Stop army rampages against civilians

Source: Stop army rampages against civilians – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 29, 2017

One of the photographs of Midlands State University (MSU) students allegedly assaulted by soldiers on a reported revenge mission at the campus depicting a grimacing scholar shows that it is high time the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) instilled discipline in the force.

Comment: NewsDay Editor

The publication of the photographs echoes the controversy surrounding the army’s abuse of civilians especially in revenge attacks or during election periods.

The incident, which left scores of students maimed or injured after a reported misunderstanding over a woman at a drinking spot in Gweru, clearly calls for thorough investigations to establish the true nature of what happened after which disciplinary measures should be taken against the unruly soldiers.

Gweru is home to the Zimbabwe Military Academy, and the alleged waywardness of the soldiers soiled the otherwise good reputation of the armed forces in general.

What we find odd was army spokesperson Alphios Makotore’s comments that indeed the students were beaten, but there was no indication that the assailants were soldiers.

Rather, Makotore should have kept his views to himself. Otherwise he made a fool of himself, given that eyewitnesses indicated the students were beaten by soldiers following a misunderstanding over a woman at a city bar.

According to the eyewitness account, soldiers disembarked at the MSU main campus from a commuter omnibus before they went on a rampage randomly assaulting students using cue sticks.

Had Makotore suggested that they were still carrying out investigations, perhaps we could have given him the benefit of doubt.

It is not a secret that rogue units in Zimbabwe’s military routinely engage in fist-fights with civilians before organising themselves into groups on revenge missions.

Now that the matter has been reported to the police, the army should know that we now expect the military and civilian prosecuting authorities of this country to act to ensure justice is done.

Indeed, the suspected soldiers carried out “shocking and appalling” physical abuse of the students. There is no doubt that the students’ parents and other concerned Zimbabweans were disturbed by the content.

Whatever Makotore might say, the revenge attack soldiers are not just a few bad apples given what transpired on the day. The soldiers should be prosecuted over appalling abuse of the students and other civilians.

However, the attack should serve as a warning to all tertiary students across the country to focus on their business — which is studying — and not hobnob in night spots and city bars at the expense of the sacrifices of their parents and guardians who are paying their fees.

There should be no room for students to waste time gallivanting instead of studying. Do these students even understand that the parents or their guardians are sacrificing a lot for them to attend school at a time the economy is gravitating towards the abyss?

Is this not the time for them to be serious for once so that they can attain the much-needed education required when the political situation improves in the future? The students should be warned not to squander or waste away their youthfulness through boozing and clubbing.

It is our hope that since the matter was reported to the police, there will be thorough investigations to stop the abuse of civilians by whomsoever including political and hired thugs who assault people for trivia.

Abusing civilians by members of the military is unacceptable and, therefore, must be stopped.