There are mounting fears that Itai has been killed by state security agents because he was seen being bundled into an unmarked truck by 5 unidentified men – typical CIO behaviour.
At the suggestion of the writer Vince Musuwe, Vigil supporters carried posters ‘I am Itai Dzamara’ to show solidarity with a man Musuwe said had ‘a burning desire to do that which we must despite the personal cost’.
Musuwe asked: ‘Where are our pastors and our bishops? Where are our churches, civic organisations, human rights activists and our NGOs, our prophets and prophetesses, our community leaders, our opposition political party leaders and all those amongst us and in the Diaspora who claim that they stand for our freedom? Where are you all now because words alone will not do?’ For Musuwe’s message see: http://nehandaradio.com/2015/03/13/i-am-itai-dzamara/.
Among those at the Vigil was Tendai Kwari, leader of OAUS-UK, who said he feared for Itai’s life. He added that a citizen of Zimbabwe could not be allowed to just disappear. ‘We are all now living in fear’.
Ephraim Tapa, President of Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR). told the fired-up gathering that many people had disappeared after being abducted and tortured or from so-called accidents. ‘Enough is enough’ he said. ‘We must move the struggle to another level. The Zanu PF regime must be dismantled. People must demonstrate outside Zimbabwe’s embassies abroad and use social media to encourage people at home to join the protest.’
Itai Dzamara has been arrested, assaulted and tortured several times during his protest which was launched last October when he called on Mugabe to step down.
For a video showing the treatment that he might have received from the state, see: http://www.news24.com/Africa/Zimbabwe/Watch-Zimbabwe-police-brutality-20150313.
Some people at the Vigil have experienced this brutality at first hand. A collection was taken at the Vigil for Itai Dzamara’s wife Sheffa, who says her young children haven’t stopped crying for their father to come home.
http:/www.zimvigil.co.uk.
Post published in: News