Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) statement in solidarity with the families of the Solobela 12.
On 14 October 2021, the National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) and Ibhetshu Likazulu visited Silobela, an agricultural village in Kwekwe District in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe.
The visit was necessitated by the theft and destruction of a Gukurahundi Memorial plaque on 1 September 2021 after it had been unveiled on 30 August 2021 in commemoration of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
The plaque was built in remembrance of the men known as the Silobela 12, who were abducted and disappeared on 31 January 1985.
The NTJWG and lbhetshu Likazulu met with representatives of the families of the Silobela 12 to discuss the theft, what it signifies to them, how they would like to proceed in light of the theft, and their needs.
From those discussions, the following issues arose:
The NTJWG remains committed to working with lbhetshu Likazulu and the people of Silobela to bring healing to their families and community.
To that end, the NTJWG calls upon the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to honour its mandate and engage with victims and survivors and their families of all epochs of violence in Zimbabwe.
This must be done to give victims, survivors, and their families a voice in transitional justice processes so the process can be done in a manner that addresses their needs and expectations.
