Racism against white Zimbabweans reach shocking levels
Monday, 20 September 2010 11:55 Editor
HARARE -Racism against white people in Zimbabwe has reached shocking levels
particularly in the capital Harare, The Zim Diaspora can reveal.
According to reports reaching London, droves of white people were chased
away from participating in the constitutional outreach programme in Harare
at the weekend, in which violence and confusion marred the process.
In Mount Pleasant, white families were subjected to a torrent of abuse by
suspected Zanu PF supporters who later drove them away shouting racial
slurs.
“If this process is to genuinely gather the views of people, then what has
happened here is a farce. This is not acceptable. Are you saying whites are
not part of Zimbabwe,” asked one white man who had been turned away after
verbal abuse.
Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (Copac) co-chairperson Paul Mangwana
deplored the incident, which he said was regrettable.
“This is the people’s constitution, not a party’s constitution. People
should not fight and resort to violence because of partisanship. These
parties are like clothes that you change because of weather, you can change
them anytime, ” he said.
There were reports of similar incidents in Graniteside.
In Dzivarasekwa Ward 39, irate residents were angered by the no show of
COPAC teams.
The committee had initially scheduled the outreach programme for Saturday
but later changed it to Sunday before moving it to Monday.
“How can you say Monday when you know that the majority of us will be at
work? You want to bring people from other wards to come and act on our
behalf and air views which are different from ours,” said Taurai Chuma from
Dzivarasekwa 3.
Violence and ill tempers rocked the commencement of the outreach programme
in Harare and Bulawayo.
In Mbare, five officials from the main faction of the MDC were seriously
injured and scores arrested when rampaging Zanu PF supporters invaded Mai
Musodzi Hall.
The incident came barely a day after the commencement of the outreach
programme in Harare was overshadowed by intimidation and sporadic scenes of
violence in and around the capital.
In Bulawayo, tempers flared after some tribal jibes which almost degenerated
into chaos. Additional reporting by Daily News