Robert Mugabe has reportedly blamed Zimbabwe's current problems on historical influences, in a meeting Wednesday with the visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.
The UN Human Rights chief met with Mugabe at his state house offices and told reporters the ZANU PF leader had admitted the country currently faces problems. But he blamed historical influences for the ongoing political and economic crisis .
Pillay was invited by government for a week-long mission to assess the human rights situation in the country. She had already met with civil society groups and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvngirai on Tuesday.
Mugabe's explanation follows total denial by Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who told Navi Pillay on Monday that there was no state-sponsored violence in the Zimbabwe. The Mugabe regime has tried to paint a rosy picture of the situation in the country, ahead of elections expected in the coming year.
Thabani Nyoni, spokesperson for the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, described Mugabe's explanation as a "desperate act" from the leader of a party that has found itself cornered. Nyoni told SW Radio Africa that Mugabe and ZANU PF have had 30 years since independence to re-define
Pillay is quite aware of the human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, as she was once part of the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights, which made recommendations to improve the situation in Zimbabwe, that were rejected by the regime.
"It's clerar she is aware. We presented to her concrete and comprehensive evidence of cases of human rights violations that have taken place since independence," Nyoni explained. He said the visit the UN rights chief is important because it brings the issues of rightsd violations into the spotlight and focuses global attention on Zimbabwe.
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Investigations into massacres of people committed by a previous leadership in a country are initiated by a concerned ruling government body. Why then has Robert Mugabe not done so in the 32 years of his crapping if such brutality was metered to Zimbabweans at the scale that you describe? If you are going to weep, then weep about those massacres committed by Robert Mugabe as well instead of trying to exonerate this murderer. In fact I shall answer my own question as to why mugabe has never looked into the brutality that you speak about. Well, how could he? He has committed such crimes of brutality and murders himself.
Of course he has. "The assasination of Zimbabwe by the Coward Robert Mugabe" would make a good movie i Think.
Thabani_Nyoni;
It is interesting to note that in your stupid of stupid minds, you only see violence that happened after independence. As far as you are concerned, there was no violence before independence or if it was there then it should be swept under the carpet because those who are guilt of those heinous crimes are the ones filling your back pocket with filthy lucre.
Violence is violence, it does not matter who perpetrate it, and so it should FULL be investigated if you are for that. Personally, I will go along with ANYONE who advocates for an investigation that goes as far back as we can remember. Which means even those who raided Shonaland villages for food, slaves and women should be made to account for their actions post-humorously.
The idea is not to put anyone in jail or met out any form of punishment, but to learn, from the study, what happened so that we are able to guard against a repeat.
The reason why you are only talking about minor and isolated incidences that occurred "after independence" is because you are afraid to anger your masters, the likes of Roy Bennett, David Coltart, Eddie Cross and many others still living, who may also, as a direct result of the investigations, be incarcerated for the horrendous, heinous, satanic, diabolic and barbaric crimes they racially committed on the indigenous black people of this country.
Mind you, 1979 is not too far to go back to and thoroughly investigate what happened because imperialists around the world are currently investigating and incarcerating Nazis for crimes committed during the Second European War - 67 years ago. Therefore, anyone, it does not matter who - it could be you, Navi Pillay or any other person for that matter - who advocates for SELECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS, therefore, SELECTIVE JUSTICE, shall not enjoy my support and I am sure I speak for many Zimbabweans - the majority actually.
The moment you advocate for a wholesome; complete and total approach to understanding this issue (violence, be it political or otherwise) and ensure that it does not happen again; I will support and cooperate with you fully.
Why are you afraid of investigating Boers who murdered, literally slaughtering our forefathers and ourselves, not so long ago? Some of our people were killed by hanging, some by beheading, some were bombed using napalm bombs and yet others by being thrown into disused mine shafts or into drums full of sulphuric acid, alive.
Let's know what happened, who did it and how it was done and where!! That way we will, in the same vein, also be able to know what happened to one of our great leaders, Edison Sithole, whose remains have still not been found – 32 years after independence.
@kjrs120 May 25 2012, 01:58
Ever the lying jerk, aren't you? If President Mugabe is that great murderer that you claim, why has he let people like Coltart and Cross continue to live in Zimbabwe? Why are some white farmers still there? Explain that, LSS!
djoser35 you are not ignorant of Gukurahundi. Any government not involved in such massacres of his citizens would have been outraged appalled and had the 5th Brigade answerable for those atrocities. There has never been one peep from the president so how can you or anyone expect him to point a finger at anyone else involved in brutalities - and say what to them?
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