National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation co-minister Moses Mzila Ndlovu yesterday accused Zanu PF of frustrating efforts to address the Gukurahundi massacres by blocking debate.
SILAS NKALA
Human rights groups say over 20 000 civilians were butchered in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces by members of the 5th Brigade deployed by President Robert Mugabe to deal with an alleged insurgency in the 1980s.
Mugabe has refused to apologise for the atrocities that many believe were targeted at Zapu supporters led by the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo.
Mzila Ndlovu, of the MDC led by Welshman Ncube, said he was blocked from initiating the reburial of Gukurahundi victims discovered at Silwane Primary School in Lupane, Matabeleland North.
The minister said the villagers discovered the remains sometime in August last year and approached his ministry seeking government assistance to give the victims a decent burial.
“There has been no progress on the human remains at Silwane School because Zanu PF is not sincere in any Gukurahundi-related issue,” Mzila Ndlovu said. “People asked for a decent burial of the remains but it appears Zanu PF is determined to suppress the Gukurahundi issue.”
He said Silwane villagers had not known peace since the discovery as they were being intimidated by people believed to have links with Zanu PF.
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“They are being intimidated to stop associating with me and to stop talking about the Gukurahundi issue,” Mzila Ndlovu said. “I challenge the people of this region to never shut up until the Gukurahundi issue is addressed properly.”
He urged communities with Gukurahundi mass graves to protect them saying Zanu PF was determined to tamper with evidence of the massacres.
“It is high time we stopped pretending that we have national healing, there is nothing, but our colleagues in government pretend there is a lot going on,” the minister added. “People here still experience suppression and intimidation similar to Gukurahundi.”
He said Zanu PF was behind the Human Rights Act which will only deal with cases of human rights violations that occurred after 2009. But Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo yesterday accused Mzila Ndlovu of inciting people instead of promoting peace as a minister.
