What is the Sunday Mail scared of?

What is the Sunday Mail scared of?

• Admore Tshuma: Zim needs 5 Brigade public hearings

• Christopher Muzavazi: Nkala can fool no-one

• Enos Nkala: Statement on planned book

• Joshua Mhambi: Gukurahundi crimes not transferable

• Msika unconvinced by Mugabe's apology

• Why Shamuyarira makes me sick

• Shamuyarira under fire over Gukurahundi

• Jonathan Moyo: Which is which?

• Jonathan Maphenduka: Who are the real tribalists

• Geoffrey Nyarota: Making political capital out of a national tragedy

• Kuthula Matshazi: It's not fiction, Ndebeles are marginalised

• Khanyisela Moyo: Ndebele minority needs constitutional protection

• Sam Sipepa Nkomo: A case for provincialisation in Zimbabwe

• Kevin Eagle and Gregory Stanton: Genocide in Zimbabwe

• Lance Guma: Mkhwananzi's mix of sense and non-sense

• George Mkhwananzi: Ndebeles and Zimbabwe national leadership

• Lance Guma: Lessons drenched in blood

• Black murder, white murder

• Dumisani Zifa Ndlovu: 'Mnangagwa has Matabele blood on his hands'

• Mnangagwa, Dabengwa clash over Mat massacres

• Mugabe faces class lawsuit over massacres

• Honour of journalist who first exposed Mat killings

By Mandlenkosi Ncube

I WRITE in response to a report in The Sunday Mail of 31/12/06, under the heading "Moyo's ploy to divide nation exposed" (read report).

I find the report prejudicial, insecure and shallow in scope.

The reporter alleges that Moyo is planning to divide the country along tribal lines by sponsoring a bill that visits the Gukurahundi genocide, because according to this reporter, the flawed Unity Accord of 22 Dec 1987, "signalled the permanent resolution of the problem."

I label it flawed because it doesn't address the problems the victims faced and are still facing to date and that alone does not come close to any skewed definition of a permanent resolution to the problem.

The reporter is misinformed about the situation on the ground, thousands cannot get death and birth certificates of their loved ones because the state will not allow them to state the true cause of death. This means many cannot execute the estates of the deceased so that they can benefit, this alone has permanently disadvantaged many as we speak.

Many others had traumatic experiences of the horrors they were subjected to and are still haunted by them, they need professional counselling and rehabilitation to help them out. I will also assume that this reporter is acquainted with our African culture, if so, can he honestly tell how a familly can move on without knowledge of the whereabouts of the remains of their loved ones?

Culturally the remains of those that were killed need to be identified and repatriated to their families. This will need hard work and forensic experts to help and not to wish situations away as the reporter would have it. These are just a few of the issues that need addressing and without addressing them, there can never be any meaningful progress as a nation.

As for dividing the nation, I would like to dismiss that notion as it seeks to mislead and divert attention from real issues. There are no tribal differences on the matter, although the perpetrators of the genocide would love to involve this tribal nonsense to create a fortress that will defend them from facing up to their actions.

There was no war of tribes during Gukurahundi, it was a genocide against the Ndebele minority and was planned to consolidate Robert Mugabe's hold on power by killing the support base of Zapu. We cannot buy the nonsense of tribal divisions being caused by seeking justice on the genocide.

I will be the first to admit that Moyo is not a saint especially after his stint as Information Minister. The fact that this initiative is coming from Moyo should not blind us to the fact that there are real isues on the subject that need to be attended to. It would be wrong for Parliament to throw the initiative out without giving it a chance just because it is coming from Moyo.

Let us not forget the fact that Moyo is a Member of parliament who was overwhelmingly voted for by the people of Tsholotsho to represent them. Moyo's constituency is one of the many areas that were affected by the genocide so why would anyone without any hidden agenda want to stop them from being heard in parliament?

Some will accuse Moyo of being an opportunist. Why now? Why didn't he table this bill when he was in government? It's not mathematics. Moyo had no constituency when he was in government and it is fair to say he was an employee of Robert Mugabe, which means he had to implement Mugabe's projects which I doubt included the Gukurahundi issue.

Our differences with Moyo -- and they might be many -- should not stop us from hearing what the man has to say. Besides I think the man has brains and it wouldn't hurt to tap from that brain.

We should all embrace Moyo's bill as the beginning of the healing process and not the opening of old wounds, as suggested by the reporter because they were not closed in the first place.

I especially like the idea about the memorial board that will keep records of the goings on during that time, this is important history which should be said as it is no matter how shameful or how ugly it is.

I will go further to say it should be taught in our schools so that we can plan our future carefully when we choose our leaders.

I also have a proposal on the shrine site: Belagwe and the adjacent Antelope Mine shafts in Kezi that were initially used as the dumping site for the mutilated bodies of the 5 Brigade victims.

Mandlenkosi Ncube writes from Bulawayo. He can be contacted at: mandlancube123@yahoo.co.uk
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