From Connemara to Gukurahundi Genocide of the 1980s in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The article addresses new and emerging perspectives on Gukurahundi genocide as remembered by combatants who participated or were close to the violent clashes between former Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) guerrillas at Connemara and how their fighting resulted in a national crisis. The bulk of the literature on this subject so far has concentrated on atrocities committed by 5 Brigade and other government forces in Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces between 1983 and 1987 without elaborating how it all began. This article unearths causes and course of the violence at Connemara, how it was organised and deployment of government security forces to quell it together with how the violence then spread to other barracks. The purpose of the study is to contribute interpretations and debate on this mass killing which today continues to haunt Zimbabwe. Connemara was chosen as a case study because fighting there between former ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrillas went unchecked and finally led to desertions in the army and then the Gukurahundi genocide. The story being told here is unique in the sense that it does not speak to civilian victims of violence but rather to armed men who were involved or at least close to the event. In gathering data, use was also made of secondary sources both published and unpublished. In terms of reconciliation and healing, it is important to take into consideration a multiplicity of voices, which is precisely what this article is doing.

Opsomming

Hierdie artikel bespreek nuwe en opkomende perspektiewe op die Gukurahundi volksmoord, soos onthou deur vegters wat deelgeneem het aan die gewelddadige botsings tussen die voormalige Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) en die Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) guerrillas in Connemara, en hoe die konflik tot 'n nasionale krisis gelei het. Die grootste deel van die literatuur oor hierdie onderwerp tot dusver het gekonsentreer op gruweldade tussen 1983 en 1987 deur 5 Brigade en ander regeringsmagte in die Matabeleland en die Midlands provinsies, sonder om uit te brei hoe dit alles begin het. Hierdie artikel ontbloot die oorsake en verloop van die geweld by Connemara, hoe dit georganiseer is en die ontplooiing van veiligheidsmagte van die regering om dit te onderdruk, asook hoe die geweld na ander barakke versprei het. Die doel van die studie is om by te dra tot interpretasies en debatte oor hierdie massamoord wat vandag steeds in Zimbabwe spook. Connemara is as 'n gevallestudie gekies omdat gevegte tussen voormalige ZANLA en ZIPRA guerrilla's buite beheer was en uiteindelik tot drostery in die weermag gelei het en daarna tot die Gukurahundi volksmoord. Die verhaal wat hier vertel word, is uniek in die sin dat dit nie gaan oor burgerlike slagoffers van geweld nie, maar eerder oor gewapende mans wat betrokke, of ten minste na aan die gebeurtenis, was. Met die insameling van data is ook van gepubliseerde en ongepubliseerde sekondere bronne gebruik gemaak. Wat versoening en genesing betref, is dit belangrik om 'n verskeidenheid van stemme in ag te neem, presies wat hierdie artikel doen.