Maravi

(HERALD) Rhodie group unearthed in Braeside

Rhodie group unearthed in Braeside
Herald Reporter

POLICE have launched investigations into the activities of a secretive group of former Rhodesian army officers who were holding clandestine meetings at the Memorable Order of Tin Hats Memorial Centre in Braeside, Harare, amid concerns that the group could be linked to military-style attacks being perpetrated on Zanu-PF supporters by suspected MDC-T activists countrywide.

War veterans and Zanu-PF youths in the area stormed MOTH Memorial Centre following a tip-off from members of the public before calling Braeside police to investigate activities there.

The place, a whites only bastion, which was accessed for the first time by a group of black people who do not work there last Wednesday afternoon, resembled an armoury with an assortment of weapons including guns, bayonets, machetes, grenades and tear-gas canisters.

Among the memorabilia were various badges of several Rhodesian Army units, helmets, camouflage jackets and pictures of prominent Rhodesian settlers.

Prominent among the plethora of memorabilia and armaments were the British and American flags, and conspicuous by its absence was the Zimbabwean flag.

Workers at the Memorial Hall said the ex-Rhodesian soldiers known as the Memorable Order of Tin Hats, held meetings three times a month on Sundays, except the first Sunday of the month. Some of their activities included commemorations of certain battles won against freedom fighters during the liberation struggle.

Among the memorabilia were flags and badges of feared military units during the liberation struggle such as the Rhodesian Scorpion Shellhole, that was notorious for atrocities against freedom fighters.

Among the successful raids against freedom fighters celebrated at the secret place included forays by the Burma Road Unit, Clickity Click Unit, The Valley Shellhole of 1969 and the Mashonaland Raiders of 1975.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau yesterday confirmed the secret meetings saying investigations were underway.

"In view of the isolated violent political cases happening across the country, police have instituted investigations into the purposes of these meetings.

"We are interested in the dealings of this group and police are currently on the ground investigating activities at the meeting place," he said.

He, however, indicated that no arrests had been made in connection with the meetings.

"The members would meet in the evenings and no black person was allowed into the room once the meeting was in progress. Only a few trusted workers were allowed to clean the place after the meeting," said some workers on condition of anonymity.

Residents of Braeside and Cranborne expressed outrage at the activities of the Rhodesian group whose memorabilia also bemoaned some raids that were not carried out.

"These are the people who massacred our colleagues during the war. The Rhodesian Scorpions were a ruthless unit that killed many freedom fighters. This flag reflects an aborted raid on March 4, 1976," said Cde Rodwell Zata, a war veteran.

The meetings, held under the cover of darkness and secrecy, come in the wake of several unsolved violence cases that have bewildered security agents in the country.

Two Zanu-PF supporters were recently murdered in cold blood by suspected MDC-T gunmen while several cases of arson targeting long-distance buses, commuter omnibuses and passenger trains have gone unsolved for months.

The violence that has engulfed some parts of the country has been attributed to rogue elements in the opposition who have vowed to make Zimbabwe ungovernable to warrant external intervention.

Labels: MDC VIOLENCE, RHODESIA

posted by MrK @ 3:00 AM