Gukurahundi in Zimbabwe : a report on the disturbances in Matabeleland and the Midlands, 1980-1988.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe.

Legal Resources Foundation (Zimbabwe)

Standardized Title:

Breaking the silence, building true peace.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Violence--Zimbabwe--Matabeleland North Province.

Violence.

Violence--Zimbabwe--Matabeleland South Province.

Violence--Zimbabwe--Midlands Province.

Matabeleland North Province (Zimbabwe)--Social conditions--20th century.

Matabeleland North Province (Zimbabwe).

Matabeleland South Province (Zimbabwe)--Social conditions--20th century.

Matabeleland South Province (Zimbabwe).

Midlands Province (Zimbabwe)--Social conditions--20th century.

Midlands Province (Zimbabwe).

Zimbabwe--Midlands Province.

Zimbabwe--Matabeleland South Province.

Zimbabwe--Matabeleland North Province.

Physical Description:

xxxii, 440 pages : illustrations, facsimiles, maps ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Columbia University Press, [2008]

Contents:

Role players xxii

Chronicle of events: April 1980 - July 1990 xxv

1 The intentions of this report - an outline 4

2 Timing of the report 9

II Data sources and methodology 11

1 Selection of case study areas 11

2 A summary of data sources 12

3 A discussion of data sources 14

4 Methodology 34

III Historical overview 42

1 The legacy of the 1970s 42

2 South African destabilisation policy 48

3 "The dissident problem" - an overview 50

4 Government action: 1980-1982 65

5 5 Brigade mobilisation - "Gukurahundi" 73

6 Deployment of 5 Brigade - Matabeleland North, 1983 76

7 5 Brigade deployment - Matabeleland South, 1984 90

8 Military rationale for 5 Brigade 93

9 Political impact of 5 Brigade in 1983-1984 95

10 General background of events, 1984-1988 97

Part 2 Findings

I Case study one: Nyamandlovu 137

1 Archival data - The Chronicle 137

2 Data integration - CCJP archives and interviews in 1995-1996 141

3 Summary of 5 Brigade impact in Matabeleland North 142

4 Overview of human rights abuses - Nyamandlovu / Tsholotsho 146

5 The village by village summary - detailing incidents according to time and place 147

5.1 Pumula Mission Area (West Tsholotsho) 148

5.2 South and South Eastern Tsholotsho 165

5.3 Central Tsholotsho 177

5.4 Northern Tsholotsho 189

5.5 Commercial farming area - Southern Nyamandlovu 203

5.6 Eastern Nyamandlovu - forestry and farming 207

6 Summary of Tsholotsho atrocities by region 209

II Case study two: Matobo 213

1 Archival data - The Chronicle 213

2 CCJP archival data, and BLPC interviews in 1995-1996 216

3 Overview of events revealed by data 218

4 Summary of Matobo incidents by region 231

5 The village by village summary 234

5.1 Sun Yet Sen area - Southern Matobo 235

5.2 Central Matobo - Bhalagwe Camp 247

5.3 Northern Matobo - Figtree, Gulati, Khumalo 257

III Results: presentation and discussion of human rights offences on named victims 262

1 Human Rights database - named victims 262

2 The Chronicle database 262

3 Methodology 263

4 Graphs and discussion of results 263

Part 3 Implications of Results

I Organised violence: its implications 304

1 Existing studies on violence in the Zimbabwean setting 305

2 Definitions of organised violence 305

3 Forms of organised violence 306

4 Consequences of organised violence 326

5 Consequences of organised violence for society 331

6 Relevance to Matabeleland and the Midlands 333

II Legal damages 335

2 Zimbabwean law relevant to the report 335

3 Methodology 340

III Human remains - recommendations on possible recovery 360

1 "Dead" and "missing" 360

2 The bearing of perpetrator on body disposal 361

3 Disposal of bodies 362

4 Chances of recovery in each category 362

5 Regional differences in body disposal 365

6 Objectives of exhumation and recovery of human remains 366

7 Forensic anthropology and human rights investigations - a brief history and outline 367

8 Recommendations 369

Part 4 Recommendations

1 National acknowledgment 377

2 Human rights violators 379

3 Legal amendments 379

4 Identification and burial of the remains of missing persons and remains buried in unmarked graves 381

5 Health 382

6 Communal reparation: the "Reconciliation / Uxolelwano Trust" 383

7 Constitutional safeguards 384

8 The future 385

Appendix A Interview forms

A I Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Bulawayo: example of a completed interview form 388

A II Bulawayo Legal Projects Centre: example of a completed missing persons questionnaire 395

A III Bulawayo Legal Projects Centre: example of completed human rights fact sheet 401

A IV BLPC: Human rights media reports: example of a completed media form 407

Appendix B Interview forms

B I Medical record: list of patients admitted to hospital with injuries afflicted by members of the army 410

B II Example of a letter written to CCJP official in 1985 416

Appendix C Findings

C I United Nations Commission on Human Rights: Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances: 15th January 1996 422

C II Notarial deed of trust, Reconciliation/Uxolelwano Trust 431

1 5 Brigade troops arrive in Matabeleland, January 1983 77

2 Victim of a mass beating, February 1983 82

3 Zimbabwean refugees in Botswana, March 1983 95

4 & 5 Homes destroyed by ZANU-PF Youth, Silobela, August 1985 104

6 & 7 Stores destroyed by ZANU-PF Youth, Silobela, August 1985 105

8 Bones excavated from Old Hat Mine No. 2, Silobela, 1992 108

9 Remains of Sweetwater Ranch, Mwenezi, after dissidents shot and burnt 17 people to death 112.

Notes:

First published by The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe and the Legal Resources Foundation as: Breaking the silence : building true peace in Zimbabwe in 1997.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9780231700559

0231700555

OCLC:

184821608