By Staff Reporter
OPPOSITION leader Herbert Chamuka has slammed the government for failing to reconcile with the Matebeleland communities affected by the 1980s Gukurahundi atrocities.
During the Gukurahundi massacres a section of the military, the North-Korean trained Fifth Brigade killed an estimated 20,000 mainly Ndebele-speaking people in the Bulawayo, Matebeleland and Midland provinces. The military operation was a way of quelling any defiance against then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe’s government in the regions.
Despite launching the Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme in July this year, an initiative to address Gukurahundi conflicts, the government has done very little to give closure nor compensate victims.
As Unity Day commemorated on December 22 approaches, the People’s Unity Party (PUP) leader said the day is a painful reminder of the massacres and is insignificant to Gukurahundi victims.
The day celebrates the historic signing of the Unity Accord between Zanu PF and PF ZAPU on December 22 1987 after thousands had been murdered in 1983.
“Unity Day should be a time to heal wounds, but for Matabeleland, it only brings back memories of a dark past.
“President Mnangagwa’s annual speeches are not enough. What the people of Matabeleland need is meaningful action, not words,” he said.
Herbert Chamuka
Chamuka criticized the government for failing to reconcile with the affected communities in tangible ways.
He proposed building houses for survivors, free education, and financial compensation. He drew parallels with the government’s compensation for white farmers who had their land expropriated.
The government agreed to compensate about 4,000 white farmers whose farms were violently seized during the land reform program, which will cost US$3,5 billion.
Added Chamuka, “If the government can compensate white farmers, why can’t it do the same for the victims of Gukurahundi?”
While Chamuka acknowledged the importance of national unity, he argued that true unity could only be achieved through an inclusive approach.
The post If govt can compensate white farmers, why not Gukurahundi victims? – opposition leader says as Unity Day approaches appeared first on NewZimbabwe.com.
