PRESSURE group, Ibhetshu LikaZulu, is set to clash with authorities after announcing that it will lead commemorations to mark Gukurahundi State-sponsored atrocities in the country’s western regions.
The lobby group said it will hold a service to narrow the beginning of the Gukurahundi atrocities in January 1983 and console the surviving victims of the atrocities and those who lost relatives.
“Our theme is based on Ezekiel 37 in the Holy Bible. We will use the service to mark the beginning of the operation, and also to remember all those who died at the hands of government forces. We will use the service to console those who survived as well,” he said.
Previous attempts to commemorate the massacres, including through theatre and poetry events have been disrupted by the government.
Mugabe has described Gukurahundi as “a moment of madness” but is yet to publicly offer an apology.
Recently, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has consistently been characterised as Gukurahundi’s chief enforcer washed his hands off, saying he was neither President nor Defence minister at the time. Fuzwayo said they have invited victims and survivors from a number of communities in Matabeleland, together with civil society and church leaders.
The planned commemorations come less than a month before President Robert Mugabe celebrates his 93rd birthday at Matobo just outside Bulawayo, amid rising anger against the choice of venue from opposition groups in the region.
Matobo is a few kilometres from Bhalagwe, home to a mass grave for victims of the State-sponsored atrocities that left more than 20 000 dead.
Then Prime Minister, Mugabe, signed an agreement with North Korean President, Kim II Sung, in October 1980, for the training of the crack Fifth Brigade that was detached from the country’s regular army. In August 1981, 106 North Koreans arrived to train the new brigade.
The Fifth Brigade was disbanded in 1988, less than a year after Mugabe signed a unity pact with his then rival Zapu leader Joshua Nkomo, who went on to become the country’s Vice-President. – Newsday
Military deployed into Nyathi to stop Ndebele, Shona tribal wars?
by Israel Dube
MLO learns with disappointment and fury, that the government of Zimbabwe, after an unexplained deployment of the army in Bulawayo, capital City of Matabeleland on christmas eve, has again posted heavily armed soldiers and riot police at the weekend in Nyathi, Bubi District, Matabeleland North to abuse poor villagers.
The reason given is that the army is there to quell tribal wars between the Ndebele and Shona speaking illegal miners. We know for a fact that the anti-Matebele government has sent its army not to quell any war but to protect people of Shona origin who travelled all the way from Mashonaland to cause havoc in Nyathi. Picture evidence in our hands confirms that scumbags from Mashonaland went berserk, hacking two Ndebele speaking people to death with axes and chasing some of them away from mining sites.
When Matebeles from different neighbouring villages came together to protect their own and their mining territory from invaders, it became a big issue with the tribalistic government of Zimbabwe which sent riot police and the army to protect the aggressors at the expense of the victims. It is the Zimbabwe National Army versus the unarmed Matebele people again.
The aggressors learnt from their genocidist government that the life of an Matebele is so cheap that they can be killed wantonly like chickens with no consequences, that the Shona people have self entitlement to all minerals and other resources in Matabeleland, that Matebeles have no rights to economic and job opportunities in their own country and that Shona people have title deeds to every peace of land in Matebeleland.
MLO would like to congratulate and thank all Matebeles who responded swiftly to the call to defend their Cdes and mining territory from invaders. We encourage unity among the citizens of Matabeleland at this period of reclaiming what belongs to us. “United we stand and divided we fall”
We remind you that you are not on your own. Your fellow Matebeles in the diaspora who were dispersed and displaced by the same government are watching and are not happy , good Samaritans around the world who love real justice are watching, the spirit of your brothers and sisters who were killed in cold blood is with you and their innocent blood is crying in the shallow graves, mine shafts and caves where they were dumped, the Almighty God in heaven is watching, he has heard your cries and prayers. We as MLO give testimony that God has finally answered your prayers.
Very soon justice will be delivered upon the perpetrators of evil and Matebeles will break the yoke of oppression and will be free from bondage.
We stand by the people of Matabeleland who have never tasted freedom and peace since 1893 under the oppressive white minority government of Rhodesia which was succeeded by the worse Shona supremacist government of Zimbabwe in 1980. The same government which committed genocide in Matbeleland with the aim of wiping Matebele nation out of this earth continues to abuse the people of Matabeleland with impunity.
Yes Mahatma Gandhi said it, “first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Look who is on panic mode! Sending the army all over Matabeleland to intimidate civilians. Who can dispute the fact that Matabeleland restoration cause is winning?
The call by MLO President, Cde Paul Siwela for Matabeleland to assemble a 30 000 strong army to defend the people of Matabeleland could not have come at the right time.
Phambili nge operation #Mbabazane!
Izenzo kungemazwi!
Israel Dube
MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs
Facts are facts and they are stubborn!!
you are the biggest FOOL, you have been brain washed and your brains are misplaced.
Gukurahundi was made up of Thonas only. They all spoke Tshona and forced Mthwakazi at gun point to speak the evil, dirty language of the oppressor, Tshona.
Today in 2017 – all Tshonas are harvesting the language fruits of the Gukurahundi efforts; Tshona the language of the oppressor, is now heard everywhere in Mthwakazi.
Today; Tshonas assume everyone in Matebeleland speaks and understands Tshona, their language of the oppressor.
Today in 2017, every Tshona comes to Matebeleland and speaks to everyone in Tshona; even in the deep rural thickets.
In short, Tshonas are Gukurahundis!
FACT!!.