NATIONAL Healing, Integration and Reconciliation co-minister Sekai Holland has challenged the police officers who bashed her alongside other MDC-T leaders during a prayer meeting in Harare in 2006 to own up and explain the motive behind the beatings. REPORT BY SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER
Speaking during a belated commemoration of the World Anti-Corruption Day in Bulawayo on Thursday, Holland said she was still traumatised by the battering which targeted several other top MDC-T officials including Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
“We were beaten by police during a prayer meeting and I was seriously injured,” she said.
“It is embarrassing for a grandmother like me to be beaten by young people to that extent.
“I want them to say why they did that.
“Healing would only be possible if people reveal the truth and the Organ for Healing has to enable people to talk about violence for healing to take place.”
Holland said her ministry’s mandate was to nurture a culture of reconciliation and healing after the country witnessed its worst-ever scourge of political violence in 2008.
“The organ was meant to restore human dignity which had been violated by violence,” said Holland.
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She said since its inception, the organ had held several consultative meetings with civic society groups, chiefs, political parties, church organisations and other stakeholders as part of cultivating a healing culture.
However, she said true healing could only occur after the victims had spoken out and culprits owned up.
