Zimbabwe To Get Truth Commission
Zimbabwe should soon see the launch of a Truth and Reconciliation-style Commission to help the nation go through what Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai calls "healing".
It is also confirmation of what I told you here a few days ago that Tsvangirai had agreed on a deal with Mugabe to guarantee that a head of state is never prosecuted for crimes committed while he was in office and in the line of "duty."
The news comes as Welshman Ncube told journalists a couple of days ago that JOMIC, the monitoring committee set up by all the parties, has discussed the fate of prisoners like Jestina Mukoko and Roy Bennett.
Ncube says the MDC is pushing for an end to all this in exchange for a general amnesty on all crimes, especially those around June 27. One ZANU PF member of JOMIC is said to have told the MDC that they could not speak for anything before 2000, when they were formed. Gukurahundi, he said, had "nothing to do with" the MDC.
The MDC, after initially doing a song and dance about the whole thing, has now made up its mind that it will work with ZANU PF to try and wipe the slate clean. A general amnesty on all these crimes (something Augustine Chihuri, the Police Commissioner-General, is pushing hard for in the continuing JOC meetings).
Mugabe and Tsvangirai, outwardly at least, are in agreement that this would be desirable. Government sources say it was elements in the MDC who were holding out. They favour letting the law truly take its course with both ZANU PF and MDC supporters. They believe that this will teach ZANU PF supporters a lesson.
Their argument, which is quite sound, is that, ZANU PF supporters are used to impunity, committing acts of terror and violence and never having to face the consequences.
If they are let off the hook again, is the argument, they will simply take this as confirmation of the untouchability of their party and its misdemeanours. If they were to experience the full wrath of the law, then they would think twice next time, knowing that there was no protection against the consequences.
In the end, it is Tsvangirai and, surprisingly, Tendai Biti, who have won out, it seems. They see that going the route of the lawcourts will only be a frustrating exercise. Mugabe still has the judges hanging out of his back pocket. If the president does not want a certain person convicted, rest assured no conviction will be handed down.
At the same time, Mugabe is said to know very well what the MDC intention is: Preparing the ground for the next election. The opposition party hopes that by then, violence will have been abolished as a result of this Truth and Reconciliation thing. This, naturally, would favour them.
Of course, this is also running in tandem with the strategy of actually bringing about visible improvements in the lives of Zimbabweans. For, without the economy coming right, Morgan Tsvangirai is doomed.
Like I said, the stage is set for the Commission to be formed. It is the reason people like Sekai Holland, who has herself suffered beatings at the hands of Mugabe's police, have been brought into government as ministers of state charged with "national healing."
I am sure Simba Makoni welcomes this move, because it was one of his very first and most consistent campaign platforms.
The question that still remains, of course, is whether Mugabe can be trusted to take any of this seriously. It is to he hoped that he does not revert to character. Joshua Nkomo found out to his cost in the 1980s that Mugabe sat and chatted with him - had tea and cordial meetings, even - only hours before he signed arrest and search warrants for Nkomo's men and property.
We shall see.
It is also confirmation of what I told you here a few days ago that Tsvangirai had agreed on a deal with Mugabe to guarantee that a head of state is never prosecuted for crimes committed while he was in office and in the line of "duty."
The news comes as Welshman Ncube told journalists a couple of days ago that JOMIC, the monitoring committee set up by all the parties, has discussed the fate of prisoners like Jestina Mukoko and Roy Bennett.
Ncube says the MDC is pushing for an end to all this in exchange for a general amnesty on all crimes, especially those around June 27. One ZANU PF member of JOMIC is said to have told the MDC that they could not speak for anything before 2000, when they were formed. Gukurahundi, he said, had "nothing to do with" the MDC.
The MDC, after initially doing a song and dance about the whole thing, has now made up its mind that it will work with ZANU PF to try and wipe the slate clean. A general amnesty on all these crimes (something Augustine Chihuri, the Police Commissioner-General, is pushing hard for in the continuing JOC meetings).
Mugabe and Tsvangirai, outwardly at least, are in agreement that this would be desirable. Government sources say it was elements in the MDC who were holding out. They favour letting the law truly take its course with both ZANU PF and MDC supporters. They believe that this will teach ZANU PF supporters a lesson.
Their argument, which is quite sound, is that, ZANU PF supporters are used to impunity, committing acts of terror and violence and never having to face the consequences.
If they are let off the hook again, is the argument, they will simply take this as confirmation of the untouchability of their party and its misdemeanours. If they were to experience the full wrath of the law, then they would think twice next time, knowing that there was no protection against the consequences.
In the end, it is Tsvangirai and, surprisingly, Tendai Biti, who have won out, it seems. They see that going the route of the lawcourts will only be a frustrating exercise. Mugabe still has the judges hanging out of his back pocket. If the president does not want a certain person convicted, rest assured no conviction will be handed down.
At the same time, Mugabe is said to know very well what the MDC intention is: Preparing the ground for the next election. The opposition party hopes that by then, violence will have been abolished as a result of this Truth and Reconciliation thing. This, naturally, would favour them.
Of course, this is also running in tandem with the strategy of actually bringing about visible improvements in the lives of Zimbabweans. For, without the economy coming right, Morgan Tsvangirai is doomed.
Like I said, the stage is set for the Commission to be formed. It is the reason people like Sekai Holland, who has herself suffered beatings at the hands of Mugabe's police, have been brought into government as ministers of state charged with "national healing."
I am sure Simba Makoni welcomes this move, because it was one of his very first and most consistent campaign platforms.
The question that still remains, of course, is whether Mugabe can be trusted to take any of this seriously. It is to he hoped that he does not revert to character. Joshua Nkomo found out to his cost in the 1980s that Mugabe sat and chatted with him - had tea and cordial meetings, even - only hours before he signed arrest and search warrants for Nkomo's men and property.
We shall see.
Surely a person who has ended brutally the life of another, a person who has torched one's dwelling, a person who has set alight a tractor from Made's mechanisation programme, A person beaten up because he is putting own a T shirt with the "wrong" picture on it. A person plotting banditry, securing arms of war and plotting destabilisation, for all that to be swept under the carpet in the name of some Animal called Truth and Reconcilliation Commission is worst injustice upon a people.For some to sit back, fold arms, content that the murderer has escaped justice because he has come forward to say "yes I killed because the victim could not do my party's slogan", amounts not inciting similar acts in future, that is not deterrent. Nomatter how much one can argue, I, for one, can never call that justice, when a lot are widowed and orphaned, then later rub more salt on their wounds, through this political creature the so called Truth and Reconcilliation Commission. Reconcilling who from what and for what. So that there is a false atmosphere oof healing and forgiving, that is a naked lie, Who on this earth will certainly smile, forgive and forget, merely because the murderer came to say sorry,has escaped punishment. But you remain widowed, orphaned and may be the sole bread winner was the victim. One's life will have taken a completely different direction most likely heading for the worst, noone to provide parental care and guidance, and provide for education, food and shelter.Because some living in stinking riches and heavy security have decided to play political games.If there is anyone out there who share my view, Please guys lets do something about this, these politicians can not claim that they are speaking on our behalf, lets stop this nonsense, there should be no sacred cows, perpertrators of crime should be prosecuted, nomatter who they are, there should be no substitute for the rule of law, letting a murderer go scot free is not justice.
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