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Art Exhibit Showcases Zimbabwe’s Grisly Past
January 24, 2011
By: Randi Zung | Printer Friendly

Following a long struggle to gain sovereignty from white minority rule, throughout most of the 1980s, the Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe was the stage of a violent civilian massacre.  The Gukurahundi massacres (1980-1988) – which were officially classified as a genocide in September 2010 by the internationally recognized group Genocide Watch – claimed the lives of tens of thousands of innocent Zimbabwean civilians who were tortured and killed by soldiers that acted under the direction of then-Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. 

In an effort to force the people of the Matabeleland region to pledge their allegiance to his Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) party, Mugabe sent a special military operation – known as the Fifth Brigade – to crush regional leader Joshua Nkomo and his Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) party.  The Gukurahundi massacres came to an end in December 1987 following the signing of the Unity Accord by Mugabe and Nkomo.  The accord led to the establishment of the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party, with Mugabe as party leader.  By June 1988, Mugabe had pardoned all dissidents and members of security forces that had participated in the Gukurahundi massacres. 

Just over two decades after the end of the Gukurahundi massacres, an art exhibit at the National Gallery in the city of Bulawayo has reopened old wounds for both survivors of the genocide and the government, which is now actively censoring the exhibit and its artist Owen Maseko.  In a January 23 article, the New York Times reported that the exhibit, which displays graphic depictions of the violent events in the Matabeleland region, had been banned by the ZANU-PF.  Despite the government’s efforts to censor the exhibit, historian Pathisa Nyathi stated, “You can suppress art exhibits, plays and books, but you cannot remove the Gukurahundi from people’s hearts.”  Maseko – who is currently free on bail – faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted for the charges of insulting the president and spreading falsehoods about the state.

The renewed attention to the Gukurahundi massacres precedes the country’s May 2011 parliamentary election, in which political analysts predict that many Zimbabweans want to vote against Mugabe.  When asked to comment on Mugabe’s role in the Gukurahundi massacres, press secretary George Charamba said that Mugabe refused to apologize for the genocide and called it “a moment of madness,” the New York Times reported. 

The opening of the exhibit comes at a time of renewed political crisis in the country.  Following Zimbabwe’s 2008 presidential election where Mugabe lost – but refused to cede power – a power-sharing agreement was established.  The Global Political Agreement, which was intended to give both Mugabe and his presidential challenger Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai equal control over the country’s government, faltered in February 2010.  According to AFP, Mugabe stated that the power-sharing government was not meant to be permanent and has claimed that he has a constitutional right as president to dissolve the country’s parliament and hold new elections.

Mugabe, who became president in 1997, has ruled Zimbabwe for the last 30 years and has been repeatedly criticized by the international community for his authoritarian governing practices and Zimbabwe’s deplorable human rights record.

For previous news on Zimbabwe, please see:
SADC Leaders Discuss Zimbabwe’s Political Standstill

Sources:
AllAfrica - Gukurahundi Finally Classified As Genocide By Leading Experts

Sokwanele - Gukurahundi in Zimbabwe

New York Times - Art Exhibit Stirs Up the Ghosts of Zimbabwe’s Past

AFP - Mugabe to push for elections despite deadlock