Zimbabweans living in the United States have condemned the recent military crackdown on civilians saying the operation is equal to the early 1980s Matabeleland genocide.
Reading out their petition, at the Zimbabwean embassy in Washington yesterday, Women In Diaspora chief Pearly Matibe said the recent military crackdown on civilians is similar to the early 1980s genocide that saw at least 20 000 Zapu aligned supporters killed in a cold blood in the guise of wiping off dissidents.
“As deeply concerned, patriots of Zimbabwe’s diaspora based here in the United States (U.S.) we know the problem with Zimbabwe’s state-sponsored violence and atrocities this January of 2019, are no different to Gukurahundi,” she said.
Matibe added that violence has become a culture in the ruling party Zanu PF, charging that the reign of terror that claimed 12 lives is disturbing as it has gone for a long period unchecked.
“The ZANU-PF led government has been oppressive for the last 38-years, abducting, torturing, disappearing and oppressing the people of Zimbabwe for decades; Gukurahundi, farm invasion violence, 2008 Election,1 August Killings through to the January 2019 atrocities. Enough is enough,” added Matibe.
She implored South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene and calm down crisis in his neighboring country, lest he betrays the Nelson Mandela legacy by keeping quiet while humanitarian crisis is obtaining in Zimbabwe.
“I wish to underscore that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has betrayed Nelson Mandela’s legacy and by saying nothing of the gross human violations in Zimbabwe he not only aids their cover-up, he is looking on while Zimbabwe goes to ruin. He must immediately condemn it in its entirety. Besides Zimbabweans came to South Africa’s aid during apartheid, now he sees the injustices in Zimbabwe, he looks away,” said Matibe.
