounds the events would cause disharmony in the country.

He also said it was a pleasure that the nation this week will celebrate the 35th anniversary of independence but indicated that the even only marks the end of the white colonial rule yet practically people are still living in that era because of the Zanu PF continued misrule.

"We fought for easy access to all national documents but you still find out that some area of the country still have difficulties to access the national documents, "said Ndebele. "Also freedom of s[peach, freedom of association are still a far cry as some organisation are at times blocked from conducting their meetings."