On Friday the police raided the headquarters of WOZA in Zimbabwe. I hesitate to use useless phrases like CIO, Police Support Unit, Law and Order, because Zimbabwean police are just plain thugs. And the world allows it?
WOZA is a group of women in the first instance, joined by men in later years, which has stood up against oppression in Zimbabwe since 2003. Our manifesto is to provide women, from all walks of life, with a united voice to speak out on issues affecting their day-to-day lives.
It seems the average Zimbabwean has now become indifferent to his/her pitiful plight. We DO NOT CARE any more what happens. We have fought against tyranny, toiled against misery, and ruined ourselves financially fighting against the ridiculous situation we have found ourselves in for so long.
Our lives have become meaningless, devoid of pride, devoid of democracy. We have fought against this dictator for so long, we no longer know what is right and what are our rights.
We do not have the guts to stand up for ourselves any longer. We take what we are given; we meekly accept our lot, our beatings, invasions of our rights, and intrusions into our homes. We are reduced to snivelling curs, begging for the smallest piece of the pie. We have become dehumanized.
We have our backs against the wall for so long, we do not even know who we are as a nation. We take degradation, humiliation, disenfranchisement, we are robbed of our property, we are thrown out of our homes, robbed of our farms, we have no livelihood, no means of survival…
But one sector of our populace has never given up the struggle – Women of Zimbabwe Arise – WOZA. Yet, sadly, we have now become a mockery, people snigger at us, they admire us, but they cannot understand why we have not given up our quest for justice. People cannot understand our constant invitation to beatings, to jail terms, to inhuman sufferance.
Last week our headquarters, which we have kept secret from officialdom for many years, was raided.
Why, why are there police surrounding the house, why are there men loitering on our verandas, confiscating our property our vehicles, our meagre possessions?
Why is the rest of the world allowing a total invasion of our human rights, our dignity as mothers, as women, as wives and as husbands?
What have we ever done to the authorities apart from undertake peaceful protests against our lot as totally suppressed human beings?
Why have we been jailed, beaten, whipped, tortured? We are women, the weaker sex? The mothers of Zimbabwe’s children. We have never lifted a finger against society. We have never advocated terrorism, brutality, never incited violence or mayhem but we are treated with such repression and violence.
For years we as Woza have moved from safe house to safe house, avoiding authority. Why have we hidden ourselves, debased ourselves, livid in squalid surroundings, moving by darkness, talking in shackle, living like dogs to conceal ourselves from the authorities?
Our voices have been heard far above any other civil group. We have continued alone and unaided in our struggle for freedom and we will continue to struggle for peace and justice in our beloved Zimbabwe.
Surely someone in the world can assist us to free our country in order that we might live in peace with our families again?
Post published in: Opinions