Gukurahundi Graves are “War Crime Sites”
Bulawayo – The mass graves of those who perished in the Gukurahundi genocide 25 years ago constitute forensic crime sites and should not be disturbed until medical experts are on hand to assemble evidence that may be used in trials. The call was made yesterday by the Matabeleland Freedom Party (MFP) which has long described the murders as genocide. From 1983 to 1987, shock troops of the Fifth Brigade, answerable directly to Robert Mugabe, murdered between 20,000 and 40,000 men women and children in Matabeleland. The soldiers were led by Perence Shire who currently heads the Zimbabwe Air Force. Moves are now afoot to officially classify the massacre as genocide. Speaking by phone from Bulawayo, MFP spokesman, David Magagula, told ZWNEWS that his party was in touch with crime scene investigators from Bosnia and hoped to win funding so that a forensic sweep could me made of the affected sites. “When these graves are opened, experts must be there to detail the crime scene,” he said. “They must take DNA from bones so we can identify victims, and to sift and assemble evidence that may be used in war-crime trials.”
Similar work in identifying remains and cause of death is underway in Bosnia, East Timor and Cambodia. Mr Magagula said that there was widespread support in Matabeleland for a program of justice and what he called ”true healing” over Gukurahundi. “We cannot forgive the perpetrators when we have not been told who to forgive or what crimes we are supposed to pardon,” he said. “There must be a full and open investigation, and part of this will come from forensic evidence at the murder sites,” he said. The Matabeleland Freedom Party manifesto includes demands for a referendum on greater autonomy for the southern regions of Zimbabwe. But Mr. Magagula said that delays in delivering justice were “hardening the minds of our people. Everywhere in Matabeleland today there are calls for complete independence from Zimbabwe,” he said. “This move will only grow louder and more radical if there is no effort to address the genocide and place the accused on trial.”
Posted by Dave Fish Eagle
on July 19, 2009. Filed under Local News,Main Headline.
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