The ZIMBABWE Situation | Our
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DANIEL FORTUNE MOLOKELE: FACING REALITY
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Last updated: 08/03/2005 17:49:29 Last updated:
08/03/2005 11:48:14 According to reports, their charred bodies were found in some forlorn rubbish dumb in the outskirts of Tembisa, one of Johannesburg’s high density suburbs. The two bodies of Musa Mhlanga and Liberty Ncube were found after an ‘anonymous’ tip off that was made to the local police sometime last week. It is feared that the culprits could have been behind the tip off. The two activists were abducted at a social party in Hillbrow during the first week of June. They had been declared missing and presumed dead until the gruesome discovery of their charred remains last week. The culprits remain unknown even though some arrests have been made and the suspects have denied the charges laid against them in the local magistrates courts. Be that as it may, eye witnesses insist that the run away car that was used in the abduction actually belong to a well-known MDC official in South Africa. Both the police and leaders of the ZASG have failed to positively identify the two bodies since they were burnt beyond recognition. It is hoped their identities will be fully confirmed after the results of the DNA tests that are being undertaken at the moment. The discovery of these two bodies will thus bring the tally of fatal casualties from the current feud between two factions of the MDC to three confirmed deaths. The other victim was one of the suspected abductees, Lungile Sibanda, who was found murdered at Berea Park. His body was repatriated to Zimbabwe for burial sometime last month. Sibanda had originally fled Zimbabwe after being implicated in the murder case of a Zanu-PF activist in Lupane in 2003. Surely it is so sad to have such tragic cases here in South Africa. This is so especially when one fully appreciates the fact that all these three late activists are well known MDC members. All the three fled political victimizations at the hands of Zanu-PF agents in Zimbabwe and had to endure torrid life experiences here in South Africa. All of them hoped to return home one day and be part of the process of rebuilding a new Zimbabwe. Now their bodies will have to return for burial in Zimbabwe under such unexpected and very shameful circumstances. Indeed, how can one describe their deaths at the hands of callous fellow MDC activists in a foreign country? These three were all prepared to sacrifice their lives in the bitter struggle for a new Zimbabwe. I am convinced however, that they never expected to die as part of an unnecessary factional feud within the MDC itself. Honestly, tragedies do not come so big! As a human rights lawyer, one of my most valued principles simply states that; “No politician or political party is worth dying for under whatever circumstances”. I believe that people should be ready to die for a national cause but not merely for an individual politician or political party. In fact I have always dreamed of a day when the hundreds of the MDC members that have been murdered by suspected Zanu-PF agents would have their fair share of justice in a public legal recourse. I have always wished that one day; their cruel murderers would be brought to the books of justice and held totally accountable for their evil deeds. In particular, I have always believed that one day some kind of truth and reconciliation commission would be set up to help so as to help address the thorny issue of politically motivated murders in Zimbabwe. The cases will also include those dating from both the pre-independence days and those emanating from the Gukurahundi genocide. But never at any one moment did I have to think that such a commission would have to deal with such a tragic type of case: that of political murders arising from an internal feud between members of the MDC! The much touted alternative for peaceful political change in Zimbabwe. Surely this is so sad! I never expected that one day the MDC will have to account for the deaths of its own members due to internal politics. Such a scenario was too ghastly for me to even contemplate. I therefore, must fully confess that I am at a loss with the recent tragic developments that have completely tarnished the reputation of the MDC here in South Africa. I may not be a member of the MDC but surely as a concerned Zimbabwean I feel that it is imperative that I air my most possible level of revulsion at these tragic events. I would like to express my utter disgust and condemnation of these dastardly and cowardly deeds. I pray that the culprits be brought to book and justice has its full say in these cases. I also take this opportunity to urge the MDC leadership in Zimbabwe to abandon its silence over this issue and make a public statement. In particular, I urge Morgan Tsvangirai to set up a commission of inquiry to try to follow up the implications of these cases. The inquiry must also make recommendations on how the current bitter feud that has completely paralysed the MDC in South Africa can be best resolved without the shedding of more blood. I believe that this matter needs to be
regarded as a very urgent one. Otherwise if the Harare based leadership
continues to procrastinate, things might even take another twist for worse here
in South Africa. Surely we do not need another Hamlet to tell us that ‘something
is rotten’ in the MDC, at least here in South Africa. |