Thread by @citezw

#Gukurahundi @39: How the genocide was indemnified, justified and hidden

A THREAD

cite.org.zw/gukurahundi-39…

#Asakhe

On or around 20 January 1983, the Fifth Brigade-led genocide was launched in Matabeleland and the Midlands, Tsholotsho, Lupane and Nkayi in Matabeleland North and Zhombe, Silobela and Lower Gweru in the Midlands being the hardest hit.

#Gukurahundi @39
#Asakhe
@Gukurahundizim

#Gukurahundi @39: Within weeks thousands of people had been killed, mostly through mass executions, thousands forcibly disappeared, raped, and an entire population in those areas tortured.

#Asakhe
@Gukurahundizim
@ukuthulatrust
@zenzele

#Gukurahundi @39: The genocide spread into Matabeleland South hitting hard Matobo, Bulilima-Mangwe, Gwanda, Umzingwane and Beitbridge.

@Gukurahundizim
@ukuthulatrust
@NPRCZim
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: The genocide was committed without the fear of prosecution, in July 1982 perpetrators were indemnified through the Emergency Powers (Security Forces Indemnity) Regulations.

@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
@NPRCZim
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: Under these regulations the security forces involved in the operations in Matabeleland and Midlands could kill, rape, torture or do anything without facing any criminal or civil liability and people could be detained without trial indefinitely.

#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: To ensure absolute immunity, perpetrators were, in addition to the indemnities they were granted ahead of the atrocities, also amnestied for their crimes in 1988.

@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
@NPRCZim
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: To provide cover for the genocide, government went even as far as creating its own pseudo-dissidents who massacred people, robbed businesses and buses, raped women and girls, and perpetrated other forms of brutalities.@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
@NPRCZim
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: Contrary to the government’s narrative that the deployments of Fifth Brigade and its co-perpetrators was necessitated by the “dissidents menace”, in reality the targets were civilians, including men, women and children.

@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: The government mobilised the biggest propaganda and cover-up exercise in the history of the country targeting Zimbabweans in other provinces and the international community.
@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
@NPRCZim
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: Zimbabweans and the entire world were misled into believing that the country was facing a huge rebellion in Matabeleland. ZAPU and ex-ZIPRA combatants were framed as security threats without any evidence.

@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
@crisiscoalition
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: To cover up atrocities, only the state media was allowed into the killing fields. Private local and international were barred. As a result, there was a complete media blackout.

@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
@crisiscoalition
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: The only true information that came out was from part of the church, fleeing survivors and some very brave local and international reporters who risked their lives to save lives through the media.

@Gukurahundizim
@NPRCZim
@crisiscoalition
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: For its part the state-media hyped on dissidents and whenever it referred to killings by security forces they were downplayed as crossfire incidents.

@Gukurahundizim
@NPRCZim
@crisiscoalition
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: Besides the mass killings and other crimes that took place, the Gukurahundi genocide had immense consequences on the lives of people in Matabeleland and Midlands.

@Gukurahundizim
@NPRCZim
@crisiscoalition
@HealZim
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: In so doing, besides indiscriminately targeting civilians in general, the genocide also eliminated the leadership of society, took away breadwinners of families and crippled the economic potential of the region.

@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
#Asakhe

#Gukurahundi @39: The state of schools, education, roads, hospitals, and the economy in general in Matabeleland in particular today is a direct and indirect result of the Gukurahundi genocide.
@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
#Asakhe
@crisiscoalition

#Gukurahundi @39: As such, while the mass killing through the security forces ended in the late 1980s, the effects of the genocide across the board have lingered on with devastating impact on Matabeleland and Midlands.

@Gukurahundizim
@HealZim
@crisiscoalition
#Asakhe