Ironically Timba’s arrest coincided with the International Day Against torture which is marked universally on the 26 of every June.
In Zimbabwe torture that is spurned by many a progress societies is used with savage glee by the state apparatus of violence, namely the army the police, and the state security agents.
Timba’s denial of food and water which are life necessities is one of the many methods that is used by the state to force people into submitting to proffered charges, real or imagined.
The United Nations (UN) Secretary General Bin Ki moon in his speech to mark the day condemned torture and urged nations to move away from the barbaric practice by effecting laws that will protect the society at large.
Said Ki moon, “Torture is a brutal attempt to destroy a person’s sense of dignity and sense of human worth. It acts also as a weapon of war, spreading terror beyond its direct victims to communities and societies.”
Over the years the Zimbabwean government has perfected the art of torture; high profile figures have been physically tortured and limped to the courts.
What leaves a sour taste in the mouth is that the security sector has been part of the torture. In recent times people like Farai Mugowo, the diamond activists, Jestina Mukoko the champion of human rights, Minister of Finance Tendai Biti and thousands of activists particularly from the MDC-T have been tortured at Matapi, Goromonzi or St Mary’s police stations.
In an altogether different setting under different circumstances in the late 80s the likes of Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku were tortured in custody by the state; Masuku died because of torture that was sanctioned by the state. And President Robert Mugabe and his retinue of hangers on were part of the war against the Ndebeles.
That was a whole different time epoch but still today torture is a common landmine on the country’s political landscape.
Without success civil society has campaigned, for an end to torture but still it continues as the country does not have a clear mechanism to fight torture and the state is not very willing to end its ingrained methods of ruling.
Even the UN tried in vein to get to the root of torture in Zimbabwe with no success either. “I appeal to all Members States to allow full and unhindered access by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to places where people are deprived of liberty in their country.
I also call on all States that have not done so to ratify the Convention against Torture, and to allow individual complaints by victims under its instruments,” said Ki moon.
Fresh in the government of national unity in 2009 the MDC-T wing in the coalition invited the UN special rapporteur on torture Manfred Nowak on a fact finding mission to the troubled Southern Africa country, but Nowak was deported at the Harare international airport at the behest of the Zanu PF wing in the coalition.
Though he recommended that steps should be taken by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) nothing has happened and even up to date torture is still a common practice in the country.
Timba is the latest victim of torture and the list for Zimbabwe will continue to grow until such a time when the nation will take a stand to fight the brutish practice.
26 June is a day against torture and 27 June is a day in Zimbabwe is a day when tortured triumphed over the will of the people of Zimbabwe, on that cold day in 2008.
“At a time when the legitimate aspirations of people in many regions of the world for greater freedom, dignity and a better life are too often met with violence and repression, I urge States to respect the fundamental rights of all people. Torture and other forms of cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment and punishment, wherever they occur and whatever the circumstances, can never be justified,” Ban Ki Moon.
Post published in: News