Opinion / Columnist
Government engagement on Gukurahundi
14 Apr 2019 at 14:21hrs | Views
Yes Government and Civil Society Engagement on issues of Gukurahundi is a positive welcome step in the right direction.!!!
Lovejean Ndlovu of the ZAPU Youth publicity department in his article, "The fallacy of ZANU PF and civil society engagements" seems to be missing the point and his seeming anger is misdirected.
For a start, Justice Secretary Virginia Mabhiza unveiled a process of Government working with civil society in resolving the longstanding issue of Gukurahundi and not a ZANU Pf party process/program. The fact that political parties have consistently raised the issue before and continue to raise it now does not necessarily mean it is a party political issue.
Indeed political parties and civil society organizations have been seized with the issue and continue to be so seized precisely to get Government to address the issue for National healing and building. ZAPU's inferred demand to be involved or engaged in the process announced by Justice Secretary Mabhiza could betray the party (ZAPU) as only having been concerned about the Gukurahundi issue for political mileage. It should be a welcome development that Government is now initiating engagement towards resolution of this thorny issue.
The issue of treatment of the survivors is very important and ZAPU's concerns about where and how this treatment will be done are missing the point. The point is to agree that there is need for treatment and that it should be offered and done. Facilities and resources can be put in place. We still expect the Government to give more detail in that regard. Trauma centers could be established throughout the affected regions and in health providing institutions. Trauma experts could be resourced and invited from around the world. Indeed, all the categories of people that Ndlovu mentions including those that witnessed horrific scenes as ripping open stomachs of pregnant women will benefit from trauma treatment that is four decades overdue.
The issue of compensation to the victims remains on the table of discussions. Issuing of identity documents to the families of the victims of Gukurahundi including the Disappeared should be welcome as a step in the right direction. To the affected people the issues arising from the Gukurahundi atrocities are everyday struggle and not just a political weapon for political relevance.
While we expect more clarity and more action towards resolving this unfortunate manmade cancer in our country, we should welcome the opening up and urge the Government to move with speed to heal this festering wound in our national wellbeing.. The nation ought to unite in urging the Government to do more and all that needs doing to put this issue behind us for the sake of future generations of Zimbabwe. The issue of justice to both the dead and surviving victims can take various forms which all need to be discussed and considered.
Lovejean Ndlovu of the ZAPU Youth publicity department in his article, "The fallacy of ZANU PF and civil society engagements" seems to be missing the point and his seeming anger is misdirected.
For a start, Justice Secretary Virginia Mabhiza unveiled a process of Government working with civil society in resolving the longstanding issue of Gukurahundi and not a ZANU Pf party process/program. The fact that political parties have consistently raised the issue before and continue to raise it now does not necessarily mean it is a party political issue.
Indeed political parties and civil society organizations have been seized with the issue and continue to be so seized precisely to get Government to address the issue for National healing and building. ZAPU's inferred demand to be involved or engaged in the process announced by Justice Secretary Mabhiza could betray the party (ZAPU) as only having been concerned about the Gukurahundi issue for political mileage. It should be a welcome development that Government is now initiating engagement towards resolution of this thorny issue.
The issue of treatment of the survivors is very important and ZAPU's concerns about where and how this treatment will be done are missing the point. The point is to agree that there is need for treatment and that it should be offered and done. Facilities and resources can be put in place. We still expect the Government to give more detail in that regard. Trauma centers could be established throughout the affected regions and in health providing institutions. Trauma experts could be resourced and invited from around the world. Indeed, all the categories of people that Ndlovu mentions including those that witnessed horrific scenes as ripping open stomachs of pregnant women will benefit from trauma treatment that is four decades overdue.
The issue of compensation to the victims remains on the table of discussions. Issuing of identity documents to the families of the victims of Gukurahundi including the Disappeared should be welcome as a step in the right direction. To the affected people the issues arising from the Gukurahundi atrocities are everyday struggle and not just a political weapon for political relevance.
While we expect more clarity and more action towards resolving this unfortunate manmade cancer in our country, we should welcome the opening up and urge the Government to move with speed to heal this festering wound in our national wellbeing.. The nation ought to unite in urging the Government to do more and all that needs doing to put this issue behind us for the sake of future generations of Zimbabwe. The issue of justice to both the dead and surviving victims can take various forms which all need to be discussed and considered.
Source - Nicholas Mlamuli Ndebele
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