via Airport staffer’s chilling warning for exiles 13 November 2014
THE easing of political tensions in the country, thanks in part to the coalition government which came into office following the violent 2008 elections, has seen some exiled Zimbabweans returning home, including former opposition activists who had sought asylum abroad.
However a whistle-blower at the Harare International Airport warns those returning to be careful, especially if they have been involved in pro-democracy and anti-Zanu PF activities while abroad. Here is his chilling account of what can happen on arrival at the airport…
l WORK at Harare International Airport but I cannot disclose my identity as this would put my family in danger. I would like to tell you of a story that has, surprisingly, not been covered for a long time possibly because most of the staff were warned to keep quiet on the day-to-day activities at the Airport.
However, the security of the Airport has been handed over to the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and all passengers coming in and going out of the country are being watched and a database has been complied. There is a database of photos of individuals who are thought to have left the country in protest against the unsettled events who have be labelled as traitors of the country.
Pictures taken from parties, social events and other social gatherings of Zimbabweans are kept in files for the purpose of identifying individuals perceived to have been traitors. The use of the internet has also helped to identify individuals perceived as traitors to the current government, especially those in United States of America, Australia, the United Kingdom and other European countries. Flight manifests play a vital role in this regard as they give the security operatives enough time to carry out their checks beforehand.
Most of the information relating to individual pictures are collected by government agents based in London. There is emphasis on anyone who is viewed as a traitor to be stopped and interrogated on arrival at Harare International Airport as they are considered traitors of the state and government. The new policy came into force on the 1st of September 2013 with the aim of identifying traitors of the state but only the security personnel are privy to the development.
During the struggle for independence in Zimbabwe, individuals identified as traitors had their eyes or lips cut as a chilling warning to all the people against treachery. In recent years people can either be branded with red-hot iron bars as sign that they are a traitor or they spend a long time in detention cells being interrogated and forced to join the country’s ruling party.
Exiles returning home and suspected to be traitors are taken to detention cells based at the Manyame Airbase which is a short distance from the Harare International Airport. Detained individuals can be subjected to beatings, food denial, psychological torture and brainwashing. They are only released when they agree to join the Zanu PF and on condition that they relocate to rural areas and never to leave in the city.
I have witnessed many individuals being stopped at the airport and taken away for further questioning with the main target being those returning from the United Kingdom and United States of America. There is also a lot of harsh treatment of individuals at the Airport itself. However, it’s a different story when they arrive at Manyame Airbase. Since l work on the periphery of the whole operation, l am not sure what kind of questions they ask but everyone at the Airport is aware of this ongoing operation although many will not speak out for fear of victimisation.
The reason l came forward with this story is because my cousin sister recently returned from USA and was immediately seized at the airport and went on to spend three weeks in detention at Manyame Airbase. This is her version of events …
“I was beaten, raped, dog attacked, kept in the dark and interviewed as to why I had become a traitor. I was made to sign a declaration agreeing to be a member of the Zanu PF for life. I was only released on condition that I would stay in the rural areas. I was told that if I ever breach these conditions I would be sent to prison without court proceedings as I am a traitor of the country, the government and people.
“I was given lectures on the struggle for independence and the importance of Zanu PF and President Mugabe on daily basis. It was explained with the use of a television and DVD player. I was told that in the struggle for independence if all the fighters were traitors and deserters there wouldn’t have been independence. Soon after I was made to answer questions relating to the 40 minute video l had watched.”
At present my cousin sister lives in rural areas where she is recovering from the physical and mental torture she experienced upon returning to Zimbabwe. This has changed her life completely. All her family live in the capital city and she is not allowed to visit them ever. This gave me motivation to write this letter to highlight the seriousness of this problem and the appalling situation faced by individuals and families returning to Zimbabwe after a long absence.
COMMENTS
Wow, with a children’s story like this maybe we can stay in Britain and collect handouts- don’t throw us out.
Lets see no evidence, says it happened years ago, as usual with propaganda, no evidence at all just a factious letter.
One day we will get a Zimbabwean journalist who writes fact and is prepared to produce evidence as are the media ethics worldwide.
Welcome to Zimbabwe! As if!
We have no hope if something supposedly so prevalent can be reported by only one anonymous person who works ‘on the peripheries’ but fails to make a convincing case yet he has a sister who knows it all.
But Lord Carrington, Margaret Thatcher, Malcolm Fraser, Lord Soames, Professor Scoones and Henry Kissinger have all told the world, including the people of Zimbabwe that these Zanu people they loved so much are truly wonderful, honest gentle people?
This is the tip of the iceberg. I have no doubts that this story is true. Sadly, the SADC Tribunal has been disbanded which leaves those citizens in Southern Africa unable to appeal against this abomination of human rights abuses.
this may well have been written by someone whose deportation to zimbabwe is imminent.i believe it may be a failed seeker last desperate attempt to avoid deportation.lets not be fooled here.this story has no substance at all.its the same old lies used by some people to get papers.this is a typical economic migrant synical ploy to cheat the system get the papers and settle in the diaspora and bring their folks along.
It is easy enough to fly to Zambia or South Africa or Botswana and enter Zimbabwe by road. If a serious “traitor” wanted to enter Zimbabwe they could simply walk across the border from Botswana, without going through the border post. The CIO are nothing but ZANU PF bully boys who will face a serious accounting when ZANU PF is ousted from government.
So “Airport staffer” you now squeal about these goings-on at the airport only because your “cousin sister” was detained at Manyame Airbase, otherwise you wouldn’t be bothered.
Where is your conscience?