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Home | ZimCrisis#105 -- Another Message from Zimbabwe

Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 15:35:29 -0700
To: "Zimbabwe Crisis Mailing List":;
From: Zimbabwe Crisis
Subject: ZimCrisis#105 -- Another Message from Zimbabwe


Hi everyone,

This message received today.


Craig



On Monday 17th July at 3:45 p.m., my father and mother were for the second time force to flee their home. At David and Lorna xxxxx's farm in Concession between 200 and 300 war veterans armed with spears and large sticks and led by Thomas Majuru forced open a locked gate and surged forward.

In doing this they beat up my Dad - a 66 year old man with glaucoma, a history of heart problems and a back injury caused by a land mine in 1977. These war veterans then proceeded to lock the boom and lock themselves and my family inside the security fence. They went on to the verandah while my brother, Gary, his 6 year old son Brett and my parents escaped into the house. For nearly 1 and a half hours the war veterans beat drums, lit fires and chanted while about 60 local farmers and the police and support unit rallied round.

The police arrived complete with tear gas and guns and stood while a neighbouring farmer, Nick xxxxx, rushed into the house to rescue Brett, who was standing in the corner of the bedroom, crying and clutching his blanket. Brett was in the bedroom with my father whom Nick described as "devastated". Nick managed to get Brett out of the house where he was met by the headmaster who took Brett home with him. Brett spent the night there with no family and only his blanket for comfort and security.

The mob outside were definitely political - shouting "Pamberi Zanu PF" and down with MDC and threatening to kill Morgan Tsvangirai. When Gary was told to dance he refused and was told that they were going to dig a hole and bury him there that night. This was witnessed by the police who did nothing. How can a police force that so easily fired tear gas into a stadium of peaceful people out for a day's soccer stand by and watch while an angry, gesticulating and potentially violent mob threaten innocent people and do nothing? Surely they are there to preserve the peace, protect the innocent and uphold the law and yet they stood by and watched while all this was happening.

Finally my brother and my parents were escorted out and were able to escape to a neighbouring farm where they spent the night. What do these people hope to achieve with intimidation and violence? Does it make them better or stronger people? My father was told to get on a plane and go back to Britain - a place my father has never been and has no claim to, not being British.

The local farmers were amazing and I still get a lump in my throat when I think how so many of them risked their own safety and rallied round and rushed to my family's assistance. A heartfelt thank you to all of you, many of which I do not know but your solidarity has given my parents strength.

This violence has got to stop. People have to be aware that it is happening to many people black and white, all over the country - my family is not an isolated incidence. Zimbabwe has lost 31 people in the pre-election violence - how many are we to loose in the post - election violence? Will it stop when more families have been disrupted and loose loved ones? How can we justify this violence? by keeping quiet are we condoning it? Only by standing together and speaking with one voice can we make everyone aware of their social conscience and put an end once and for all to living in fear.

Please, pass this on to everyone you know. Don't stand by and watch someone you know and care about become another statistic on your T.V. screen.


Thank You
Melanie (last name removed)




Craig
Zimbabwe Crisis Mailing List
http://www.niner.net/zimcrisis


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- Movement for Democratic Change -- http://www.in2zw.com/mdc
- Zimbabwe Democracy Trust -- http://www.zimbabwedemocracytrust.org
- BSAP Pursuit of Zimbabwean Criminals -- http://www.bsaphq.f9.co.uk

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