- Dear Family and Friends,
-
- I apologise in advance for a longer than normal letter
and hope you read to the end.
-
- I sat on a hard bench in the Harare High Court one morning
this week with two of the five farmers who were abducted at gun point
from a Zimbabwean police station and tortured in April 2000 just two months
after our government lost a constitutional referendum and the political
madness began here. There were not many people in the room aside
from prison and court officials, an interpreter, 4 witnesses, one of the
accused and a couple of journalists who had all come to hear of the circumstances
which led to the horrific murder of commercial farmer David Stevens. I
could not help but look back into my childhood memories as we waited
for the judge to come in. My father had worked in this High Court,
had been called to the Bar here and somewhere there is a photograph of
him, gowned and wigged, standing proudly in the courtyard of these same
buildings. I could not stop myself from thinking that my Dad
would be turning in his grave if he could see the place now. Everywhere
there is unbelievable filth. The white walls are covered with the grimy
tide marks of people's heads and hands, there is nowhere for people to
sit before they go into court, except on the floor. The windows, doors
and ledges are coated in thick, brown dust. The tar which covers the
upper walkways is melting and bubbling up in great shiny blobs. Finding
a toilet was nearly impossible and the longed for mouthful of water was
never realised.
-
- The red robed and grey wigged Judge arrived and
sat with 2 Judge Assesors and he, like the rest of us, struggled to hear
the proceedings as for some reason the microphones had not been switched
on. In a little over an hour it was all over. Neither the Prosecutor nor
the Defence were ready to proceed with the case even though David Stevens
was murdered 31 months ago. The Judge released the accused man on Z$5000
bail and postponed the case for another 5 months. There are now two trials
involving this murder that have been started and postponed and we
wonder if justice will ever be done and why, nearly 3 years later,
there is this apparent attempt to show that law and order does still exist
in Zimbabwe. David Stevens is just one of well over 200 people
who have been murdered in political violence in Zimbabwe in the last 33
months and this is the only case which has got to court so far .
-
- While justice for 200 political murders may never
be seen in Zimbabwe under the present government I am humbled
to know that I've had a part in exposing some of the horrors of the last
3 years. I am delighted to be able to tell you that my new book is now
in print. It is called "Beyond Tears" and has this week
been released in South Africa. The true story of what really happened to
David Stevens and the farmers who tried to save him is told in Beyond
Tears. Also dozens of other eye witness accounts of gang rape, beating,
torture and the obscenities that have become a part of every day life for
us all here. It's not a political science book and doesn't try and
give an insight into anyone's minds, it is simply the story of living
in a country which is falling apart. "Beyond Tears" and a reprint
of "African Tears" (with a new cover) were launched without
me as I know that it is a very dangerous road that I travel in exposing
the cold but truthful fact that the crisis here is neither about land
nor race but about a political party determined to stay in power. I am
worried about repercussions but just do what I always do when I'm scared
which is to clean windows and take one day at a time !
-
- As I did 18 months ago, I would humbly ask all the
people who read this letter and have followed our horrors to help me spread
the word about my two books. Now, perhaps more than ever before, we need
the world to hear just exactly what has been happening here. If you
know of people who may be interested in reading the books please let
me know. If you have email addresses of book shops who may be prepared
to stock my books please contact me. I can't go on book tours and signing
ceremonies, am keeping a low profile and praying for my safety and
that of a very brave Zimbabwean journalist Bill Saidi who has written
the most powerful Foreword for "Beyond Tears".
-
- Bill and I both believe these stories must be told -
particularly to politicians, journalists and diplomats and particularly
in African countries where this could so easily happen when leaders just
won't relinquish power. Both books can be ordered right now from my
website (detailed below), also from <http://www.kalahari.net>www.kalahari.net
and hopefully within the next week from amazon.com too.
-
- If you would like to help in spreading the word about
my new book please email me at <mailto:cbuckle@zol.co.zw>cbuckle@zol.co.zw .
I asked this same thing 18 months ago and received over 4000 emails
in the first week so I know you can help me to get this message far and
wide and perhaps this time round, with a reputable publisher behind
me, we can get the world to listen to our desperate calls for help.
-
- With thanks and love, cathy.
-
- http://africantears.netfirms.com
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