Zapu’s South African chairman, Dingilizwe Mpondo, said recently that targeted measures placed by the West on President Robert Mugabe and some senior Zanu (PF) officials had not done enough to rein-in the regime and curb its continuing human rights abuses.
“We have been shocked by the silence of the International Community which has failed to protect the Rights of Zimbabwean against the violent government of Zanu (PF),” said Mpondo.
“The sanctions that were imposed are not good enough, as they only restrict the movement of a violent government, leaving it carrying genocide in the country. We strongly feel that crimes the government of ZANU (PF) has committed are worse than anything possible and warrants of Arrest should have been issued by the International Court of Law.”
Mpondo said human rights violations had spread to Zimbabweans’ every sphere of life.
He lamented the plight facing veterans of the party’s armed wing – ZIPRA and their off-spring, who he said were still languishing in foreign countries with no employment, having fled the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s.
No approach has been made by government to have these formally repatriated back home even after the 1987 Unity Accord between Zanu (PF) and Zapu, leaving the latter bitter.
“They (ZIPRA) are still wandering what if their crime was that of liberating Zimbabwe,” said Mpondo.
“Today, we still see the children of ZIPRA Forces and ZAPU members languishing in foreign countries, being punished for are the said ‘sins of their fathers’. The Gukurahundi activities that came after we gained Independence are still fresh in our memories.
“Coming from Silobela, I will never live to forget the Silobela 14, whose only crime was being supporters of ZAPU.”
The Zapu provincial leader bemoaned the farm invasions of 2000, which gave way to the rampant looting and vandalizing of private property and destroyed the country’s agriculture.
Post published in: Africa News