(TALKZIMBABWE) Opening Old Wounds

Opening Old Wounds
P.T.—Opinion
Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:58:00 +0000

DEAR EDITOR—THE recent debates about how the perpetrators of violence should be treated should be reserved until the new cabinet is sworn in. I think such debates are still premature especially at a time when people are trying to forge a way forward.

The new government should be able to deal with those concerns when it is sworn in and I am quite certain the law will take its course – at least that is the reassurance we have got from the Zimbabwean government thus far.

The danger is that the Zanu PF government will have to revisit its ‘policy of reconciliation’ if these arguments are coming from people who have been known to perpetrate violence against the majority of blacks during the liberation war, especially people like Roy Bennett and David Coltart who are alleged to have been involved in the notorious Selous Scouts and the British South Africa Police (the Rhodesian Police Force) who killed many innocent civilians.

Both the BSAP and the Selous Scouts played a major role in maintaining white minority rule and during the course of the war torture was also systematically used by the BSAP against captured guerrillas and their supporters and these two individuals were complicit in it.

There are also many other individuals, black Zimbabweans, who were pardoned by President Mugabe who served in the Rhodesian forces and Selous Scouts. Should these individuals also be brought to book for ‘fighting against their own people’?

It is estimated that close to 500,000 blacks perished during the liberation struggle; including women and children. It was incumbent upon then new Prime Minister (Robert Mugabe) to forge a way to deal with these atrocities and he decided to pardon all perpetrators. This is not to say that he is above the law himself now; but this is a factor that should be taken intoi consideration if he has agreed to make changes to his government and ensure that a more democratic Zimbabwe prevails after the talks. Where people have deliberately killed and maimed for selfish reasons, they should be brought to book, but the public should not be the judge. A Commission of Inquiry should be set up to investigate such cases and only such a competent body can deal with that kind of event.

I think such debates should, at least for now, be reserved for a government that comes out of the talks. It should be part of the ongoing talks in South Africa and we should all allow that process to take place before jumping gun. If we are all going to condemn farm invasions, where should we start? Some people would want to start when the ‘British land invaders’ came, others would want to start in 1999. This will not help Zimbabwe and will only serve to discourage investors from coming into a volatile Zimbabwe.

Also the issue is likely to become a race issue and Zimbabweans have never been divided along racial lines. There are white farmers today who bought their farms after independence in 1980 who are not invaders. Why should those white farmers suffer?

I think when we advance arguments that are complicated and not think them through we should be careful of opening up old wounds and setting in motion discussions that could easily become divisive to our once great nation.

P.T.
London