Opinion / Columnist
1893 urges SADC, AU and International Community to deal with Matebeleland Question
17 Nov 2017 at 13:49hrs | Views
The 1893 Mthwakazi Human Rights Restoration Movement notes with grave concern the current events unfolding in Zimbabwe and wishes to put its own perspective on the current issues and what is of great importance for the people of Matebeleland.
As the SADC and AU and the international Community gets involved, there are two issues that stick up like a sore thumb in Zimbabwe. The issues are none other than the Matebeleland Question in terms of the Restoration of the Matebeleland state and the issue of the Gukurahundi Genocide that took place in the 80s as well as other on-going forms of genocide and human rights violations that are taking place today in Matebeleland in the form of cultural and linguistic genocide and the banning of the right to assembly as a people.
SADC, the AU and the International community can not arrive at a long-lasting solution of the Zimbabwean problem without these issues being put at the table. They are fundamental and are very key in the whole puzzle.
The 1893 Mthwakazi Human Rights Restoration Movement calls on all players, local, continental and global to take note of these serious issues and ensure that any discussion about a lasting solution in Zimbabwe tackles the Matebeleland Question and the Matebeleland Genocide. These are key and fundamental, and any half-baked decisions will merely delay solving these issues once and for all.
The British government, due to its colonial history, and assisted by the international community, has a vital and a special role to play in these Matebeleland issues, particularly the issue of the Restoration of the Matebeleland Kingdom. An imperfect decolonization process took place in 1979/1980 and as a result the current Zimbabwe we have today is a two state Zimbabwe with Matebeleland being a submerged state in Zimbabwe with Zimbabwe acting as a colonising entity. Zimbabwe's rule over Matebeleland is illegitimate. Matebeleland is a state without freedom and independence and it needs its independence soon.
The International community has a special role to play in the issue of Matebeleland Genocide in terms of Truth, Justice and Reparations for the Matebeleland people for this genocide.
The reason why Zimbabwe is in a crisis today and why Mugabe refuses to leave power and why all other players are scrambling to install their own leadership for their own insurance post the Mugabe era is because of their involvement in the Matebeleland Genocide and other forms of gross human rights violations that have taken place for the past 37 years.
The Matebeleland Question and Matebeleland Genocide otherwise known as Gukurahundi Genocide are at the heart of this crisis in Zimbabwe. Mugabe will not go or dare leave power because of these issues.
Any activity we observe and any state power capture we observe today is deeply rooted in these two Matebeleland issues. Of course, there are external players who are making a scramble for the resources of Matebeleland and Zimbabwe in general and that is noted, and their invisible and yet visible hand is seen by all.
Therefore SADC, AU and the International Community will be naïve to ignore the Matebeleland issues at play since 1893 when Matebeleland Kingdom was destroyed by Rhodes and his accomplices and merged with Mashonaland to form Southern Rhodesia now known as Zimbabwe.
Once more, SADC, AU and the international community will be naïve to ignore the 1983 Matebeleland Genocide that was committed by the government of Mugabe against our people in their intervention at present. These are serious matters that need to be dealt with during this crisis for a lasting solution.
Matebeleland voices cannot and must not be ignored in any solution that will be tabled.
Matebeleland needs a fair deal from this crisis. A deal that will ensure it gains its independence and freedom as well as Justice for the genocide perpetrated against it.
More importantly Matebeleland needs a velvet divorce from Zimbabwe and a new progressive beginning for itself and its people. Freedom for Matebeleland means freedom for Zimbabwe.
THE 1893 MTHWAKAZI HUMAN RIGHTS RESTORATION MOVEMENT: WHO ARE WE?
A movement representing Mthwakazi Nation and all tribes and races found in it.
A movement for restoration of the collective land, local resources, social, economic, educational, languages and diverse cultural Rights of the Mthwakazi Nation.
A movement for the Restoration of a Mthwakazi Kingdom that was destroyed by Rhodes and his colonial forces in 1893 war at Gadade.
A movement campaigning for Truth, Justice and Reparations for Gukurahundi Genocide committed in 1983 to 1987 in our Kingdom,
Our Nation is identified by the pride of our ancestors' rock (cave) paintings of abaThwa (San people) scattered around the hills and mountains of Mthwakazi, especially Matopo Hills, within the Jameson line, that is the border between Mthwakazi and Mashonaland.
The rock paintings are one of the first inventions of writing that was done by our ancestors in an art form in Africa.
The movement is not a political party. All Mthwakazi people can join the Movement regardless of organizational affiliations and beliefs.
We also appreciate, value and treat all Mthwakazi people equally regardless of age, sex, beliefs, social status or geographical location.
KEY COLONIZATION DATES OF OUR GREAT MTHWAKAZI KINGDOM
February 1888: The Fraudulent Moffat Treaty of friendship with Britain signed with King Lobhengula by Johan Moffatt, a colonial agent of Cecil John Rhodes, at the instigation of the deceptive and colonial crook Cecil John Rhodes. This treaty was deceptively signed with the full understanding and recognition that King Lobhengula was the legal and executive authority over the Matebeleland Kingdom.
30th October 1888: The Fraudulent Rudd Concession for exclusive mining rights for Rhodes and his colonial cronies was deceptively obtained by Charles Rudd; another colonial agent of Cecil John Rhodes. This treaty was once more a deceptive one signed however with the full understanding and recognition that King Lobhengula was the legal and executive authority over the Matebeleland Kingdom.
October 1893 to January 1894: Matebeleland Kingdom was invaded by Rhodes leading to one of the greatest wars ever fought in Southern Africa. The war is referred to as the First Matebele War. Impi YoMvukela Yakuqala.
18th July 1894: The 1894 Matabeleland Order in Council legal instrument that defined the administrative power of the British South Africa Company (BSAC) over Matabeleland and Mashonaland. Matebelelan and Mashonaland are run independently as separate states with 2 Governors hence two state houses we have today.
20th October 1898: The 1898 Matebeleland Order in council successor legal administrative instrument to 1894 Order council leading to renaming of Rhodesia as Southern Rhodesia, accented to by the British Crown. Matebeleland and Mashonaland are still run independently with 2 governors.
March 1896 to October 1897: Second Matebele War otherwise known as Impi YoMvukela Yesibili.
27th October 1922: A whites only Referendum (without black Matebele consent and vote) is conducted to decide whether Matebeleland becomes a province of South Africa or is governed as a single entity with Mashonaland. The outcome was for a single entity of Governance as Southern Rhodesia much to the benefit of Mashonaland.
1983 to 1987: Gukurahundi Genocide committed by the regime of Robert Gabriel Mugabe and his cronies, where hundreds of thousands died and millions remain displaced into neighbouring countries and overseas.
OUR 1893 MOTTO: RESTORE REBUILD & PROSPER
Wathint' i1893, Wathint' oNdukuzibomvu!
1893 MRM: A MTHWAKAZI HUMAN RIGHTS RESTORATION MOVEMENT
By Mr Thembani Dube
1893 Co-Secretary of information and Publicity
As the SADC and AU and the international Community gets involved, there are two issues that stick up like a sore thumb in Zimbabwe. The issues are none other than the Matebeleland Question in terms of the Restoration of the Matebeleland state and the issue of the Gukurahundi Genocide that took place in the 80s as well as other on-going forms of genocide and human rights violations that are taking place today in Matebeleland in the form of cultural and linguistic genocide and the banning of the right to assembly as a people.
SADC, the AU and the International community can not arrive at a long-lasting solution of the Zimbabwean problem without these issues being put at the table. They are fundamental and are very key in the whole puzzle.
The 1893 Mthwakazi Human Rights Restoration Movement calls on all players, local, continental and global to take note of these serious issues and ensure that any discussion about a lasting solution in Zimbabwe tackles the Matebeleland Question and the Matebeleland Genocide. These are key and fundamental, and any half-baked decisions will merely delay solving these issues once and for all.
The British government, due to its colonial history, and assisted by the international community, has a vital and a special role to play in these Matebeleland issues, particularly the issue of the Restoration of the Matebeleland Kingdom. An imperfect decolonization process took place in 1979/1980 and as a result the current Zimbabwe we have today is a two state Zimbabwe with Matebeleland being a submerged state in Zimbabwe with Zimbabwe acting as a colonising entity. Zimbabwe's rule over Matebeleland is illegitimate. Matebeleland is a state without freedom and independence and it needs its independence soon.
The International community has a special role to play in the issue of Matebeleland Genocide in terms of Truth, Justice and Reparations for the Matebeleland people for this genocide.
The reason why Zimbabwe is in a crisis today and why Mugabe refuses to leave power and why all other players are scrambling to install their own leadership for their own insurance post the Mugabe era is because of their involvement in the Matebeleland Genocide and other forms of gross human rights violations that have taken place for the past 37 years.
The Matebeleland Question and Matebeleland Genocide otherwise known as Gukurahundi Genocide are at the heart of this crisis in Zimbabwe. Mugabe will not go or dare leave power because of these issues.
Any activity we observe and any state power capture we observe today is deeply rooted in these two Matebeleland issues. Of course, there are external players who are making a scramble for the resources of Matebeleland and Zimbabwe in general and that is noted, and their invisible and yet visible hand is seen by all.
Therefore SADC, AU and the International Community will be naïve to ignore the Matebeleland issues at play since 1893 when Matebeleland Kingdom was destroyed by Rhodes and his accomplices and merged with Mashonaland to form Southern Rhodesia now known as Zimbabwe.
Once more, SADC, AU and the international community will be naïve to ignore the 1983 Matebeleland Genocide that was committed by the government of Mugabe against our people in their intervention at present. These are serious matters that need to be dealt with during this crisis for a lasting solution.
Matebeleland voices cannot and must not be ignored in any solution that will be tabled.
Matebeleland needs a fair deal from this crisis. A deal that will ensure it gains its independence and freedom as well as Justice for the genocide perpetrated against it.
More importantly Matebeleland needs a velvet divorce from Zimbabwe and a new progressive beginning for itself and its people. Freedom for Matebeleland means freedom for Zimbabwe.
THE 1893 MTHWAKAZI HUMAN RIGHTS RESTORATION MOVEMENT: WHO ARE WE?
A movement representing Mthwakazi Nation and all tribes and races found in it.
A movement for the Restoration of a Mthwakazi Kingdom that was destroyed by Rhodes and his colonial forces in 1893 war at Gadade.
A movement campaigning for Truth, Justice and Reparations for Gukurahundi Genocide committed in 1983 to 1987 in our Kingdom,
Our Nation is identified by the pride of our ancestors' rock (cave) paintings of abaThwa (San people) scattered around the hills and mountains of Mthwakazi, especially Matopo Hills, within the Jameson line, that is the border between Mthwakazi and Mashonaland.
The rock paintings are one of the first inventions of writing that was done by our ancestors in an art form in Africa.
The movement is not a political party. All Mthwakazi people can join the Movement regardless of organizational affiliations and beliefs.
We also appreciate, value and treat all Mthwakazi people equally regardless of age, sex, beliefs, social status or geographical location.
KEY COLONIZATION DATES OF OUR GREAT MTHWAKAZI KINGDOM
February 1888: The Fraudulent Moffat Treaty of friendship with Britain signed with King Lobhengula by Johan Moffatt, a colonial agent of Cecil John Rhodes, at the instigation of the deceptive and colonial crook Cecil John Rhodes. This treaty was deceptively signed with the full understanding and recognition that King Lobhengula was the legal and executive authority over the Matebeleland Kingdom.
30th October 1888: The Fraudulent Rudd Concession for exclusive mining rights for Rhodes and his colonial cronies was deceptively obtained by Charles Rudd; another colonial agent of Cecil John Rhodes. This treaty was once more a deceptive one signed however with the full understanding and recognition that King Lobhengula was the legal and executive authority over the Matebeleland Kingdom.
October 1893 to January 1894: Matebeleland Kingdom was invaded by Rhodes leading to one of the greatest wars ever fought in Southern Africa. The war is referred to as the First Matebele War. Impi YoMvukela Yakuqala.
18th July 1894: The 1894 Matabeleland Order in Council legal instrument that defined the administrative power of the British South Africa Company (BSAC) over Matabeleland and Mashonaland. Matebelelan and Mashonaland are run independently as separate states with 2 Governors hence two state houses we have today.
20th October 1898: The 1898 Matebeleland Order in council successor legal administrative instrument to 1894 Order council leading to renaming of Rhodesia as Southern Rhodesia, accented to by the British Crown. Matebeleland and Mashonaland are still run independently with 2 governors.
March 1896 to October 1897: Second Matebele War otherwise known as Impi YoMvukela Yesibili.
27th October 1922: A whites only Referendum (without black Matebele consent and vote) is conducted to decide whether Matebeleland becomes a province of South Africa or is governed as a single entity with Mashonaland. The outcome was for a single entity of Governance as Southern Rhodesia much to the benefit of Mashonaland.
1983 to 1987: Gukurahundi Genocide committed by the regime of Robert Gabriel Mugabe and his cronies, where hundreds of thousands died and millions remain displaced into neighbouring countries and overseas.
OUR 1893 MOTTO: RESTORE REBUILD & PROSPER
Wathint' i1893, Wathint' oNdukuzibomvu!
1893 MRM: A MTHWAKAZI HUMAN RIGHTS RESTORATION MOVEMENT
By Mr Thembani Dube
1893 Co-Secretary of information and Publicity
Source - 1893 MHRRM
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