Marching… and gyrating for Human Rights
Posted by ZDN on December 11, 2009
Harare, Thursday 10 December 2009
Today is International Human Rights Day. ZIMRIGHTS organised a peaceful demo starting at 10am. I was so excited last night to be part of a big (not knowing how big!?) “legal” demo that I got out an old white t-shirt and using a whole bottle of nail varnish decorated my t- shirt front and back. My friend dropped me off outside ZIMRIGHTS and there were literally thousands of people all wearing human rights t-shirts and carrying professionally done placards. I was incidentally the only pale face in the crowd, but what an awesome reception. A few bottom waggles and the scene was set!
The Police officers in the escort car (yes the demo was Police escorted, also ambulances) were professional – there was just no aggression anywhere. ZIMRIGHTS’ organisation was brilliant – everyone was controlled, although very excited! I have to admit that I am not good at being in big crowds, courtesy of Zanu-PF’s treatment the past 11 years, but today was very very special. Half way to our destination, Unity Square in the city centre, I was ululating, gyrating and just loving a dash of freedom of expression, when one lady came and took my right hand and a guy took my left hand, telling me that “we” were together for the duration, and that they would stay with me on the march, so sweet.. How Zimbabwean.
The Police water cannons were posted around, but if they had entered into the spirit of the day they would have come and gently sprayed water over 4000 plus hot and sweaty bodies. But that is apparently not written into Police Standing Orders!!??
A stage had been set up in Unity Square, loud speaker systems in place and then all the leaders of civic society gave a one minute spiel. It is beyond my literary limits to describe the energy of the people there today, the feelings, the camaraderie. I was standing in the sun listening to the speeches when one lady sidled up to me and shaded me with her umbrella. Not a word. She was just there.
The second demo was with Zim Lawyers for Human Rights, quite a few of whom have defended all of our family at some stage or another in the past 11 years. It was a privilege to march with them. They started from the High Court, (t-shirts and umbrellas commemorating Human Rights day were given to participants) and off we all went led by a Scottish Pipe Band! Our Minister of Injustice did not appear to accept the Petition (not actually sure who did take it?) and thereafter the small but awesome band of lawyers for human rights marched through town to the park behind Monomatapa Hotel where a little ceremony was held around the “Human Rights Tree”.
Yesterday I found a little bird fallen from a nest. It was doing so well with me feeding it grasshopper pieces and worms, but when I got home this afternoon it died. I think that God sends me messages in different forms, because watching it die just released an unstoppable flood of tears! The seven soldiers who died from torture two weeks ago, the hundreds of wonderful people who have been tortured and killed over the past ten years (not forgetting Gukuruhundi), how many are still missing “presumed dead” from last year’s state sponsored and perpetrated violence ……….. and I am still crying!!!!!
The point I am making is that in my humble opinion, we as Zimbabweans have had to hold back so much anger, so many emotions, so much pain and betrayal, and have just had to keep going (like a hamster on a wheel, because if you got off, you would never get back on again) and all it takes is a window of freedom of expression (Police being professional instead of beating sh** out of you) – that it’s no wonder, emotions overcome one! Today (despite the tears now!) has given me more hope than i have had in a long time.
Zimbabwe is worth it!!!!
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