Sunday, 26 November 2017

MNANGAGWA PRESIDENT OF ZIMBABWE; PREDATOR BECOME GAME KEEPER. SOURCE OF DESPAIR OR OF HOPE? THE END...!







And so I am reminded about the evils of another former dictator, Hissene Habre, having just watched an Aljazeera documentary about him. 

It is probably of note that, at about the same time when the Zanu-PF regime of Robert Mugabe was brutally putting down an insurrection in Matabeleland.  

Habre's brutal regime - supported at various times by the French and the Americans - was also brutally torturing, imprisoning and killing thousands of Chadians.

Why am I mentioning this now? 

Well, simply this. 

While the new President of Zimbabwe would like Zimbabweans to "let bygones be bygones", or, as some people might say 'let sleeping dogs lie.' 



There was, in this Aljazeera documentary on Hissene Habre, one of his torturers.  Who was not only reluctant to accept responsibility for having tortured the innocent Chadians.  

But had the audacity to ask for "the forgiveness" of those he had tortured. Or, more specifically, those who were tortured by others, while 'he was present and did nothing.' 

Of course, only the living can 'forgive' him, and not the many thousands had died as a result of being tortured or simply executed.

So, by implicitly asking Zimbabweans to, as it were, forget about the crimes, injustices and corruption of the Zanu-PF administration during the past 37 years. Is not what is required to establish a sound foundation on which to build a better future. 



After all, why should Zimbabweans be forever expected to be grateful to Zanu-PF for its role in helping to liberate them and the country from  Ian Smith's racist regime?  

But simply excuse or dismiss the injustices and excesses, the brutality of which Zanu-PF has inflicted on fellow Zimbabweans? 

Is it any less or more of an injustice, of a crime that innocent people are imprisoned, or tortured or killed by one regime, because of their colour, than by another regime, because they belongs to a different ethnic group, or political party?

What does it say, then, that President Mnangagwa should be approach the challenge of creating the 'New Zimbabwe', with this kind of dubious political and moral compass? 



That he should seem to be wanting to simply draw a line under the past 37 years; probably as if it never existed, and as if thousands of Zimbabweans had not suffered grievously under it?

The people who have had crimes perpetrated on and against them by Zanu-PF government, either directly or by thugs who it has instigated, need to have some kind of just recompense. 

They need the crimes and injustices to be acknowledged by President Mnangagwa's government. 

They at least need his government and the party, Zanu-PF, to accept responsibility. 



To at least apologise and ask for the forgiveness of the people, of the nation they have wronged. They need compensation and reparation, in cases where it is appropriate.

The question which needs to be asked by the government and people of Zimbabwe, is this: Does the country need a 'truth and reconciliation process', to examine the past wrongs and address them, before it can truly move forward?

It is time for leaders of African and other countries, which have fought against white European colonialism to accept that.  

Their in  no justice or virtue in them assuming the onerous 'privilege' of removing the European colonial exploiter, just to replace him with themselves, as the new oppressor and exploiter. 

As an oppressor and exploiter is still an oppressor and exploiter, irrespective of whether he shares the same skin colour and cultural affiliations of those he is oppressing and exploiting.











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