POLITICAL parties, mostly from Matabeleland, have formed an alliance to intensify their call for transparency in the Gukurahundi hearings, questioning the government’s commitment to uncovering the truth about the historical atrocities.
The demand comes amid concerns over lack of openness and accountability in the process, with critics accusing the government of insincerity and attempting to whitewash the past; hence, the political parties formed an alliance to confront the government.
The call was made by Gukurahundi Alliance spokesperson Mudenda Chilumbo during Press briefing in Bulawayo last week.
“For the record, we have no intention to thwart a genuine, inclusive and transparent process to bring finality to Gukurahundi, but for this government-initiated public outreach programme as led by chiefs, it is far from being a genuine programme. We are not about to sanitise or be complicity in an unashamedly dishonest and grossly flawed process,” he said.
Chilumbo said they strongly condemned the process and its pre-determined outcome.
“We urge the government to set up a commission led by international persons to be responsible for overseeing the process so that it can be fair to both sides,” he said.
Chilumbo said it was not correct to involve chiefs in conducting hearings on crimes against humanity committed in a military context.
“The shortcoming we have witnessed within this process is that they have neglected some stakeholders affected by the issue, as communities like Midlands and urban areas in Bulawayo were used as stop camps, concentration camps for mass torture, hence this shows a lack of commitment to seek truth and solution,” he said.
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Chilumbo said their alliance would campaign locally, nationally, regionally and internationally for a genuine, transparent and just process to address Gukurahundi so that healing and national reconciliation would be achieved.
Alliance chairperson Sibangilizwe Nkomo urged the political parties to unite so that the proposed hearings will be transparent.
“We have to fight against the government as they want to carry out the process with so many flaws, which will allow perpetrators of Gukurahundi not to be prosecuted, hence the need to unite so that justice can be brought for the lives lost during the genocide,” he said.
The government recently announced that the Gukurahundi hearings were starting on June 26, but were delayed due to logistical problems.
However, indications are that the process has since started, with victims hesitant and boycotting fearing victimisation after testifying in secrecy.
