Zimbabweans worse off as they remember demolitions

By Tererai Karimakwenda
18 May 2006

Today is the first anniversary of the disastrous exercise that the government called Operation Murambatsvina (cleanup filth) in which innocent Zimbabweans, trying to survive by building their own homes and creating businesses for themselves, were deprived of both. These people were neither filthy nor illegal as the authorities claimed. Life in Zimbabwe is much worse today than it was a year ago when the government began bulldozing homes in the Hatfield suburb of Harare. As shocked as the whole world was the demolitions continued to spread throughout the country and nearly one million people were displaced, and that was according to United Nations figures. The government has shown no remorse for its actions and in the last few weeks there are reports that more homeless families were shipped to a deserted farm with no food or shelter.

A year after the destruction, inflation is over 1000% and school fees are beyond reach for most families. Food shortages continue while the government evicts more commercial farmers and there is more oppressive legislation in the pipeline. Under these circumstances the groups organising peaceful marches and other events have insisted they will go ahead despite warnings and threats from the police and state agents.

In The Gambia where the 39th session of The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights is taking place, a government representative told commissioners this week that 3,325 homes were built and distributed to the victims under Operation Garikai. Having displaced nearly a million people the government is clearly admitting that most of them are still suffering. The resolution adopted by The Commission at its session last year, condemning Murambatsvina and other violations by the Zimbabwe government, has still not been adopted by The African Union heads of state.

So in the end Zimbabweans will have to save themselves from the abusive Mugabe regime and find ways to make life better. In that regard, civic society and church groups in the country are touring affected areas to assess the condition of the victims and decide on ways they can alleviate the suffering. This is the best way to commemorate this tragic operation.