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National Hero's son calls for an International Gukurahundi Commission of Inquiry
30 Oct 2018 at 16:21hrs | Views
Siphosami Malunga the son of the late National Hero Sydney Malunga has called for an International Commission of inquiry into the Gukurahundi massacre that claimed the lives of an estimated 20 000 people in Midlands and Matabeleland.
Malunga who is the Executive Director at Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa said, " I am persuaded… that we need an International Commission of Inquiry into Gukurahundi. It's never too late, the matter is going nowhere and we have a good precedent in the (Kgalema) Monthlante Commission."
Malunga further called for the state to drop charges against members of the Mthwakazi Republic Party who were arrested in Bulawayo last week at the Kgalema Motlanthe led Commission of Inquiry into the 1 August killings.
"The case against these young people from Mthwakazi Republican Party must be dropped. It is not a crime to talk about a crime that has been committed against you or your loved ones. Their parents were killed by Gukurahundi!
"Why can't they talk about this and must the world not know about it? They chose an opportunity that worked for them albeit embarrassing for the authorities. The worst that can happen is for the Monthlante Commission to ignore their testimony with regards to its enquiry.
But no crime has been committed here. A greater crime has been committed against these young people. Where are the diplomats, journalists, political actors, civil society groups and others that came out when my brother Tendai Biti and others were arrested in August? Where are the human rights lawyers? The violation of the rights of one is the violation of the rights of all."
The accused Wisdom Mkhwanazi who is facing charges of undermining the authority of the President, Marshal Sibiya, Welcome Moyo and Venat Ncube who are facing public violence charges as defined in section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act are out on bail.
Malunga who is the Executive Director at Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa said, " I am persuaded… that we need an International Commission of Inquiry into Gukurahundi. It's never too late, the matter is going nowhere and we have a good precedent in the (Kgalema) Monthlante Commission."
Malunga further called for the state to drop charges against members of the Mthwakazi Republic Party who were arrested in Bulawayo last week at the Kgalema Motlanthe led Commission of Inquiry into the 1 August killings.
"The case against these young people from Mthwakazi Republican Party must be dropped. It is not a crime to talk about a crime that has been committed against you or your loved ones. Their parents were killed by Gukurahundi!
"Why can't they talk about this and must the world not know about it? They chose an opportunity that worked for them albeit embarrassing for the authorities. The worst that can happen is for the Monthlante Commission to ignore their testimony with regards to its enquiry.
But no crime has been committed here. A greater crime has been committed against these young people. Where are the diplomats, journalists, political actors, civil society groups and others that came out when my brother Tendai Biti and others were arrested in August? Where are the human rights lawyers? The violation of the rights of one is the violation of the rights of all."
The accused Wisdom Mkhwanazi who is facing charges of undermining the authority of the President, Marshal Sibiya, Welcome Moyo and Venat Ncube who are facing public violence charges as defined in section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act are out on bail.
Source - Byo24News
