Itai Dzamara's prayer meeting exposes West duplicity

In Zimbabwe all people are equal but those from Mashonaland are more equal than others. Itai Dzamara prayer meeting that was held in Harare last Saturday revealed just that, people from Matabeleland are lesser beings than those from Mashonaland and they are treated differently not by the Mugabe regime only but opposition parties, civil organisations as well as churches, surprisingly by the Western countries which parade themselves as paragons of democracy, equality and justice.

It is only in Zimbabwe where the disappearance of one individual receives much publicity and is afforded high profile based on where he comes from and his tribe. Itai Dzamara prayer meeting was attended by the who is who of Zimbabwe opposition politics , civil organisations and churches while gukurahundi genocide in which more than 40 000 innocent civilians died at the hands of the Zimbabwe National Army 5 Brigade christened as gukurahundi, is ignored by the same organisations and the Western embassies. Is the West against the people of Matebeleland if we may ask?

MLO is not taking away anything from Itai Dzamara who has been made to disappear for expressing his political beliefs. Neither are we trying to force Zimbabwe opposition parties and their backers to condemn gukurahundi genocide. But we want to expose dissimulation, trickery and hypocrisy by the so called team of democrats: Zimbabwe opposition parties, civil organisations, churches and the Western Embassies.

Jabulani Sibanda correctly observed that the Western Embassies condemn Itai Dzamara's disappearance while maintaining silence on gukurahundi genocide but wrongly layed the blame on the West only while leaving out his newly found comrades in Zimbabwe s opposition parties. I mean those who were sitting next to him, those who were sharing the stage with him. Those who were hugging him, shaking hands with him and pretending to be his comrades in arms. They are the very people who have a very bad habit of unashamedly calling for gukurahundi justice only during the elections. After elections they don't want to hear or talk about the subject. We say to them you have been tested and found wanting. Shame on you Zimbabwean political opposition parties, civic organisations, churches and western embassies. It is clear that the western embassies are promoting tribalisation and marginalization of Matebeles in Zimbabwe.

It is public knowledge that gukurahundi memorial prayers, though banned by the oppressive government of Zimbabwe, have been continuously organised in Bulawayo every year by Ibhetshu Likazulu. But not even one of those who attended Itai Dzamara's prayer meeting has attended even one gukurahundi genocide memorial service. Not even one of them condemned the banning of the same event. Does this mean that anything that has to do with Mashonaland and its people is national and that which has to do with Matabeleland is regional and tribal? Who is fooling who here? Who is a tribalist? We are aware of this selective defense of human rights and those who practice it should know that as people of Matabeleland we have already lost trust and confidence in them. We see no difference between them and Zanu-PF.

We know that when it is election time, they come in full force crying crocodile tears, crying so loud that anybody who cares to listen would hear, calling for the immediate arrest and trial of gukurahundi genocide perpetrators. When the elections are over they sweep gukurahundi genocide under the carpet and wait for next elections.

If the rubble rouser, Jabulani Sibanda's public announcement of the revolution using Itai Dzamara's prayer meeting as the launch pad, is anything to go by then the people of Matabeleland have another dangerous two faced revolution which like that of the 1970s, is disguised as "black majority rule" while in reality it is the same oppressive "Shona majority black rule." This time it is Sugar coated with the mention of words like "democracy" and "people first."

Matebeles must not be fooled by this revolution which is of no importance and totally irrelevant to our independence cause. This revolution which is led by Zanu-PF recycled rejects who have enjoyed 35 years of uninterrupted plunder must not be supported by the people of Matabeleland.

We should distance ourselves from Zimbabwe's deceitful political power struggles and concentrate all our efforts and energy on our main objective that is, to reclaim our independence and sovereignty that was lost on 3 November 1893 to white colonisers who later handed over our country to black colonisers. Remember that Matabeleland is in captivity.

Siyaphambili!

Akuzenzo kungemazwi!

Israel Dube
Secretary for Information and Public Affairs
Contact: infomlo13@gmail.com or izzydube@mtn.blackberry.com