Zimbabwe Guardian
| By Floyd Nkomo
11 November 2010 The vice president of the Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans’ Association, Joseph Chinotimba, yesterday slammed Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart over his claims that there was genocide in Matabeleland. Chinotimba said Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu had merged to form a united Zanu-PF in 1987 and the spirit of reconciliation was being cultivated in Zimbabwe; but the minister was trying to stir up controversy for political gains. He said Coltart was not qualified to talk about human rights in Zimbabwe and asked why Coltart was quiet on the 50 000 “comrades” who were killed by Ian Smith during the Chimurenga war; in Nyadzonia and Chimoio, among other places. The utterances are unacceptable and an insult to our country’s liberation struggle, national reconciliation and the legacy of national independence.” Chinotimba said Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu had merged to form a united Zanu-PF in 1987 and the spirit of reconciliation was being cultivated in Zimbabwe; but the minister was trying to stir up controversy for political gains. He added that a “man like Coltart cannot preach human rights to us, we brought democracy to that country which the whites denied us for very long in our own country.” If Coltart wants to open up old wounds, let him come out in the open,” said Chinotimba. “It is quite preposterous in the extreme for Coltart to preach about human rights violations and post-independence disturbances when taking into cognisance his background as a former member of the brutal and murderous Rhodesian Selous Scouts,” he said. He added: “Coltart owes us and the rest of the nation an apology within seven days. We cannot continue folding our hands and watch former Rhodesians insulting us. “Your utterances have given us second thoughts on those white farmers who are still on our land yet you benefited from the reconciliation policy.” |