Torture victims thank Australia for its stand against Mugabe

By Tichaona Sibanda
23 October 2007

A group of torture victims have written a letter to the Australian government, paying tribute to their ‘unequivocal show of support for humanity’ and the concrete action the country has taken against the Mugabe regime.

The Johannesburg-based Zimbabwe Political Victims Group, which comprises victims of torture at the hands of state security agents, thanked the Australian government for publicly speaking out against Robert Mugabe.

The majority of the members in the group still bear scars after being severely wounded due to their brutal torture in police cells. They are all now safe in South Africa having been granted refugee status.

Spokesman for the victims, Remember Moyo, told Newsreel from Johannesburg on Tuesday that his group commended the Australians for cancelling the visas of senior Zanu-PF party members’ children who were attending universities in that country.

‘These children have to experience the poor service delivery, poor health delivery, electricity power cuts, and all other well-documented examples of poor governance by Mugabe and their fathers,’ Moyo said.

According to the group, the Australian deputy Ambassador at the Pretoria Embassy gladly accepted the letter. It was also copied to Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Apart from cancelling the students’ visas, the Australian government banned its cricket team from undertaking a tour of Zimbabwe in November.

‘We urge the Australian government and all other pro-democracy groups to continue standing in solidarity with those who have been oppressed. We take comfort in the actions taken by the Australians and it gives us hope that what we are fighting for will be achieved sooner rather than later,’ added Moyo.

Moyo said his group is also appalled by the escalating government-instigated violence targeting all forms of opposition in Zimbabwe.