Where is Jestina? Return the abductees
Six days after Jestina Mukoko was abducted from her home, she is still missing. This morning, two of her colleagues were also abducted from the ZPP’s Harare offices. Just days before her abduction, in remarks to the Women’s Coalition to mark the 16 Days of Activism, Jestina discussed the horrors experienced by many Zimbabwean women during political violence this year.
We got this email recently from Tonderai X – who took the photograph of Jestina Mukoko we put on our blog last week.
To: Government of Zimbabwe
Heads of SADC
Those who think they are menNot-So-Dear-Anymore Sirs
As a son of Zimbabwe, I am appalled that one of my mothers, Jestina Mukoko, was taken from her house without her permission.
She was almost naked and is a woman who is in need of medical care on a regular basis.
The cowards who took her had to come as a mob – as did the soldiers for Jesus. Her little child watched in horror as this happened to her. My question to you men of the government and of SADC is this: Are there no real men among you? Will not one stand up for Jestina and other abducted Zimbabweans? Will not a single one of you say that enough is enough?
Martin Luther once said: “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” That silence from our “friends” is painful. Too too painful to bear.
I am a son of Zimbabwe. Will you please free my mother.
Tonderai X
Wednesday, December 10th 2008 at 2:36 pm
But the question is what can Zimbabwean citizenry and activists do in a state that is rogue, that at best condones the abductions and at worst is at the centre of these heinous acts. We need to be creative and innovative and be security conscious. We have to acknowledge and name what is going on. What is going on is that ZANU PF and the illegitimate regime has declared war on the people of Zimbabwe.
Is it not time we have SDUs, –Self Defense Units, SCs, –Street Committees- that protect Human Rights Defenders in their neighbourhoods? Must we not have Lawyers for Human Rights, or Zimbabwe Liberators Platform or any other progressive social movements that has vast experience in these security matters run very practical workshops where tips on what those of us who are Human Rights Defenders and activists can do to minimise abductions? Can we not set up a Protection Fund that will pay hundreds and thousands of US dollars –a kind of Tips Anonymous- to these CIO, Military Intelligence ( which is a contradiction in terms, can you ever have an intelligent military?), and the Police Internal Services thugs so that they actual inform on the authorities. Yes the donors especially the likes of USAID, DFID, CIDA, SIDA and many otherwise whose rhetoric never matches their practical actions be useful for once by giving the money for this fund. Can we not get activists have tracking devices on them that we can trace via satellite or by other technological means, so that we can name and shame where they are easily? Can we not have discreet closed circuits cameras at the homes and working places of activists and human rights defenders, so that we beam world wide on CNN, SKY News, BBC perhaps SABC (if it has the guts) these abductions “live” and begin to trace those responsible
We cannot continue to lose the best of these brave comrades and at the same time throw our hopes in state institutions that are discredited and scared to play their expected role. Note Lawyers for Jestina Mukoko could not initially find a High Court judge willing to hear the case! In the light of such circumstances, we have to take the law into our own hands but within a non-violent approach that will expose those behind the abductions. We have to mount a publicity campaign that turns the “disappeared” into heroes and have them in the face of the authorities such that abductions become unfashionable. Yes, some will say that ZANU PF is beyond caring and immune to bad publicity. But we need to high profile those who have disappeared. The case of Jestina Mukoko is a starting point.
Lets us have pictures of all printed as huge posters, let us have posters, bill boards, spray paint Dura walls, graffiti, leaflets, strewn all over the urban and rural areas saying “Free Jestina Mukoko” and any others. Let us have vigils that turn into mass rallies in churches, let us commemorate on a weekly basis the anniversary of their disappearances. We have to take huge adverts in local and regional papers listing those who have disappeared and challenge people like the Elders to sign the adverts. Let us get the MDC members of Parliament in whose constituencies where those who have disappeared live and get them to set down Parliamentary questions. Lets have Parliamentary debates on each individual who has disappeared in Parliament on a weekly basis; this has to be done repeatedly. The MDC has the Speaker and we need to pressure them to influence what is to be debated in Parliament. After all the majority of the abducted are from the MDC. The bottom line is that we must refuse to have these people as the disappeared. Let us float balloons with the face of the disappearances at the ZANU PF congress or a stadium that is full when Highlanders play Dynamos or some big event. They may be abducted but we must make them visible at each and every turn.
Some of these actions will be dangerous but these acts are no more what Jestina Mukoko, Gandhi Mudzingwa, Baba VaSarudzayi and the many disappearances did. It will need money and commitment. Remember the Mothers of the Plaza De Mayo- in Argentina- they kept a weekly vigil on Thursdays for three decades and up until today, those who were responsible are facing the music, simply because they would allow their beloved ones to just disappear like mist and melt into oblivion.
These are just ideas. We must debate these, I may be wrong. However, I think we can protect those of us and be very practical. Someone needs to convene us and get this on a very practical footing.
Can we do it? Yes, We Can.