Violence is the real enemy: Sokwanele comment on events surrounding Zimbabwe’s senate elections
November 11th, 2005
Sokwanele has just released a comment on events surrounding the Zimbabwean senate elections. The following is an extract from a lengthier release which you can read here.
What now transpires is that some of those committed to ensuring the MDC does not participate in the Senate elections have resorted to the kind of tactics normally associated with ZANU PF. Reports are surfacing of the use of threats of violent reprisals, both before and after the October 12 National Council meeting. Indeed our information is that some of those making the threats, and in some instances using actual violence against those perceived to be opposed to Tsvangirai, have purported to be acting with his authority. Nor has Mr Tsvangirai sufficiently dissociated himself from these bellicose youths. Which brings us back to the dark and so far unresolved issue of violence in the MDC.
One of the core values of the MDC since its inception six years ago has been the party’s commitment to non-violence. It is this commitment which more than anything else distinguishes the party from ZANU PF, the party of violence. Indeed we would suggest that it has been the MDC’s hitherto unswerving commitment to non-violence which has brought it the huge support it enjoys with the people of Zimbabwe. Recent events within the party however have cast doubt on its continued adherence to this core value – perhaps we should say, the adherence of some of its leaders to non-violence. Granted that within every political party of significant size there will always be some who will be tempted to try violence as a short-cut to success, the key question becomes, does the party leadership show any tolerance of this method? If the party leadership is united in affording zero tolerance to such delinquent elements within its ranks there is a good chance the party as a whole will remain resolutely against violence. Sadly that has not been the case with the MDC.
