News / Press Release
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 54th Annivesary - Paul Siwela
12 Dec 2012 at 10:07hrs | Views
Press Statement: We at Matebeleland Liberation Organisation ie MLO are pleased to be associated with this day that purports to represent the interests and rights of people around the world and in particular to enjoy such rights as enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter.
On the 10th of December 2012,the family of nations would celebrate this day which would be marked by pomp and ceremony in some other places while some places it would go unnoticed as any other day because their rights are being violated and trampled upon by those who govern them without their consent needless to mention that those who govern others without their consent seem to enjoy a carte blanche licence to the abuse others and enjoy prominence on this day through electronic and print media.
The nation of Matebeleland is one such group of people this day would go unnoticed as they have never known or enjoyed their human rights since the British imperial agents attacked and destroyed their kingdom on 3 November 1893.The kingdom of Matebeleland was an independent and sovereign state that was recognised by Botswana under Seretse Khama,South Africa under Paul Kruger,Mashonaland under the British imperial agent Starr Leander Jameson,Barotseland under Lewanika,Britain under Queen Victoria,Germany,Portugal and France just to name but a few countries..Matebeleland borders were even recognised by all these countries and the kingdom recognised as sovereign state thus many treaties were concluded with and signed by King Lobengula representing Matabeleland kingdom and various imperial agents from Britain,Germany and Portugal to name but three.
What the imperial agents failed to get through these treaties motivated them to illegally invade and destroy Matabeleland state using superior military arsenal against the Matebele warriors which led to the Matebeleland Order In Council Rule By Conquest. Under this Rule By Conquest,the Matebele people suffered serious humiliation,discrimination and suffered genocide and had their assets like gold,diamonds,artifacts and cattle looted by British imperial agents culminating to ultimate loss of the territory since then up to date.It was then that for the convenience of the British imperial agents ,that Matabeleland was forcibly joined with Mashonaland to create the colonial country called Rhodesia without the consent of both the Matebeles and Mashonas.
In 1980,through imperfect decolonisation, Matabeleland was made a province of Zimbabwe,the successor to Rhodesia.Once again,the Matebele people were subjected to discrimination, marginalisation and suffered genocide where over 40 000 unarmed civilians were dastardly killed by Zimbabwe defence forces between 1983 and 1987 for no other reason except that they did not belong to the Shona ethnic group and that they did not belong to Zanu-pf party . Over 100 000 Matebele women were raped and some impregnated during that period and over a 1 000 000 Matebele people displaced into neighbouring Bostawana ,South Africa and some to far flung places like Britain, Australia to name but two. In Zimbabwe this day would be observed and celebrated while Matebeles are not free and not enjoying any human rights whatsoever.
We at Matebeleland Liberation Organisation ie MLO representing the aspirations of the Matebele nation who are fighting to regain their statehood from Zimbabwe plead with the international community that as we celebrate this day,that the people of Matabeleland be supported and recognised in their attempts to peacefully break away from Zimbabwe and become a full , independent and sovereign state.It is on this day that we also remember and express our solidarity to other nations or groups who are fighting for their independence and suffer gross violations of abuses from various outposts of dictatorship around the world that this day would have some meaning to all who live on this planet if all were to enjoy their Self Determination.
Matabeleland must be free and we believe in The Republic of Matabeleland Fisrt and Matabeleland independence For ever
Paul Siwela
President
Matebeleland Liberation Organisation MLO
On the 10th of December 2012,the family of nations would celebrate this day which would be marked by pomp and ceremony in some other places while some places it would go unnoticed as any other day because their rights are being violated and trampled upon by those who govern them without their consent needless to mention that those who govern others without their consent seem to enjoy a carte blanche licence to the abuse others and enjoy prominence on this day through electronic and print media.
The nation of Matebeleland is one such group of people this day would go unnoticed as they have never known or enjoyed their human rights since the British imperial agents attacked and destroyed their kingdom on 3 November 1893.The kingdom of Matebeleland was an independent and sovereign state that was recognised by Botswana under Seretse Khama,South Africa under Paul Kruger,Mashonaland under the British imperial agent Starr Leander Jameson,Barotseland under Lewanika,Britain under Queen Victoria,Germany,Portugal and France just to name but a few countries..Matebeleland borders were even recognised by all these countries and the kingdom recognised as sovereign state thus many treaties were concluded with and signed by King Lobengula representing Matabeleland kingdom and various imperial agents from Britain,Germany and Portugal to name but three.
What the imperial agents failed to get through these treaties motivated them to illegally invade and destroy Matabeleland state using superior military arsenal against the Matebele warriors which led to the Matebeleland Order In Council Rule By Conquest. Under this Rule By Conquest,the Matebele people suffered serious humiliation,discrimination and suffered genocide and had their assets like gold,diamonds,artifacts and cattle looted by British imperial agents culminating to ultimate loss of the territory since then up to date.It was then that for the convenience of the British imperial agents ,that Matabeleland was forcibly joined with Mashonaland to create the colonial country called Rhodesia without the consent of both the Matebeles and Mashonas.
In 1980,through imperfect decolonisation, Matabeleland was made a province of Zimbabwe,the successor to Rhodesia.Once again,the Matebele people were subjected to discrimination, marginalisation and suffered genocide where over 40 000 unarmed civilians were dastardly killed by Zimbabwe defence forces between 1983 and 1987 for no other reason except that they did not belong to the Shona ethnic group and that they did not belong to Zanu-pf party . Over 100 000 Matebele women were raped and some impregnated during that period and over a 1 000 000 Matebele people displaced into neighbouring Bostawana ,South Africa and some to far flung places like Britain, Australia to name but two. In Zimbabwe this day would be observed and celebrated while Matebeles are not free and not enjoying any human rights whatsoever.
We at Matebeleland Liberation Organisation ie MLO representing the aspirations of the Matebele nation who are fighting to regain their statehood from Zimbabwe plead with the international community that as we celebrate this day,that the people of Matabeleland be supported and recognised in their attempts to peacefully break away from Zimbabwe and become a full , independent and sovereign state.It is on this day that we also remember and express our solidarity to other nations or groups who are fighting for their independence and suffer gross violations of abuses from various outposts of dictatorship around the world that this day would have some meaning to all who live on this planet if all were to enjoy their Self Determination.
Matabeleland must be free and we believe in The Republic of Matabeleland Fisrt and Matabeleland independence For ever
Paul Siwela
President
Matebeleland Liberation Organisation MLO
Source - Paul Siwela
