International Day of Support for the Victims of Torture
The Gestapo is alive and well and it is practising its art in the police cells of Zimbabwe. Long after the age of barbarism, a despot is actively using torture to suppress a humble and peace loving people as he struggles against the tide to retain political power. It is not surprising as, not only does he sport the moustache, he is happy to be called Hitler. As recently as last week, members of the opposition have been abducted and tortured by militia masquerading as police officers, spurred on by Hitler’s exhortation to “bash” people who do not toe the line.
At the opening night of HIFA, one of the singers wailed Bob Marley’s line from Redemption song: “How long shall they kill our prophets, while we stand aside and look?”
Beware, the peaceful people of Zimbabwe are neither docile nor stupid! The regime mistakes patience and wisdom for weakness and fear. Let it be known that the list of names of the perpetrators of torture is on record and growing. Justice will prevail. She beckons from the halls of the International Criminal Court and no person will have been a victim in vain. Modern society has a funny habit of keeping a memory. Oral history fades, modern technology keeps it alive.
Meanwhile, we appeal to those that are at a safe distance from harms way to not let up in their condemnation of what is going on in Z. Societies thrive when individuals are held accountable. There is a group of some few hundred men and women who are holding an entire population to ransom and we ask you to bear witness to this moment in Zimbabwe history. Zimbabweans on their part will not abandon their country even in the face of torture because we know Justice will prevail through your good works.
To the diplomats, we urge you to ask your governments to maintain the pressure. Please keep the facts flowing to your respective capitals and let the truth be known about this tyrant. He must not be allowed to strut the world’s stages and posture while his hands drip with the blood of innocents.
To the brave doctors, nurses and psychiatrists, we say persevere. It is getting darker and darer and there must be a heavy toll on your weary minds working without drugs, electricity and with extremely low wages. The weak and helpless need you. Stay and help record every detail for justice will prevail.
To the real police, we say resign rather than sup at the devil’s table for while your tummy may be full for a few hours, your mind will not recover from the torture of a fellow human being. This is not what the war of liberation was for. The sacrifice of your older brothers and sisters will have been in vain when you actively maim their siblings twenty seven years after “liberation”. We were not meant to be liberated in to captivity. Do not completely lose your humanity.
To the people: The war for liberation was a huge sacrifice. It must never be in vain. Your minds, souls and bodies are tortured today. Tomorrow, we should be ready to testify against those in your midst who deprive mothers of the joy of seeing their children grow up. Parents should not bury their children.
On this international day of torture, it is not about slavery, colonialism or diplomacy. It is about human lives, physical pain, humiliation and degradation, emotional scars … all to keep a fearful ageing despot in power. And it is not right. Let the world speak!
July 22nd, 2007 17:09
I trust that such a day will recognise that the victims of torture are from ALL races in Southern Africa.