The Standard (Zimbabwe)

Fifth Brigade was not trained by Russia

- Thomas Ngwenya, ex-Zipra cadre and retired ZNA colonel

The

claim that the Fifth Brigade soldiers deployed in Matabelela­nd and Midlands provinces by late former president Robert Mugabe’s government during Gukurahund­i was trained by Russia is false and a clear distortion of history.

I am responding to the story in which the United African National Council (UANC) leader Gwinyai Muzorewa Muzorewa, young brother to the late Abel Muzorewa, who had a short stint as the country’s leader before independen­ce in 1979, called for closure of the Gukurahund­i chapter in order for healing, reconcilia­tion and unity to take root in the country. (The story was published by

NewsDay on March 7, 2021). However, it was claimed in the story that Gukurahund­i atrocities saw more than 20 000 civilians being killed in cold blood by the Russian-trained Fifth Brigade forces in Matabelela­nd and Midlands provinces between 1982 and 1987.

This is misinforma­tion of the young people who are not aware of the Gukurahund­i history.

If people do not know history they must shut up and stop distorting it. It is a lie that the 5th Brigade was trained by Russia, the fact is that it was trained by North Korea. Children must be told the correct history.

If one says Gukurahund­i was trained by Russia, where did he get that from?

Why is he distorting facts? I am replying to this as an ex-combatant, who was affected by this issue and I have very correct informatio­n about it.

Why is the Gukurahund­i treated exceptiona­lly to other atrocities that happened in other countries where perpetrato­rs have been brought to book and charged under the Internatio­nal Criminal Court (ICC)?

Some of the people who committed the atrocities in Zimbabwe are dead while some are still alive and it was proper for them to answer charges on the killings.

What is it that stops ICC from bringing the offenders to book?

Who should tell the ICC about this issue so that a warrant of arrest is issued to Interpol for the offenders to be taken to the ICC?

If one kills a person, that offender must be arrested and taken to court and this must happen in the case of Gukurahund­i.

UANC, that governed the country during the transition­al period in 1979 under the leadership of the late clergyman Bishop Abel Muzorewa, believes that healing can close the Gukurahund­i chapter.

The UANC said it will do everything possible to work with the regional community to listen to what would be more consoling for them.

Muzorewa said it was sad that lives lost in the atrocities could never be restored, but there was a need to restore material things that were lost by the victims.

At independen­ce I was the Zipra chief of logistics when I was integrated into the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and there are many questions, which people pose about the hero status in Zimbabwe which need answers.

I worked at KGVI army headquarte­rs from the time I was integrated into service until his retirement in 1990.

I know everything about the Gukurahund­i issue because I was one of the targets and those who do not know anything must not talk about it as if they know.

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