Let the truth come out
From The Zimbabwean – Wednesday, 08 April 2009
Prison Inmate The SABC film on the horrendous conditions inside Zimbabwean prisons has shocked the world. These grim pictures of skeletal human beings will do nothing to improve the battered image of Zimbabwe as a centre of the most appalling human rights abuses under the Mugabe regime. To make matters worse, senior government officials have discredited themselves – and the government they purport to serve – by denying the reports.
It must be noted that there are two different issues here – these men, Patrick Chinamasa and Paradzai Zimondi, are not just in a state of denial – they are lying. Let’s not beat around the bush here.
If the SABC film was taken in some other African jail, as Chinamasa claims, why have three prison officers, Thabiso Nyathi, Siyai Muchechedzi and Thembinkosi Nkomo, been arrested by Prisons internal security and detained – accused of assisting the SABC in the making of the shocking documentary? Two of these officers are from Beitbridge Prison and one from Bulawayo. They are to be charged under the Official Secrets Act.
What is needed right now is for the ministry of justice and the prison authorities to invite the Red Cross, journalists and human rights observers to tour the country’s prisons to see for themselves what the true position is. We understand 20 people are dying every day in our country’s 55 prisons. For as long as the government maintains a blanket of secrecy and deception, the world will choose to believe the SABC film
What is more, the relatives of prisoners visit these prisons and see the state in which their loved ones are being held. Many Zimbabweans have been incarcerated in these prisons, some of whom are MDC members now sitting in Parliament. They have had first-hand experience of Zimbabwean jails. Why are they not speaking out now? Surely they have come to positions of authority for such a time as this?
Their silence is disturbing.
We commend SABC for this excellent piece of journalism. The truth must be told, no mater how unpalatable. Only when it is will we begin to regain the respect and assistance of the international community.
