Mass graves found at a Police traning centre

Byo

Langa sibanda

POLICE say they have uncovered mass graves at one of their training centers previously used for national youth service.

The disclosure was made to Matabeleland North governor Thokozile Mathuthu by police chiefs while she was attending a pass-out parade at the Ntabazinduna Police Training Depot, 32km north east of Bulawayo, on Thursday.

Superintendent Ben Chabata, the second in command at the training centre, asked the governor for resources to help identify who lies in the graves. He did not say when the discovery was made.
Superintendent Chabata said they had identified two mass graves, which they had fenced off, but said police had no idea how many people were buried there. Police also had no means of determining how old the graves were.

“After the discovery of the graves, and in an effort to build relations with the local community, we invited the local chief to come and view the place after we fenced it off,” Sup. Chataba said.
“It is our wish as the Zimbabwe Republic Police to identify who lies in these graves and resources permitting we can put name tags on the graves.”

The ZRP opened the training centre in 2004, taking over the site from the Ministry of Youth Development which was using it as a base for a controversial national youth service programme.
The youth service programme was condemned by opposition parties and human rights groups who accused President Robert Mugabe’s government of brainwashing youths, training them in torture and then unleashing them to brutalise opponents during election campaigns.
Appearing slightly shaken, governor Mathuthu ordered the district administrator, Ennety Sithole, to chair a meeting between the police, traditional leaders and medical experts to work out a programme of exhuming and identifying the remains.

She told Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri: “I am very grateful to you and your local commanders for fencing these graves off, and providing shade. That shows an appreciation for our culture and respect for the dead.”
The Matabeleland region has hundreds of mass graves from the post-independence military crackdown by President Robert Mugabe, ostensibly to flush out a dozen armed dissident supporters of ZAPU leader, Joshua Nkomo.

Human rights groups say a special army unit called the 5 Brigade, trained by North Korea and reporting directly to Mugabe, indiscriminately killed civilians between 1983 and 1987, leaving more than 20,000 people dead and thousands more wounded or displaced.

This story was extracted from Newzimbabwe.com.

Is "Africa under the shadow demonic influence" updated version

The strong spiritual influence among those of African descent is undeniable. This is without regard to religious or cultural boundaries. In many African villages one will not fail to come across some sacred worship shrines. I am not an expert in spiritual matters, and  I am not therefore in any way judging these sacred places of worship. By no means! One ought to acknowledge things as they are. The influence and role of "sangoma and inyangas Or Zionist" witch doctors or spiritual healers in many African kingdoms has been evident for generations.

Nobody really need to prove the influence that organized faith sects in many Southern African societies today. Locally and international faith evangelist have shuttered records, filling stadiums everywhere within the continent. Whichever spiritual group one may belong to, there is clear evidence that we African descendants have deep roots into the unseen world. Nowhere in this article do I belittle, blasphemy or disrespect any religious and spiritual organization (sect) group of any kind, in any way or form.

How then does "the  demonic influence" come into play? One may ask! In all these groups there are some form of casting out demons at least. So the mentality of demons or evil spirit is not new in Africa. This is not limited or directly linked to witchcraft. Good or bad, our sensitivity to the spiritual realm has left us handicapped. For example, if a relative is sick, or something bad happens the first thing that comes to mind is a witch doctor "inyanga or umporofethi emazayonini kumbe amapostoli". This mentality is rather limiting. One would think it would be easier to consult a medical practitioner. I am not  saying that all traditional medicine does not work. I know for sure that there is some that work.

 To them, all sickness is some form of evil spirit. Don' get me wrong, prayer has its own place. And God is able to heal all sickness, if he so chooses to. That  much I know. They right in principle, but wrong in operation. Its just that we have to put everything into its perspective, and beside God uses medical doctors too.

I have been in this country a little less than ten years now. I have never seen any preachers casting out demons. As matter of fact they do not even think that demons exist in this part of the world. Not even those preachers that are known for casting out demons back home in Africa. Here they do not lift a finger against them. In Africa we tend to see everything in spiritual terms. Over here, preachers like everybody else have specialist doctors they go to for check ups. Back home its unheard of that preacher has a doctor, all is left for divine power. "Its like the man of God has no faith" is he goes to the hospital. To say we expect a lot from the supernatural is an  not an exaggeration.

It could be that our lack of medical advancement is substituted by our desire for the supernatural or rather compliments it. A respected African American mega preacher once said to his black congregation in Atlanta, and I quote, "Some of you are still being followed by demons your fore fathers brought from Africa". When he said that hundreds of black people  responded to the alter call for some "cleansing prayer "The idea that Africa is somehow a cursed place has deep roots overseas, yet we also reinforce it ourselves by further promoting bizarre spiritual activities. It could be that demons manifest themselves in different ways, but I will tell you that there are more quiet and smart demons here than anywhere else in the world. There are serial killers, prostitutes, drug dealers, cold blooded mass murderers, terrorists of all kinds.

Things that are easily dealt with here like malaria, cholera still require miracles back home. In fact most people in developed countries benefit a lot from the use of prescription drugs. On the flip side an average American is always on some kind of drugs, doctor prescribed or not. Nobody makes money like the drugs and pharmaceutical companies. Hospitals, and insurance companies are big business here. They even control media institutions.

There is absolutely no mention of the spiritual world at all. Let alone the demons, and evil spirits. Except on movies, and children story books. Nobody here prays for rain, yet nobody starves. No sacrifices and no rain making ceremonies. In fact there not many sacred worship shrines. In most of our cultures we burns incense, "Ukuthunqisela"get cleansed for evil omen. "Ukugeza umnyama" some kind of exorcising demons or evil spirits. Ukulahliswa. Growing up in the city, one would see a lot of coins and treated water on the crossroads especially in the mornings. Evil spirits are believed to hinder one from many good things in life. In my culture, if things are not going well it is said that "ulomnyama"This applies even in marriage. Seers, and traditional healer use the term. "Ngibona ithunzi elimnyama" I see a dark cloud!

Our quest for the spiritual world has further plunged into thick demonic consciousness mentality. Some greed and preying American Evangelists have taken advantage of that.  A friend  who had left Zimbabwe many years before, when she came back, she concluded that American evangelism is the new form of colonialism. We are a fertile ground for any spiritual experiment and exorcism in as much as we one when it comes to  medical experiments treatments.  Its like being off the pan and directly on fire! Whichever way are going to burn!

No fine line between ancestral spirits and Christianity

 I did a survey just to find out if there was a middle ground between (Amadlozi) ancestral spirits and Christianity. This is what I got from my correspondents and friends on f/b.

Sikhumbuzo Dladla said:

Amadlozi yimimoya kasatani Mandla many tyms when they apear to us they claim to b protecting us 2b our forefathers giving us inotho and all gud thngs. Thina abansundu we classify them sithi kulelobuthakathi lelokwelapha elemali, inhlanhla, and so on, but they all demons. Amanye they were asigned by the devil to look after umdeni lowo lalowo. Let me say ther are familia spirits, nxa lifika emuntwi...ni wakini lizakhuluma njengokhokho wakhe kanye so that u believe its him. Kulontombazana owayelandelela oPaul in Acts wayeledlozi leNotho (Spirit of devination) lalithi lezizincekuzikaNkulunku... Paul decerned the spirit behind her and walixotsha. Abalandeli balowo ntombazana balwa bathi uxotshidlozi lenotho wena!! A demon is a demon u call it gud or bad it doesnt mater. Hope i am making sense to you Mkhwananzi?

Qobo Mayisa said:
HAH! GAGISA, LELO LIYIMPICABADALA. AKE NGIZAME NGITHI
 idlozi - commonly means ancestral spirit but can also mean an ancestor. Considering that AmaNguni never worshipped their ancestors (ukuthethela/ukugida amadlozi) but acknowledged them in diverse ways. They started ukuthethela as they intergrated cultures especially with the shona/venda/rozvi/karanga
Its also starnge that for the Nguni the dead ancestors were called 'abaphansi' - the living dead. Idlozi therefore means the spirit that has entered a person, or the spirit of an ancestor that has entered a person - what we now call demon possession with a familiar spirit.
 Therefore I can say idlozi is the spirit of a dead person that enters the living and posseses him - but as christians we know its just a demon

Nicholas Sibanda said:
Chief, Unjani? Idlozi/amadlozi are the spirits of the dead in the Ndebele context. There seemed to be little differentiation between the spirits. All the spirits were superior to the human folk, the only way to identify was the manifestation of the spirit - what it did to the person (e.g. idlozi lobuyanga or elokuloya). I think in general its a term that referes to the identity of the now supernatural of the person we used to know.
Now the spiritual world as we know it from scripture is not nuetral as our fathers thought. As such these identities were impersonations of the ancestors as known and remembered by the people. I actual fact, they were demonic spirits.
I know that other people may argue otherwise but the manifestations of the spiritual beings through mediums is characteristic of evil not good (Biblical) spirits. For me those would be the 'days of ignorance that God overlooked'. The manifestation might be desirable, and even 'good' but the source is not godly.
The other challenge for us was that the interface with the spirits was very secretive. Unlike God who 'reveals himself' this power was always in the shadows and never unveiled its nature except a few manifestations.


L Ncube said:
Yebo Gagisa, l can think of 2 meanings, somewhat
related:
1. A spirit or spirit medium ...obabamkhulu ngokwenkolo yesintu. From a christian pespective the most common view is that amadlozi are demonic forces that will pretend to be yo ancester in order to gain acceptance.
2. When l grew up l also heard obabamkhulu bebizana ngokuthi dlozi lami. In that context it means a close relative, usually senoir, that u will go to for help or counsel. I said these r related because from a trditional perspective it does not matter whether that relative is living or late u still pray to them for guidance

Nickson Sibanda said:
I heard this definition on radio today. Idlozi ngumoya wabantu abafayo asebengene kwabaphilayo. In generic context it has been used interchangable with the english "remembrance ceremony'. I have seen it as a two edged word that has to be seen in context, there are those spiritual contexts of invoking the spirit of the dead to guide and devine for you. Like Saul when he went to a prophet and asked him to get message from Samuel who had departed. (1 Samuel) Samuel commuinicates back but is unhappy. The truth is if we believe we will see okhulu ezulwini means we will meet in the afterlife. The question is invoking which afterlife, as other cultures worship and also celebrate the life of their departed.


Raphael Mthombeni said
Ayi angikholwa ukthi amadlozi yi evil spirits. Kudala kwakulabantu ababe lamadlozi ababetwasiswa babe yizangoma benze izinto ezihle belaphe bavikele isizwe. Ukuthi evil spirits ayi kungabe kuyi mordern thinking or nxa kuyisikristu wonke umuntu ole dlozi is evil. Kwavelela emakhiweni ayiwo aletha ivangeli. Babefuna ukuguqhula yonke into yomuntu okunjengsithembo lamadlozi lokunjalo. Angazi kumbe kuyakusiza?

Keith Dube said:
Kunjani? Ukuphendula umbuzo wakho ngizaqala ngokuthi mina ngazi idlozi lingomoya womuntu omdala osewashiya lumhlaba. Lumoya uyavuswa ngeprocess of ukuthethela okwenziwa yizihlobo zalomuntu. Ngamafishane idlozi kumbe amadlozi is a spirit or a collection of spirits that have been awakened by relatives of the dead for the purpose of protecting, guiding or interceding for those still living. Ngingazi kumbe ngiyazwakala, hope it helps?

Ndaba sibanda said.
In my context idlozi. Yimimoya yamadimoni ezi identifier as imimoya yabo khokho.


 Why this subject:
 I tried to diversify my cast so that I could come up with different versions about this issue. Other sources did not reply me, and others are yet to reply me. Somebody also took me back to the process yombuyiso, which is an official way of bringing the dead back home in Ndebele, for those who subscribe and appease (amadlozi) ancestral spirits. I must also say that most people I interviewed were Christians. I personally have always taken the word very generally since we never had an ceremony to honor/or appease the ancestral spirits in my up bringing. I did this survey because I had noticed that the Western influence to Christianity in Africa had long demonized our culture in many ways. I have learnt to honor the truth even if its not the truth that I want.

Mzila not intimidated for speaking out about Gukura

Co-minister in the organ of national healing Moses Mzila-Ndlovu, from the Movement of Democratic Change led by Professor Welshman Ncube, has dared police to arrest him for talking about Gukurahundi, saying he is not "intimidated by hopeless Zanu PF activists masquerading" as law enforcement agents.


Mzila-Ndlovu said he was aware of a plot to arrest him for talking about the 1980's massacre of civilians by the military in the Matabeleland and Midlands regions.

Police spokespersons were unavailable for comment on Mzila-Ndlovu's claims.

But the minister insisted he had uncovered a plot by police to arrest him, in what would be the latest in a string of moves to silence debate on the massacres, most commonly known as Gukurahundi.

An "unsanctioned" meeting hosted by a Victoria Falls based human rights organisation, Uluntu, last week has sparked the talk of Mzila Ndlovu's possible arrest.

Police are said to be planning to swoop on Uluntu leader Dumile Mpofu and Ndlovu for allegedly turning the public meeting into a political gathering by deceiving the law enforcement agents that he was organising a public meeting yet political topics featured on the agenda.

State security agents have previously stifled debate on Gukurahundi, resulting in several politicians, civil society workers, media personnel and the clergy being detained for raising the matter.

Mzila-Ndlovu has previously been arrested for speaking about Gukurahundi.



Together with a Roman Catholic priest, Mzila Ndlovu was arrested and detained by police for holding a memorial service in Lupane for victims of the massacre last year.


Mzila-Ndlovu said Mugabe and his loyalists' attitude towards Gukurahundi made national healing difficult

Kenneth Kaunda hails Zim 's land reform program

 Former Zambian President, Dr Kenneth Kaunda has defended the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe on his stance on the land issue ,saying it was the west who reneged as the Lancaster House Agreement clearly spelt out that the land should be returned ...to the indigenous people.

Speaking at the centenary dinner for invited Heads of State and Government and their representatives at the ongoing ANC centenary celebrations, Dr Kaunda said Cde Mugabe is not to blame for bilateral standoff with Britain as the former coloniser back-tracked on the issue of land.

He said the British Labour Party that came into power in the late nineties disregarded the whole agreement leaving President Mugabe with no choice, but to repossess the land which is the birthright of all Zimbabweans.

Dr Kaunda said the Zanu PF party which is led by President Mugabe cannot be isolated from African politics as the party is a major player in the liberation of most African countries.

He said Africa should emulate Zimbabwe in their black empowerment drive which Cde Mugabe and his party are spearheading.

The former Zambian President however warned the ANC leader, Cde Jacob Zuma against ignoring the wishes of his people on the land issue and ownership of the mines.

He said such critical issues can affect the stability and governance of his country.

One hundred years after the formation of the ANC, most of the country’s resources are in the hands of the minority.

Meanwhile, Cde Zuma is expected to address a gathering at the Free State stadium to mark the birth of the African National Congress.
 
F/b correspondents

Physics to be taught in Ndebele language

 

 

 

Physics in Ndebele

A lecturer in physics at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo has embarked on a ground breaking project to take indigenous languages to a new level of instruction by translating physics texts into Ndebele.

When Dr. Themba Dlodlo obtained his PhD in physics from a Finnish university he realized that Africa needed to adop...t its mother tongues in teaching and using science. “Africa is so far behind in sciences because we are taught in languages that we do not speak at home,” argues Dr. Dlodlo. “It simply means that we cannot internalize science because we view it as an English subject. Unless we translate the concepts into the local languages we will never understand science itself.”

Dr. Dlodlo is currently working on a paper on the problems of translating scientific concepts into users’ the mother tongue. He remarks that colonialists deliberately did not translate science subjects into African languages. “It is funny that when the English came here, they translated the Bible in order for us to be able to understand it, but they did not translate geography and mathematics,” says Dr. Dlodlo. “And the history of our people as we know it from our grandparents was told in Ndebele, so why are we taught history in English?”

"The Ndebele language will no longer lag behind in research unless the people themselves decide not to take advantage of this monumental Ndebele language bank."

According to Dr. Dlodlo, Africa will be unable to generate knowledge as long as there are so very few people who write papers and publish in recognised journals. “We are not saying that people should not learn English or French; we need those languages so we can communicate with the rest of the world,” he says.

 

 Thanks to my F/b correspondents