THE family of Itai Dzamara yesterday released an image they claimed was of the missing human rights activist, saying he was being held by intelligence operatives, who captured him more than 15 months ago.
Source: Dzamara ‘captivity images’ released – NewsDay Zimbabwe May 31, 2016
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Dzamara’s brother, Patson claimed two images of the missing activist were leaked by sympathetic intelligence operatives, who were guarding him.
The grainy picture showed a person said to be Dzamara in captivity sitting on the floor with hands tied behind his back, while his head was draped in a bandage-like white cloth.
Patson told journalists in the capital that they have been doing some work behind the scenes and are now satisfied the Zanu PF government was responsible for his brother’s disappearance.
“From the onset, I never minced my words regarding, who the perpetrators are. Never have I cowered from my position that the disappearance of Itai is the work of Mr (Robert) Mugabe’s Zanu PF through State security agents,” he said.
“It is indeed a fact that the Zanu PF-led government has presided over gross human rights violations and we have permitted them to get away with it. The time has come for us as citizens to draw a line in the sand. We can’t allow this buffoonery to continue.
“After this exposition, every Zimbabwean and the whole world shall know how evil these people are,” he said.
Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday declined to be drawn into the matter.
“Please leave me out of this. I was not at the Press conference and I am not commenting anything on that,” she said.
Patson said some insiders volunteered information concerning the missing journalist-cum-activist and even leaked his photos shot from a secret dungeon where he was detained.
“I cannot at this juncture state my brother’s fate in the hands of these gangsters,” he said, before adding that those who had captured his brother had been working under Zanu PF instructions.
“For choosing to speak out against their misrule and leadership failure, they abducted Itai in broad daylight. They thought they would get away with this evil as usual, but not this time around. They pressed a wrong button.”
Patson described Zanu PF leaders as shameless oppressors, who will stop at nothing for power’s sake.
But Zanu PF spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said his party had nothing to do with the missing activist.
“How can Zanu PF, a whole party with millions of supporters, keep one person? Who in particular is he referring to? If he has an idea, he should report to the police,” he said.
Patson insisted that according to experts in photography, there was a high likelihood Dzamara had been tortured and sustained head injuries.
“It’s quite unfortunate that the people we are looking up to as our leaders are not leaders (but) they are gangsters,” he said.
“We know who abducted him. We were given names of the people behind this, but I am not at liberty at this juncture to mention the names because we are still in the process of consolidating our information. We are not in a position to reveal where the photo was taken, but in under a week we will be giving more information.”
Patson said the battle was no longer about Dzamara, but a way of putting an end to enforced disappearances.
He said he was aware that following the publication of the pictures, he faced a security risk, but he was not going to be cowed into silence.
The younger Dzamara has had several brushes with law enforcement agencies over his missing brother and on Independence Day, he landed himself in trouble after demonstrating right in Mugabe’s face.
Yesterday, he narrated a horrifying account of how he was allegedly tortured for demanding the whereabouts of his brother.
Former Zanu PF activist, Acie Lumumba, who attended the Press briefing, also blasted the government for the abduction of rights campaigners.
“It breaks my heart that Dzamara’s family has to go through this. Going forward, this is a lesson for the whole country. We can’t allow the system to put the life of one of us under such conditions,” he said, adding this could have happened to anyone.
“The State should carry out thorough investigations and update the family. It’s clear that they are hiding something because the way they panicked when this matter was brought (up).”
Dzamara has been missing since March 9 last year, with human rights campaigners accusing the State of being responsible for his abduction.
The State initially dragged its feet in investigating the matter until the family took up the issue with the High Court.
Despite the court saying the police should issue regular updates on their investigations, the family say these have not been forthcoming.
COMMENTS
The problem is, we Zimboz are a whole pack of cowards. Many of us don’t only sympathize with the Dzamara’s but are also suffering exactly the same pain as the Dzamara’s. We have relatively who remain unaccounted for since 2008. Having being, in many cases, abducted by well-known security agents, in broad daylight, and at the instruction of zanu pf. But, due to our unequalled cowardice we have chosen to suffer in silence; and console ourselves by proclaiming that God will judge zanu pf and our people’s murderers. Forgetting the fact that God is never domiciled in Zimbabwe; He has the whole world to take care of; and He also helps those who help themselves. Moreover, God works through people – even when He wants to dish out manna He will expects you to do something for yourself first be4 He multiplies one’s efforts.
Have you ever even wondered why we (Zimboz) were among the last countries to liberate ourselves in Africa, even though the population of white people who were oppressing us then was less than 5% of Zimbabwe’s population? It was all due to our cowardice – we are simply shameless cowards. Mind you our case then was nowhere nearer to the South African case where the population of white oppressors was much higher (close to 20%) and the S. Africa whites were by far more resourced than the white Zimboz – not even to mention SA ‘s geographical set up. In fact our situation was very much comparable to Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, etc, yet those countries got independent well before us & there after even came to our rescue.
Nxaaa! We are simply cowards, cowards, cowards, and shameless cowards. This is why zanu pf will continue butchering us, they are just exploiting that weakness. I feel very diminished to call myself a Zimbo – unfortunately I cant change that natural fate. Bbut I will never pride myself of being born part and parcel of that troop of cowards, cowards, cowards, cowards.
However, I salute the few among us who are an exception. Big up Patson Dzamara. We are with you in spirit though we cant be with you physically due to our weakness as already acknowledged.
why put your self down mapingu I do not believe we are cowards I believe we are strong our problem is tolerance and a deep hatred of violence – we have experienced enough over the years we all know what we have been through at the hands of this infernal rabble of blatant thieves – we also dont have a strong leader yet someone who says to us come on lets go and we all go together no matter colour or creed and we remove them – after all uncle bob is just a man just like you and me and an old one at that he can be impeached – and I tell you he will run at the first real threat of a revolution and his forked tongued wife will follow – I just hope they leave our Air Zim plane where it belongs – here in Zimbabwe – come on mapingu come on Zimbabwe lets go and sort this out now – what is stopping us answer me that……….
Yes, Mapingu, you are dead right. Zimbabwe is a land of cowards. Cowards, cowards, cowards….!
Who has pictures of Itai Dzamara’s wife?