Perhaps Bvudzijena views that incident as having nothing to do with political repression as perpetrated by the ZRP. But perhaps what is more ridiculous is for the MDC to continue to participate in the Mbeki spearheaded mediation talks while ZanuPF is actively beating up, arresting and even murdering some of its members and supporters throughout the country.
In his strange brand of wisdom, Thabo Mbeki has insisted that there be no preconditions to the mediation talks, and yet he has set some tough conditions for the MDC to abide by. It certainly is now time for the MDC to say enough is enough, and insist that violence against its members and supporters, including civil society members, be stopped before any resumption of the fragile talks.
The MDC has always worked very closely with numerous civil society bodies in this country. Indeed, the leadership of the MDC has openly stated that one of their roles in the mediation talks would be to represent the interests of both civil society and the people at large. We know for a fact that in the past few weeks scores of WOZA/MOZA and NCA members have been arrested, tortured and imprisoned by the Zanu (PF) Repressive Police (ZRP).
This is in addition to the same treatment meted out against several of the MDC’s own members throughout the country during the same period. Students at the Great Zimbabwe University (aka Zimbabwe Ruins University) have been harassed and harangued by the evil ZRP for the past two weeks. Yet the mediators carry on sunshine as if they are dealing with a normal creature called Zanu (PF).
There is, however, a slight hitch for the MDC here. A cursory scanning of media reports of the past few weeks or months clearly reveals that very few, if any, members or supporters of the Mutambara formation of the MDC have been arrested or beaten up or tortured by the notorious ZRP. It is likely therefore that the Mutambara formation may not be inclined to support a Tsvangirai formation position, that mediation talks be suspended until violence against its members and civil society activists is stopped.
The dictator is thus effectively pursuing the obnoxious “divide and rule” principle to his advantage.
We are all aware that the Mutambara formation is not particularly enthusiastic about whatever may or may not happen to civil society given their dramatic pull out of the Save Zimbabwe Campaign a few weeks ago. Efforts should, nevertheless, be made to enable the two MDC formations to agree on a position regarding the escalating violence vis-à-vis mediation talks.
The MDC should ask the ZRP why political hoodlums like Jabulani Sibanda and political idiots like Chinotimba are allowed to stage pro-dictator marches and demonstrations in various parts of the country without a single “Clearance Letter” from the ZRP. The MDC has to take stock of its actions at this crucial stage of the mediation process.
In my view, they are doing all the giving while the dictator is doing all the taking without changing anything meaningful for the benefit of the people of this bleeding country. Sometimes I see Joice Mujuru doing more harm to the dictator than the MDC is doing these days. Food for thought.
Post published in: News