Thank you Pablo for drawing our attention to large versions of these pics. Kottke.org has a post on how the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is using satellite imagery to detect and prove human rights absuses.

These two images show Porta Farm before and after murambatsvina, and clearly reveal that a massive number of people in a single area lost their community, their homes and their livelihoods with devastating effect. Nature is fast reclaiming the desolate area in the ten months since murambatsvina.

Where are these people? What’s happened to them since?

Porta Farm, June 2002 – population 6-10,000

Porta Farm, April 2006 – population 0

Amnesty International, who released the images today, had this to say:

“These satellite images are irrefutable evidence — if further evidence is even needed — that the Zimbabwean government has obliterated entire communities — completely erased them from the map, as if they never existed,” said Kolawole Olaniyan, Director of Amnesty International’s Africa programme.

[...]

“The images and footage are a graphic indictment of the Zimbabwean government’s policies. They show the horrifying transition of an area from a vibrant community to rubble and shrubs — in the space of just ten months,” said Kolawole Olaniyan.

Larger versions of the pictures are available here: before and after

Technorati Tags: American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, Porta Farm, murambatsvina, Zimbabwe, Amnesty International

By Dumisani O. Nkomo

(This poem was read by the author at the Commemorative Service held to honour the victims, by Churches in Bulawayo on Saturday May 20, 2006)

May 2005 we remember
2005 May we remember
May 2005 we reflect
We remember the razing and ravaging of homes
We reminisce on how poverty was criminalized
We reflect on how the poor were brutalized
Displaced, dislocated, dislodged, dismembered
Destroyed, devastated, damaged, defaced
Dehumanized, demonized, deflowered, demoralized
All because of “madisnyongoro”

May 2005 we remember the remnants of Ngozi Mine, the devastation of Killarney
We shall chronicle Village 4 Heany Junction
We shall Herald the story of the Bagdads in Victoria Falls
We shall not forget, we shall not revenge, we shall remember
Because we are the Mirror of society
Yes the Standard, the Independent Guardian of truth
The studio of justice, the Voice of the people

May 2005, we remember
Great darkness enveloped the nation
The great dawn of a magnificent era of independence was turned into a horrific error of the midnight of displacement and mass social dislocation
Our inspiring dream of housing for all became an endless nightmare of homelessness and helplessness
May 2005, the day became night
Zimbabwe became a massive refugee camp
Refugees in the land of our birth
Exiles in our homeland

May 2005 we remember
Zimbabwe land of promise, land of our fathers
You became a land of transit camps
Land of the displaced, land of misplaced leaders
From the dusty streets of Makokoba
To the crammed streets of Mbare
Zimbabwe you became land where
Being poor became a crime
Where making an honest living is now a punishable offence

A great darkness visited a land
And yes only when it is dark
Enough can we see the light
Only in darkness can we see the light
A light shone in the darkness
The light of churches of Bulawayo

The light of churches in Manicaland
The light of churches in Gweru
The light of churches in Victoria Falls
The light of churches in Harare
A great beacon of humanitarian agencies and churches

Lutheran, Catholic, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Anglican,
Yes for once we remember
How a common vision ended division
In order to bring provision
To God’s hungry, isolated and excluded

Yes we remember how churches
Remembered to love
Remembered that churches
Are not museums for saints but hospitals for sinners

Yes, for once we remember
How we remembered to clothe the naked
And to feed the hungry
Yes we remembered to be father
To the fatherless, friend to the widow

May 2005, Remember
They came with baton sticks,
With teargas, with clenched fists
And with outstretched boots
They came with armored cars,
With AK’s and FNs
But yes we remembered
That we wrestle not against flesh and blood
The children of God armed
Themselves not with swords, spears and guns
We armed ourselves with the weapons of love

We did not take up pistols, revolvers or rifles
We put on the breastplate of righteousness
We did not fight with stones or sticks
We armed ourselves with the shield of faith
We did not arm ourselves with tanks and missiles
We armed ourselves with the sword of the spirit
We did not arm ourselves with baton sticks and teargas
We armed ourselves with the belt of truth
We did not arm ourselves with the belt of truth
We did not arm ourselves with hatred and malice
We armed ourselves with the gospel of truth and the whole Armour of God

May 2005 we remember those no longer with us, those who have graduated to the Father
We remember those from Ngozi Mine and Killarney
What shall we say Baby Paradza, of Ernest Moyo of Macingwane
What shall we say of Smart Moyo, Margaret Tshabalala, Elias Mbedzi, Luke Mpofu, Thabani Jele ?
Where are they today ?
They lie dead and buried
But the truth can never be buried
But the truth can never be buried
Truth buried in the ground shall rise again
‘okulempondo akufihlwa’

We remember the unsung heroes of gospel
Amaqhawe e -Vangeli, o-Jeff Mkhwananzi,
OmfokatChatindo, okaNeta, uMdawini, ithole likaSibanda, OLucky Moyo, ibhabezi lako Motsi, ubaba uMlilo, okaNqindi, UGraham kaShaw, oMagedu, uGegani Ndlovu
Umfoka Manceda, okaShatayo
Izinyane lengwenyama u Pius ka Ncube
Lamanye amaqhawe lamaqhewekazi
They did not curse the darkness
They lit a candle
Do not fear
Those who are afraid are violent
Those who are afraid oppress the people

Yes, remember our God has established his throne,
He has not surrendered his throne
God reigns in power and wisdom
He reigns in justice and mercy
He reigns in grace and compassion
He reigns in righteousness and truth
Our God reigns in sovereignty
He reigns over the universe, over the cosmos, the galaxies
Yes our God reigns over Zimbabwe over Africa
Bayethe Nkosi yethu, Bayethe Nkosi yezizwe
Bayethe Simakade, Bayethe Nkosi yamaxuku
Bayethe Bhubesi, bayethe Ngwenyama !

Technorati Tags: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, churches, poem, poetry, poet

Breaking News 3:30pm : Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)

FOUR women involved in the community based protest conducted at Schools were arrested around 11 am this morning. Initial reports indicated three but confirmation has been received that there are four women in custody. They were initially taken to Njube Police Station but have since been moved to Bulawayo Central. A lawyer is attempting to obtain access.

Meanwhile news from Mutare is that two people were picked up this morning in connection with a WOZA meeting conducted on Saturday 20 May. A Lawyer has been deployed.

The meeting, a first for Mutare was addressed by Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu and Ellah Hwenzira, members of WOZA. The purpose of the meeting was to conduct a social justice consultation with the people of Mutare and mobilise them to demand social justice for Zimbabweans.

2pm Breaking News

WOZA’S EDUCATION CAMPAIGN CONTINUES AT SCHOOLS MEMBERS of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) took to the streets again this morning in six areas across Harare and Bulawayo. The peaceful protests targeted Government and Council schools which have continued to turn away children for non-payment of fees. Three women were arrested as they dispersed from Mtshede Primary and are currently being held at Njube Police Station. Plain-clothed officers were present at Mtshede School in Njube, Bulawayo. They were carrying placards obviously picked up at the first school (Ngubo Primary), and possibly carried out these arrests. In Harare at Fungisai Government School in Chitungwiza South members reported having a conversation with uniformed police officers.

These protests were part of WOZA’s continuing education campaign. Previously, Bulawayo members spent five days in custody after peaceful protest at Mhlahlandlela Government office on 4th May. Whilst in Harare on 8th May, members protested at the Minister of Educations office. Minister Chigwedere responded in an interview on morning state television saying that he was not responsible and that women should not come to his office but should visit headmasters. Members of WOZA therefore resolved to take the education lobby to schools and pressure Headmasters to allow children their right to education.

Last week, WOZA members delivered a message to schools across Bulawayo and Harare (text included below), requesting that Headmasters not send children away for non-payment. Today, seven schools that had ignored these requests were targeted for the community-based protests.

In Chitungwiza Fungisai Government, Farai Council and two Seke High Schools were visited by over 200 women. In Harare hundreds of members protested at Glenview 7 Primary, Glenview High Council, Dzivarasekwa High and Fundo Primary Schools. In Bulawayo over 150 members visited Ngubo Primary, 80 members went to Mtshede Primary School and Mahlabezulu Primary School also had a visit by 80 members.

At Fundo in Dzivarasekwa and Mahlabezulu in Tshabalala, Headmasters told members that they were not to blame for school fee hikes and that parents should speak to the School Development Associations (SDA). However, at Mahlabezulu, SDA members were present but when the leader was approached by protester she was struck dumb and walked away.

In Bulawayo members sang: “Into yemfundo sifuna ukuyibhoboza”, which can be loosely translated as ‘we want expose this issue of education’. In Harare as they marched they sang in Shona, “Schools are expensive and unaffordable”.

As promised, WOZA intends to give this issue its full attention until an appropriate compromise can be reached. Educational institutions, including the Ministry and its officials, will continue to be on the receiving end of WOZA’s brand of ‘Tough Love’ (peaceful protest) if they send children home who cannot pay.

Ends

23 May 2006
NOTE TO EDITORS:
For more information about WOZA and the protests conducted in Bulawayo and Harare, please contact Jenni Williams or Magodonga Mahlangu on + 263 91 300 456 or + 263 91 898 110 or Annie Sibanda on +263 91 898 112. Or email us at wozazimbabwe@yahoo.com

WOZA MOYA – DEMANDS TO HEADMASTERS

Last week WOZA conducted peaceful demonstrations against school fee increases. 73 children and 112 parents were arrested. We spent 5 days in filthy police cells. We did not do this for nothing – we did it to defend our children’s right to education! We will NOT remain SILENT. We will not sit back and watch you sending our innocent children home. WE WILL ACT!

Chigwedere said Headmasters are responsible. So Headmasters, this letter is a peaceful word of advice from WOZA. Help us educate our children don’t frustrate our efforts. MOTHERS DEMAND THEIR CHILDREN’S RIGHT TO EDUCATION! Stop this war against our children! In 1980 Zanu PF promised free primary education to the children of Zimbabwe. Within ten years, this had become an empty promise. They blame ESAP and the IMF but the truth is that they chose to spend money on weapons and war in other countries instead of giving us education and health.

This Mothers’ Day, mothers are saying to the government: NO more buying weapons to oppress us – YES to educating our children NO to a Government that makes children suffer – YES to educated and healthy children NO more lies and empty promises – YES to leaders who care and tell us the truth NO more massive school fee increases – YES to affordable education for all As mothers of the nation, we call on the government and Headmasters to stop the fee increases. We also call on schools not to turn away our children because their parents are not free to earn a living honestly and pay these high fees.

Technorati Tags: Zimbabwe, WOZA, women, Schools, Jenni Williams, social justice, education, peaceful protest, Mothers, action, non violence, protest, police, arrest, gender

[This article was sent out to our subscribers today. Click here to subscribe to the Sokwanele mailing list. ]

Images of Operation Murambatsvina at this link.

Church leaders in Zimbabwe’s second city, Bulawayo, achieved a remarkable victory today in keeping to their original plan to stage a peaceful protest march and hold public prayers, despite the most severe intimidation from Mugabe’s security forces. Many similar events planned by churches and civic groups in other parts of the country to commemorate the anniversary of the regime’s infamous Operation Murambatsvina were either called off or postponed in the face of massive police intimidation. But the steely resolve of the pastors leading an informal group called Churches in Bulawayo, and the courage of several hundred church members who turned out in support enabled the Bulawayo protest to go ahead notwithstanding.

On a bright Saturday morning as the streets of Bulawayo’s oldest township, Makokoba, were just coming to life, a small group of protesters started to gather at St Patrick’s Church. Within an hour a crowd of between two and three hundred had assembled. After a full briefing from one of the pastors the procession set off towards the city. Those in the procession were in high spirits. They were obviously not cowed by the presence of many uniformed police in and around the church grounds and along the route they walked – to say nothing of the dictator’s omnipresent secret police, the Central Intelligence Organization or CIO.

This event was but one of the several organized across the country by the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance, an informal ecumenical alliance seeking a united Christian response to the current crisis. The objective – shared by many civic groups including Crisis in Zimbabwe – was to focus attention on the plight of victims of ZANU PF’s purge of the poor, one year on from the nationwide campaign of destruction which saw hundreds of thousands rendered homeless and destitute. The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called it “a catastrophic injustice to as many as 700,000 of Zimbabwe’s poorest citizens”.

The organizers of most of the other commemorative events planned for this weekend eventually succumbed to police pressure to call them off. Not so the pastors who lead Churches in Bulawayo. When the police whom they had consulted on a courtesy basis, withdrew their original permission and purported to ban the procession and prayers the pastors responded with a strong public statement. They expressed their serious concern at the “about turn” which they said they viewed as “an infringement of our freedom of worship“.

The statement continued: “If police are to ban church services, which are exempt under the Public Order and Security Act, such a development will have serious implications on the Church’s right to carry out its God given mandate. Such action serves to clearly demonstrate the desperate position of the regime.”

The pastors complained of the repeated interrogation of individual clerics and the intimidating tactics employed when they were all subjected to a two hour harangue by thirty senior security officers who were members of Mugabe’s Joint Operations Command, comprising police, army and CIO. Two of their number, Pastors Lucky Moyo and Promise Maneda, were arrested by the police on Tuesday and released later on the same day.

The greater the credit of the Bulawayo church leaders who persevered despite the unlawful but nonetheless frightening threats made by the police. Clearly they believed in the justice of their cause – their divine mandate to be a voice for the voiceless poor. But apart from this important dimension of their contest with Mugabe’s security apparatus, they believed that the law (such as it is) was also on their side. The draconian Public Order and Security Act (POSA) to which they made reference in their public statement provides the police with wide-ranging powers to control or ban public gatherings of three or more persons. Gatherings for “bona fide religious purposes” however are exempted from the controls. The pastors were strongly of the view that their procession and public prayers were not subject to police control. When the police purported to ban these events under POSA therefore they brought an urgent application to the High Court to have the police action declared unlawful. And a High Court judge sitting late into Friday evening, within hours of the proposed gathering, pronounced in the pastors’ favour. Their confidence in their legal right was duly vindicated.

An interesting question remains to which we cannot know the answer; how different would today’s events have been had the High Court judge ruled against the pastors ? The police would then undoubtedly have done everything in their power to prevent the procession from taking place. And would the pastors still have walked, in obedience to their “higher calling”? And would a few hundred church members have walked behind them? Would we have witnessed a direct confrontation between Church and State on the streets of Bulawayo? It is interesting to speculate, and our entire reporter can add is that from his contacts with the pastors he understands they had every intention of walking, with a favourable verdict from the Court or without. Their prolonged exposure to the appalling suffering of the victims of Mugabe’s tyranny has put a new steel into these men of God.

The Christian protestors walked from St Patrick’s Church into the city. It was an orderly and peaceful procession as the organizers had been at pains to ensure. From “Nkosi Sikeleli Africa” the procession moved on to a number of Christian songs, which quickly gained the friendly attention of passers-by. Police details provided an ironic escort, ostensibly to protect the walkers from the traffic.

When the procession reached its destination at the Brethren in Christ Church in the city those taking part settled down outside to listen to speeches, song and even a poem in commemoration of Operation Murambatsvina. The banners proclaimed “Churches in Bulawayo: we still remember”, and “Standing in solidarity with the poor”. A number of texts were also displayed focusing on the Biblical injunctions to defend the rights of the poor.

Fr Danisa Khumalo, a Roman Catholic priest said “we shall never forget the smoke that rose from Killarney” (one of the informal settlements razed to the ground by Mugabe’s armed security units); “we shall never forget how the churches opened their doors and welcomed the homeless” …”we shall never forget the so-called transit camp” …”we shall never forget the displaced people … are we not all victims?” … “And is Zimbabwe a better place because of the so-called clean-up operation?”

Pastor Albert Chatindo reeled off a long list of statistics of internally displaced persons who have been forcibly removed to a range of remote rural destinations where they have no roots, no school or health facilities and are now almost totally dependent on food and other hand-outs from the Church. Reference was made to those who have been moved several times – one family seven times – and the resulting trauma, stress and depression.

In answer to the question whether one single displaced family from the records of Churches in Bulawayo had received any state assistance under the regime’s much-vaunted re-build programme “Hlalani Kuhle”, Baptist Pastor Ray Motsi answered emphatically, “No, not a single one.”

The crowd also heard from some of the victims themselves of the Mugabe regime’s crime against humanity. Those telling their horrific stories were hidden from view, an elementary precaution to protect their identity and save them from possible retribution from the security forces. Prayers were offered up on behalf of these victims, the homeless, the sick, children whose education has been cut short, the bereaved, and those who have given up all hope.

A message of solidarity was read out from Archbishop Pius Ncube who would undoubtedly have been in the procession himself had not a prior engagement taken him from the city, and from the British-based TEAR fund which is in a partnership agreement with local churches, providing support for their relief work among the displaced.

For many of the unfortunate victims of Operation Murambatsvina and hundreds of internally displaced persons the Church has become their only refuge and security in a turbulent time of deep crisis. They are grateful, and we as a nation should be profoundly grateful that the Church is there for them. That the Church is taking up its divine mandate, not only to care for the victims of the most gross human rights abuses but also to challenge and confront the arrogant tyranny responsible, is a cause for general rejoicing.

[This article was sent out to our subscribers today. Click here to subscribe to the Sokwanele mailing list. View images of Operation Murambatsvina at this link.]

Technorati Tags: Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, peaceful protest, prayer, Mugabe, Operation Murambatsvina, CIO, Zimbabwe Christian Alliance, ZANU PF, worship, Public Order and Security Act, Church, POSA, Christian

It was a relatively small, but significant, show of defiance. Today, a group of Christian Pastors, accompanied by members of their congregations, staged a peaceful march and prayer service in Zimbabwe’s second city, Bulawayo - our City of Kings.

Originally banned by the police, the event went ahead after the High Court granted them a last-minute go-ahead yesterday. And go ahead they did – despite the presence of baton weilding police patrolling the route of the march. It was estimated that, in all, about three hundred people took part.

So – what of it? Well – in the first place – it was to mark the first anniversary of mugabe’s horrific “Operation Murambatsvina“. Secondly, it was to show solidarity with the victims of this inhuman abuse of Zimbabwe’s poorest, and to remind the world of thier continued sufferings. I can almost hear so many people around the world saying, “So what? Dry your eyes!”. Lets face it – most of the world has heard of Murambatsvina, and what has been done by the international community? The plight of it’s victims has largely been ignored by the world, so why bother doing re-runs of re-runs? It’s just a case of another African dictator flexing his muscles isn’t it? No ways – it isn’t! Not to anyone who has a heart it isn’t! These are people that are being abused – our people! We will see justice restored, and we will see justice done!

So what was really significant about this march? Firstly, it says to mugabe and his pitiful followers that the people of Zimbabwe are not afraid to stand up to them – even though we stand defenceless against thier tear gas, their batons and their guns! Secondly, personally, I see it as a wake-up call for mugabe and his overfed band of theives. He has pushed the freedoms of the Zimbabwean people to the limit. The one freedom that he has not directly legislated against is the one fredom that will be his downfall – the freedom of worship. True – he has tried to silence the churches by using and abusing POSA. But he hasn’t been able to, has he? While many have been silent, for some time the spotlight has been on the Catholics and, in particular Archbishop Pius Ncube, in their condemnation of the excesses of the mugabe regime. But all that has ended today. The regime tried to deny the right of Zimbabweans to exercise their constitutional freedom to prayer, and once again – they failed! This marks a turning point in the unity of Christians in Zimbabwe – today many of the other Christian churches closed ranks against mugabe and his abuse of power!

Many pastors addressed the crowd today, many sad stories of victims were told, and many words of wisdom were spoken, but it was the words of a poet who addressed the crowd that were reported by a friend of mine:

“My brothers and sisters, our country’s salvation will not come from the West, nor will it come from the East. It will not come from the North, nor the South. It will come from above! Pray my people, pray Zimbabwe!”

Amen, my Brother … Amen!

Technorati Tags: Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Operation Murambatsvina, Murambatsvina, mugabe, worship, POSA, Archbishop Pius Ncube, prayer, Christian, churche, pray

I’ve just had a phone call from a friend of mine in Bulawayo, who is exhilarated by this morning’s procession to commemorate the Murambatsvina removals one year ago (that was the name given to the regime’s illegal and inhumane destruction of the houses and informal businesses of the poorest of the poor).

He said that there were maybe 300 people there by the end, and it all went very peacefully with minimal police interference. He reckons that was because of yesterday’s court ruling allowing the priests and pastors to go ahead with this procession.

Apparently, everyone met at the church in Makokoba and walked, singing, behind a group of priests with banners, all the way to another church on the outskirts of town. He said that there were a few police around, but not many, and the policemen all seemed to leave when the procession arrived at the second church and had an open-air service there.

I was quite envious of my friend, and wished that I had been able to be there as well. It just shows that the people of his country do care for what happens to the poor, and it shows just what the church can do when it joins together in the name of God.

The sad thing is that so many of the people affected by Murambatsvina are still living in complete poverty, some without houses, and in villages far from their home areas, and far from the towns where they had jobs before. All the promises of new houses and healthcare and other things have been broken, and these poor people face yet another winter without proper shelter. And the government who created this situation doesn’t seem to care.

Technorati Tags: Bulawayo, Murambatsvina, Makokoba, priests, police, church, God, poverty, Zimbabwe, homeless, prayer, faith

Churches in Bulawayo, as well as other churches in Zimbabwe, are commemorating the anniversary of Murambatsvina in their town with a peaceful procession of Christian witness, so that Zimbabwean citizens and the authorities will be reminded of this injustice and the consequent, enduring suffering.

The police are doing all they can to prevent the prayer procession, as evidenced in a recent press release.

This post concludes with information on similar efforts taking place in London.

You can read an overview on Operation Murambatsvina in this Sokwanele article dated 18 June 2005. Or read blogs archived here. We also have a collection of Murambatsvina images on Flickr at this link. Please feel free to use the images on Flickr to spread the word and remind people. We’d appreciate it if you added a link back to this site and this article.

Thank you for your support!

PRESS STATEMENT FROM CHURCHES IN BULAWAYO : 16 May 2006

BULAWAYO – Church leaders in Bulawayo are seriously concerned that police in the city have made an about turn in granting them clearance to hold a prayer procession on Saturday May 20 to remember victims of last year’s Operation Murambatsvina.

As Church leaders in Bulawayo we view this as an infringement of our freedom of worship. If police are to ban church services, which are exempt under the Public Order and Security Act, such a development will have serious implications on the Church’s right to carry out its God given mandate. Such action serves to clearly demonstrate the desperate position of the regime.

The prayer procession scheduled for Saturday morning from St Patrick’s Church in Makokoba to Brethren in Christ Church in the centre city, is part of nationwide activities being coordinated by Zimbabwe Christian Alliance to stand in solidarity with the poor. A similar big event will be held in Chitungwiza on Saturday. The Zimbabwe Christian Alliance is organizing these prayer events not for political gain or mere publicity but because it has a Biblical mandate to stand in solidarity with the poor.

Churches in Bulawayo sheltered over 2 000 families at the height Murambatsvina and have continued to provide food assistance as well as medical help and payment of school fees for displaced children. What has frightened the police is that thousands of Bulawayo residents are intending to take parting the procession. The procession starts from Makokoba – the oldest and one of the suburbs worst affected by Murambatsvina. Police estimate that 15 000 people will turn out for the procession and claim they do not have enough manpower to control such a huge crowd.

Since yesterday, junior police officers have been calling individual clerics to interrogate and intimidate them to cancel procession. But this morning, Tuesday, about 30 senior security officers in Bulawayo who are members of the Joint Operations Command – that is composed of the police, army and Central Intelligence Organisation – summoned the leadership of Churches in Bulawayo to a two- hour interrogation session.

Soon after the interrogation a letter withdrawing clearance for the procession was issued. Clearance had initially been granted on Friday last week.

An urgent meeting of senior church leaders will be held tomorrow morning to decide on the way forward.

The police in Bulawayo have withdrawn clearance for a planned prayer procession by Churches in Bulawayo to remember victims of last year’s Operation Murambatsvina.

For more information contact Zimbabwe Christian Alliance coordinator Useni Sibanda on 263 91 218 651 or 263 11 881 316

Date: Saturday 20 May 2006
Assembly And Starting Point: St.Patricks Church – Makokoba
Procession Through Town To: Bretheren In Christ Church/Central (Masotsha Ave)
Assembly Time: 9.30 am
Start Of Procession: 10.00 am

Last year on 18th May the police in Harare began the systematic destruction of what were deemed to be illegal dwellings. In addition street vendors, even those trading legally, were arrested and fined, their wares and assets confiscated. All this was done under the guise of a clean-up operation for the cities, purportedly to reduce criminal activity. However most of the people affected were neither dirty nor criminal: most were victims of disastrous government policies and were trying by all means to eke out a living for their families. Operation Murambatsvina (which means clean out the trash) spread its stain indiscriminately across the country and in June the squatter camps of Killarney and Ngozi Mine were demolished, along with many suburban structures in this town.

In response, many churches in Bulawayo sheltered and fed the newly homeless for six weeks before they were forcibly removed from sight to a camp at Helensvale. Shortly afterwards they uplifted were again and were strewn across the country. Several families found themselves camping in the open for days at a time while uninformed and unprepared local authorities decided what should be done.

Since that time some families have managed to integrate into their original rural communities. But many are living as strangers. They have lost their friends and family, their belongings, their means of earning a living. Sometimes they are not even allowed to bury their dead. They have to seek help from pastors to get a burial in town, which because of a shortage of funds, can take several days while families wait helplessly. On average two people a week (often babies) die and the rate is increasing. The cause of death is often HIV related aggravated by malnutrition. Churches within Bulawayo have done their best to help but with food shortages and limited resources it has never been enough.

One group within the displaced, affected by the upheaval, were the children who needed to continue with their schooling. Funding was found that enabled almost 200 children to attend last term, but there was nothing for another 300.

These statistics only paint part of the picture. For many, the disruption to their lives, the loss of community and property, the deprivation of their livelihoods and the disregard for their dignity has been traumatic to the point of despair, even death.

As Christians, Jesus expects us to be a voice for the poor and the oppressed, to be God’s arm of help and to stand beside those who are suffering. For this reason Churches in Bulawayo, as well as other churches in Zimbabwe, are commemorating the anniversary of Murambatsvina in our town with a peaceful procession of Christian witness, so that our citizens and the authorities will be reminded of this injustice and the consequent, enduring suffering.

We are inviting you, to join us as a demonstration of faith in the redeeming work of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Let us stand with those who are treated as the least and proclaim God’s indignation concerning oppression and injustice.

And for those who are in London:

From the Zimbabwe Vigil

Special Vigil to mark the Anniversary of the Start of Murambatsvina

Murambatsvina “Clear out the Trash” started a year ago this week. Tragically it is still continuing – the Telegraph reports today (16/5/06) that 10,000 of the most vulnerable – the street children of Harare – have been detained pending relocation to rural areas. Protests are planned in Zimbabwe to mark this anniversary. On Saturday, 20th May, the Churches in Bulawayo have planned a procession through the city. We pray they will be safe from attack. This Saturday, the Vigil is holding a sympathy demonstration to mark this horrendous anniversary (usual Vigil time of 2 – 6 pm).

Washinton Ali, Chair of the MDC-UK (part of the Vigil Coalition) urges all opposed to Murambatsvina to attend the Vigil. He also advises that MDC President, Morgan Tsvangirai, will be addressing supporters at a meeting in London on Sunday, 28th May – venue to be advised.

* PLEASE ALL COME AND SUPPORT THIS IMPORTANT PROTEST – HELP US MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF THE HORRORS IN ZIMBABWE
* PLEASE BRING BANNERS AND POSTERS

More information here.

Dr Makumbe, civic leaders and Norwegian unionist arrested in Zimbabwe

DR JOHN MAKUMBE, a fierce government critic was yesterday arrested at his offices at the University of Zimbabwe in connection with the planned commemoration of the Operation Murambatsvina anniversary, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has said.

[...]

The civic leaders were arrested and were being questioned on events earmarked commemorate the first anniversary of Operation Murambatsvina the brutal exercise that saw the government of Zimbabwe last year destroying people’s houses and livelihoods, ostensibly to clean up the cities. It seems though that despite the UN condemning the exercise as illegal and disastrous, one the left over 2,4 million people in limbo, the government of Zimbabwe seems to be continuing in rounding up homeless people and dumping them outside the city. The homeless people are waiting to be deported to their rural homes.

Following Harare Roundup, Thousands Sent to New Holding Camp

One year after launching a highly controversial campaign of evictions and demolitions of unauthorized dwellings, Zimbabwean authorities have established another holding camp on a farm outside Harare to accommodate some 10,000 homeless people and street vendors rounded up in the capital over the past several weeks.

Civil society sources said some of those displaced a year ago in Harare’s so-called Operation Murambatsvina (Shona for “Drive Out the Trash”) have also been moved to Melfort Farm, located in Goromonzi district about 40 kilometers east of Harare.

A highly placed police source said police officers and central intelligence organisation agents have been deployed to Melfort Farm, and cordoned it off. A Harare city official speaking on condition of anonymity said Melfort lacked proper shelter and sanitary facilities and that the only food being provided was that seized from vendors.

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It’s almost a year ago exactly that the Zimbabwean government, under Robert Mugabe’s leadership, embarked on Operation Murambatsvina – or, Operation Drive Out Trash. Koffi Anan called their actions

a catastrophic injustice to as many as 700,000 of Zimbabwe’s poorest citizens, through indiscriminate actions, carried out with disquieting indifference to human suffering

and he went on to say:

I call on the Government to stop these forced evictions and demolitions immediately, and to ensure that those who orchestrated this ill-advised policy are held fully accountable for their actions.

A big outcry ensued, everyone was shocked and horrifed forcing the Zanu PF government to try and explain and justify by insisting that this was all to the good because it was building new homes for Zimbabweans to replace the old awful ones. (What a joke that was).

So here we are, on the brink of the freezing cold winter months again, this time with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight vision, and the Zimbabwean government – still under the leadership of Robert Mugabe – is doing it again! This today from IOL

Police in the Zimbabwean capital Harare have rounded up more than 10 000 squatters and street children and plan to send them to rural areas, reports said on Monday.

Under a fresh clean-up operation code-named Round Up, the police netted 10 224 people, many of them vagrants, touts and what the authorities call “disorderly elements,” said the state-controlled Herald newspaper.

“We are going to relocate some of the vagrants and street children to their homes,” said police spokesperson Munyaradzi Musariri.

The logic confounds me, the cruelty appalls me. Is this government exceptionally ill-advised, exceptionally evil, or exceptionally scared? Or is this simply about two fingers in the face of the world – an arrogant gesture that says ‘ the hell with all of you, we’ll hurt, humiliate and destroy our own people whenever we want because they’re OURS and we CAN?’

I suspect that fear of riots might be provoking some of this… fear. More than 1000% inflation (and that’s official now) might have something to do with it; poverty, hardship, hunger, unemployment. ReliefWeb have an article up with a title that says it all: “Inflation time bomb could shatter Mugabe’s rule.” Add to that the fact that Zimbabwe’s students are a bit annoyed and their annoyance is spilling over in various parts of the country. It’s starting to look untenuous, and I guess that some in the elite may be losing their nerve. How better to quell riots that to dispell and remove the potential rioters before it happens..? It worked last year after they angered everyone by rigging the elections.

I’m speculating, of course. The reasons are almost irrelevant, what matters is the human suffering. One thing I know for sure is that if even more poor people are being forced out into the middle of nowhere then there will be still more suffering, more deaths, more hardship. Does this government care? Or is it entirely focused on self-preservation, whatever the cost to Zimbabwean civilians?

It’ll be much harder for the Zimbabwean government to plead ignorance of the consequences post-Murambatsvina. Logic also dictates that those busy violating human rights will find it much harder to dodge accountability when the time of reckoning comes. Don’t even try and tell us that you ultimately mean well, because we now know you don’t and that you cannot build houses and homes. Don’t pretend that you know nothing about it, because it has happened before and you were fully aware of the outcry. Please don’t try and distance yourself from it because you’ve done nothing in one year to ensure it’d never happen again. Whoever you are, you are accountable.

Technorati Tags: Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, Operation Murambatsvina, Zanu PF, Harare, squatters, street children, Round Up, vagrants, human rights, poverty, forced evictions