DEAR EDITOR—I was shocked to read on the BBC website that their international correspondent, John Simpson, was visiting the site of massacres carried out in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland in the 1980s. I do not know what Simpson’s intention at this time of tension in the country, is trying to do.
John Simpson should be ashamed of himself, trying to revisit a very emotional event at a time when Zimbabwe is on its knees and when all people in Zimbabwe are focussing on hoe best to work together.
The last time we saw Mr Simpson was when he was walking on Harare’s First Street in the afternoon; but acting like his life was in danger at night when he was said to be in a secret location.
I think Mr Simpson is looking for a Pulitzer Prize judging from his Zimbabwe reports; but unfortunately for Mr Simpson, there will not be a big news story to come out of the country. Stirring violence and reigniting old feelings will not make Zimbabweans rise against the government.
Gukurahundi was a ‘time of madness’ and many people died. It is a very regrettable event which no Zimbabwean, in their right state of mind, would ever condone. Zimbabweans suffered and would like to move forward; so I am worried that by revisiting such stories, Mr Simpson will start a ‘war’ that he might not be able to control.
Since Mr Simpson has an interest in the history of war in Zimbabwe; would he care to take a look at the Nyadzonya Raids carried out by the Selous Scouts during the Rhodesian War of the late 1970s—Selous Scouts who included people like Senator-elect David Coltart and the MDC Treasurer, Roy Bennet, who now are key people in a forgiving Zimbabwe.
Mr Simpson could also revisit the dispossessions of the Shonas and Ndebeles after 1896 and the deaths that ensued from those displacements.
As Zimbabweans we find Mr Simpson’s choice of historical moment to report, quite shocking. This is not to say Gukurahundi atrocities should be covered up. The atrocities have to be handled in a way that will help the victims seek peaceful redress and compensation. I am not sure if John Simpson is the man to do that for Zimbabwe.
Simpson’s timing is pathetic. His sudden interest in Gukurahundi is suspect. For a man I respected for a long time; this is the ultimate betrayal and disappointment.
Mr Simpson, please do not wish violence in Zimbabwe to win another International Emmy Award.
Jeffrey Machingauta London, U.K.
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bachinche, george • bachinche@mail.com Subject: a bit of history Sun, 11 May 2008 01:02:45 • 1966: UK politicians assaulted in Rhodesia
Three visiting members of the British parliament have been attacked at a meeting in a hotel in Salisbury, the capital of Rhodesia.
Labour MPs Christopher Rowland, Jeremy Bray and David Ennals are on a private fact-finding mission in the southern African country that illegally declared independence from Britain last year.
Mr Rowland had arranged what was to be a question-and-answer session with supporters of Ian Smith, Rhodesia's prime minister.
But heckling among the 400 or so people who attended turned to violence and police had to break up the meeting and rescue the politicians from the shouting mob.
'Good Old Smithy'
At one point Mr Rowland, MP for Meriden in Warwickshire, lunged across a table to get back some his papers that had been taken by a member of the audience.
He fell down and was kicked, punched and had a jug of water poured over him.
Mr Bray, MP for Middlesbrough, was also jostled as he tried to help his colleague.
Special branch police moved in to hustle the three MPs to safety.
There was a large contingent of members of the pro-Smith Rhodesian Front and the left-wing Candour League who interrupted the session with shouts of Good old Smithy.
When the British MPs tried to answer questions raised their voices were drowned out by shouts of Liar! Liar! and Rotten swine and Go to hell.
They were called dirty representatives of communism and at one point were asked if they had ever been members of the Communist Party. Mr Rowland replied no but was greeted with the response Communist, Communist.
As the meeting became noisier, the MPs appealed for calm but to no avail.
Tonight the three men issued a statement saying they had since received written apologies from some Rhodesians who said the disgusting reception was not typical of supporters of Rhodesia.
The statement said: We regret tonight's incident mainly because of the impression it will convey to the world outside in an already difficult situation.
The authorities in Rhodesia said pointed out that the meeting was illegal under emergency laws which ban public meetings of more than 12 people without government permission.
The deputy Minister of Information, Pieter van der Byl, said the MPs should have accepted his invitation to organise a programme for them during their visit.
BODIDILEE, BULAWAYO • na Subject: HOW CAN WE HEAL IF WE OPENING UP OLD WOUNDS? Fri, 09 May 2008 10:14:09 • Dis old colonial is after an Award of Note!
Nothing else, xsey!
can I take your bets now please that we see him featured as outlined above.
he has no interest in peace in Zimbabwe. ZW is a prized commodity and he drew it out the media hat to exploit, so now he has to earn his salary.
it is his business to twist the facts and open up old wounds because the west wants back in here.
How can we heal if old wounds are opened up all the time so that we start bleeding all over again. the Christians keep preaching forgiveness and turn the other cheek, and this is what we end up with?
How come he is not reporting on what the Brits did to Mbuya Nehanda? Now there is a real life story to get his bloodied hands on, and how the West kicked ass in our country for 100 years.
this old colonial is certainly not on Zimbabwe's side. He is on his own mission.
A £20 note in Zimbabwe today will get you anything you want, from fuel to bodyguards to lies because he does not even know that we learned in the old days its best to tell the white man what he wants to know - not what he should really know!
All this accommodating the man to enable him to do his dirty deeds for a £20 note. there are Judas dudes amongst us.
I wonder how much the western media actually outlays on bribery and corruption to get their stories?
Sunday Ndlovu • n/a Subject: Please Morgan Tsvangirai, if the chicken doesn’t cross the road it’s dead…… Fri, 09 May 2008 02:45:24 • Zimbabwe is at a critical crossroad. To those familiar with the chicken-crossing-the-road stories, my feeling is if the chicken does not cross the road it will surely die. The current level of violence is beyond disgusting and repulsive and heartbreaking and frustrating, all at the same time. The situation cannot continue. We either cross the road into an armed struggle or we cross the road into seeking help from another source, a source that can truly help us. I say our leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, needs to actively, and I mean in a very visible and audible way (lots and lots of press conferences), head overseas and seek help from the countries most sympathetic. He should stay there until the task is done. Camp outside the embassies, White House if need be. A strong appeal to US, Europe, Australia and maybe Britain is our final hope. We so badly need peace-keeping forces or at the very least, international investigators to give 100% to seeking solutions and enforcing them and not heading back home until the goal is met. We seek what the liberation struggle was all about, freedom, a choice, one man one vote. A great heartbreak is the lies and lack of support from our African brothers. Day by bleeding day they let us down. In my view our blood is on their hands . They can speak out and choose not to, they can help and choose not to. I know it’s ideal to find an “African solution” but let’s top kidding ourselves, open our eyes and see, this is not happening. We have to set racism aside. People are screaming in pain, dying and it is a very heartless thing to spend even a moment worrying about whether our rescuers have the “right” skin colour. I say there is no place for racism in Zimbabwe. Let us seek help from those who do speak out, who will help (hopefully if we persist). The consequences are too ghastly to contemplate. Let us not waste any more precious time. The dark roosters who abuse the chicken, who pretend not to see the chicken and who join hands to peck the chicken to death, need to be overcome. Please Morgan Tsangirai, with all our heart we plead, get help where help can be gotten. Don’t wait until tomorrow, the time is now. The chicken can’t stand still a moment longer. We’re drowning in pain and tears and our hope is YOU.
Sunday Ndlovu
PS good for you Mr Simpson to speak out against past violence which is repeating itself now. Let the character of ZanuPF be known because it is relevant to today's events.
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