Rwanda experienced a genocide in 1994, a genocide in which the majority Hutus nearly exterminated the minority Tutsis. Today Rwandans live in peace all because Paul Kagame managed to find a way to address the genocide and find redress. Today the Rwandans are commemorating the genocide that saw over 80 000 people slaughtered. Again the state president Paul Kagame is seen taking the leading role in the commemoration.
zimbagwe on the other hand is a completely different scenario. Despite having experienced a genocide between 1980 & 1988 zimbagwe still remains at war within herself. The minority 'Ndebele' who were the target of the attrocity are still in mourning over the genocide. The psychological wounds inflicted by gukurahundi are still festering. They remain as fresh as yesterday. The emotions of the minority 'Ndebele' are teeming and continue to do so. In the midst of all this is one central figure : robert mugabe. A man accussed of being the main perpetrator of the genocide, a man who'd go all the way to crush voices of dissent on gukurahundi, a man who doesn't want the gukurahundi survivors to bury their dearly departed in dignity. This has led to deep polarisation of zimbagwe as a state. Why can't robert mugabe pick a leaf out of Paul Kagame's book. Kagame, just like him (mugabe) was also fingered in Rwanda's genocide but he managed to find redress for the genocide.
In spite of all this, will zimbagwe ever know peace?
This is an impassioned plea to robert mugabe PLEASE LET US BURY OUR DEARLY DEPARTED IN PEACE
SUMMARY: INTEGRATION OF NAMED AND UNNAMED VICTIMS
CONTENTS:
1. Archival Data - The Chronicle, including quantification of dissident atrocities
2. Data Integration Data Integration - CCJP Archives and Interviews in 1995-6
3. Summary of 5 Brigade Impact on Tsholotsho
4.Overview of Human Rights Abuses, Nyamandlovu/ Tsholotsho
5. Village by village summary of events, incorporating maps of sub-regions
1.) Pumula Mission - western Tsholotsho.
2.) Mbamba Camp - southern Tsholotsho.
3.) Central Tsholotsho.
4.) Northern Tsholotsho.
5.) Commercial farms in the south6.) Commercials farms, forestry and resettlement in the east.
6. Table summarizing atrocities by sub-region.
Data Sources and Methodology in Part One deals in detail with the data collection and collation process in the 2 case study areas. To summarise, data used consists of archival CCJP material, information extracted from the media, academic studies, and interviews conducted in the 1990s. All of these sources are archival, apart from the interviews: these latter serve to illustrate not only the past, but current perceptions of the past and current consequences of past events.
1. ARCHIVAL DATA - THE CHRONICLE A summary of events specifically in Nyamandlovu/Tsholotsho), as revealed by The Chronicle, Bulawayo's daily newspaper, is given here. This tends to highlight dissident activity, and is a useful counterpoint to data from other sources.
1981
FEB: The second outburst of fighting between ZIPRA and ZANLA forces spills over into Nyamandlovu, where army units loyal to the Government intercept columns of ZIPRA troops heading for Bulawayo from Gwayi in the north.
APR: Two people are shot dead near Khami, and a third is injured, by "armed men".
1982
17 MAY: A Nyamandlovu farmer is ambushed by dissidents and sustains a gun-shot wound. Two days later a lorry driver is shot and killed near Godzo, in Tsholotsho. In the same month, a farmer's wife drives through a dissident ambush but is not injured.
JUN: Dissidents rob a bus, a beer garden and 4 stores in Nyamandlovu. They also burn out 2 resettled villages in Nyamandlovu, leaving 75 families homeless. "One woman" is also killed.
4 JUL: The manager of Grant's Sawmills, Nyamandlovu, is shot at by dissidents - no injury.
13 JUL: A police auxiliary constable is shot and injured at Hillmiles store.
23 JUL: A local farmer drives through an ambush at the 76 km peg on the Victoria Falls road (in Nyamandlovu), does not stop and sustains no injury - perpetrators, dissidents.
23 JUL: Six foreign tourists stop when ambushed at the 76 km peg on the Bulawayo Victoria Falls road, in Nyamandlovu, and are abducted.
AUG: 2 mine-workers are shot dead 20 km north of Bulawayo. 7 off-duty soldiers are lined up against a wall in Ngoma beerhall, Nyamandlovu, and are bayoneted: 5 die and 8 are wounded - by dissidents. Three buses are robbed, and so are "stores", all in Nyamandlovu.
4 SEP: 2 Swiss tourists witness a shoot out between security forces and dissidents, 90 km north of Bulawayo.
A curfew is imposed on Northern Matabeleland, banning buses and private vehicles in the communal areas, and banning reporters.
OCT: Dissidents rob a bus in Nyamandlovu.
DEC: There are several incidents involving dissidents. In Tsholotsho, Z$2 million of Government equipment is destroyed. In Nyamandlovu, 6 people including 2 children are shot dead in a farm ambush, on 31 December. One unnamed villager and 2 named villagers are also reported murdered by dissidents in Nyamandlovu.
1983
6 JAN: The Government agrees to allow farmers to re-arm, to protect themselves against dissidents. They had all surrendered their weapons at Independence.
26 JAN: Stringent curfew regulations are introduced: at the same time, 5 Brigade is deployed into the region, and begins to work its way northwards, through Tsholotsho, into Lupane and Nkayi.
MAR: An elderly commercial farming couple and their 2 young grand-daughters are brutally beaten and then shot by dissidents on their farm in Nyamandlovu.
5 APR: The curfew is lifted. There are repeated ZANU-PF rallies in Matabeleland in February, March and April at which people are warned not to support PF ZAPU, and dissidents are paraded, declaring their PF-ZAPU allegiance. More than 20 000 PF-ZAPU supporters surrender their cards and join ZANU-PF.
MAY: A forestry commission ranger is murdered and another abducted by dissidents in Chesa Forest Area, Nyamandlovu.
JUN 30: youths in Nyamandlovu are reported abducted by dissidents, and are rescued.
NOV2: men are reported murdered by dissidents in Nyamandlovu.
1984
JUN 20: dissidents kill one person and beat others, in Tsholotsho
SEP: An unnamed boy is reported as being killed by dissidents, another as kidnapped, while unnamed, unnumbered "workers" are beaten and property burnt, in Nyamandlovu.
OCT: Inquest into the murder in Feb 1983 of 2 men and 2 women, whose car was stopped on the Bulawayo - Victoria Falls road by four 5 Brigade soldiers. The inquest finds them responsible for "exceedingly cruel" murder. (LCFHR p 40)
NOV: Jini Ntuta, ZAPU MP, is reported murdered by dissidents. Other sources later attribute his murder to CIO (LCFHR, BLPC interview).
1985
MAR: One woman is reported murdered and 9 injured, by dissidents
JUL: Dissidents burn a bus in Nyamandlovu.
SEP: Dissidents burn out a school complex, and kill one person, in Nyamandlovu.
OCTA commercial farming couple and their foreman are shot and killed by dissidents. Dissidents also kill 3 villagers and 4 Zanu-PF party officials in Tsholotsho
1986
There are no press reported incidents involving dissidents/armed men/ bandits specifically designated as occurring anywhere in Matabeleland North, including Nyamandlovu, in 1986.
1987
JUN2 German tourists are shot and killed in Nyamandlovu, by dissidents
AUGA Nyamandlovu farmer on his way to a cattle sale is shot dead with his militia man, by dissidents.
1988
EARLY Amnesty is announced for dissidents, and then for security forces. A total of 122 dissidents surrender.
QUANTIFYING DISSIDENT OFFENCES
According to The Chronicle, dissidents murdered a total of 50 people in the Nyamandlovu/Tsholotsho region. These totals are fairly similar to BLPC interview tallies, which indicate a total of 39 murders either by dissidents or "armed men".
BLPC data also refers to 5 crossfire incidents in which 4 villagers are killed and 3 sustain gunshot wounds in shoot outs between dissidents and security forces: whether dissident or ZNA bullets are responsible is not clear.
The Chronicle specifies a total of 30 assaults by dissidents in Nyamandlovu/Tsholotsho.
Specific news reports also identify as taking place Nyamandlovu/Tsholotsho the following: 2 rapes; 31 abductions; the theft or destruction of 94 properties. 75 of the property offences involve the burning of homesteads on a mine in Nyamandlovu, and the destruction of Z$2 million-worth of government equipment, being used to build dams in the area.
BLPC and CCJP data refer to 32 assaults by dissidents on civilians in Tsholotsho invariably related to people being accused of being "sell-outs". They also record 3 gunshot wounds and 3 incidents involving mutilations. These totals are again very similar to The Chronicle, which suggests civilians are not inclined at this stage to protect dissidents, and reported their offences to project personnel. Other BLPC interviews make reference to dissidents, often in passing, when villagers are beaten by 5 Brigade after being forced at gun point to feed dissidents the day before.
2.DATA INTEGRATION - CCJP ARCHIVES AND INTERVIEWS IN 1995/96
There is a vast amount of information in CCJP files on events in Tsholotsho. For a complete outline of what forms such information takes, see CCJP as a data source in Part One. CCJP data remains invaluable and is more reliable than most other sources where dates are concerned. Details given in the archives have frequently served to confirm accounts given in interviews in 1995/96.
A total of 910 named victims in Tsholotsho was collected through interviews, many of whom suffered more than one human rights violation. For an outline of the interviewing procedure in Tsholotsho, see Part One, II, page
Data from both CCJP archives and recent interviews were integrated in a "village by village summary", with village as the common parameter, allowing for the integration of named and numbered victims, without their being counted twice, once with and once without a name.
The "village by village summary" of events proved to be a very productive strategy when analyzing data on Tsholotsho, and helped reveal the broad patterns of events. In addition to facilitating the quantification of atrocities and their perpetrators, this method also revealed the location of Army units at different times, in particular 5 Brigade. Tsholotsho was therefore divided up into approximately 4 parts, to correspond with the concentration of 5 Brigade in the various parts of Tsholotsho.
In fact, as is clear from the summaries, 5 Brigade reached most villages in the area, and camped in small groups in many different locations: the 4 rough divisions indicate location of larger units and interrogation centres, from which patrols appear to have set out. In addition, the rest of Nyamandlovu was divided into 2 sections, one consisting largely of commercial farms in the south, and the other of the forestry areas in the east.
The sub regions of Nyamandlovu are:
1. Western Tsholotsho, around Pumula Mission
2. Southern Tsholotsho, around Mbamba Camp.
3.Central Tsholotsho, including Tsholotsho Town and Dhlamini Rest Camp to the west
4. Northern Tsholotsho, around Gwayi and Sipepa.
5. Commercial farms in the south.
6. Forestry, resettlement and commercial farmland in the east.
MAPS
A map of Nyamandlovu, inclusive of Tsholotsho Communal Areas, begins the "village by village" summary, showing the areas into which the entire region has been divided for the purposes of this summary, and indicating the major centres.
Five larger scale maps of Nyamandlovu, corresponding to the divisions in the text, have been included in the body of the "village by village" summary. These indicate not only the villages but also the general type and number of offences experienced in the vicinity of each village. Approximate numbers killed, beaten or having homesteads burnt is thus visually represented on the maps.
Three of these maps show Tsholotsho Communal Land and its rough divisions into four parts. The other two maps show commercial farmland, and the forestry and resettlement areas in Nyamandlovu.
3.SUMMARY OF 5 BRIGADE IMPACT IN MATABELELAND NORTH
The commissioning, training and deployment of 5 Brigade has already been dealt with in detail in Part One of this report. To summarise, 5 Brigade was deployed in Matabeleland North in January 1983, coinciding with the imposition of a severe curfew in the region. Thousands of atrocities, including murders, mass physical torture and the burnings of property occurred in the ensuing 6 weeks. 5 Brigade was withdrawn for a month in the middle of the year, then redeployed. Disappearances and detentions became more common than other offences.
Mbamba Camp in the south of Tsholotsho is frequently referred to as a detention centre. 5 Brigade was mainly deployed in Matabeleland South in early 1984, although a platoon of 5 Brigade was in Matabeleland North at this time too. However, there was no curfew in force in Matabeleland North in 1984, and 5 Brigade activities were centred on the southern half of the country.
The presence of the 5 Brigade in an area in 1983 meant an initial outburst of intense brutality, usually lasting a few days, followed by random incidents of beatings, burnings and murders in the ensuing weeks, months and years. It meant that any community which had once experienced 5 Brigade lived in a state of intense anxiety and fear, unsure where and when it might strike again, or who its next victims might be.
The terror and insecurity throughout the region also led to many hundreds of people, especially young men, fleeing to urban centres such as Bulawayo, or to Botswana. To stay in the area if you were a young man meant almost certain victimization by 5 Brigade, who assumed that all such people were ex-ZIPRA and therefore dissidents.
Many communities suffered massive material loss in the initial onslaught, losing huts and granaries. They also lost village members who had been killed or abducted, and were frequently forced to watch others close to them dying slowly from injuries sustained from beating, burning, shooting or bayoneting. Villagers were warned not to seek medical help, and risked being shot for curfew breaking if they did seek help.
Many who were beaten were left with permanent disabilities, ranging from paralysis, blindness, deafness, miscarriage, impotence, infertility, and kidney damage, to partial lameness and recurring back and headaches. These injuries have left victims with impaired ability to work in their fields or do any of the heavy labour, such as carrying water, on which survival in the rural areas depends. Inability to work in the fields is a recurring theme in interviews.
In addition to the physical injuries, it is clear from interviews that large numbers of people in Tsholotsho suffered some degree of psychological trauma, leading in extreme cases to insanity, and in many cases to recurring depression, dizzy spells, anxiety, anger, or a permanent fear and distrust of Government officials.
Wives were left without breadwinners. Children were left without one or both parents, and with the trauma of having witnessed appalling violence against those they loved. Families were left without the consolation of truly knowing the fate of their kin, or their burial places.
Communities were left to deal with the trauma of having seen their parents, husbands and community leaders harmed and humiliated.
Many families have had to face practical problems arising from the number of dead for whom death certificates were never issued. This has meant problems gaining birth certificates for children, or drawing money from bank books in the name of the deceased. Other people who fled employment in the area, in order to protect their lives, have been denied pensions for having broken their service without notice.
4. OVERVIEW OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES - NYAMANDLOVU / TSHOLOTSHO
DEATHS AND DISAPPEARANCES
Deaths have been assessed in terms of both sex and age of victims, with 3 age categories being used, for each sex:
MALE: 83% of all deaths
FEMALE: 17% of all deaths
MALE:
Under 20 yrs: 4% of all deaths
Aged 20 - 60 yrs: 70% of all deaths
Aged over 60 yrs: 9% of all deaths
FEMALE:
Under 20 yrs: 4% of all deaths
Aged 20 - 60 yrs: 9% of all deaths
Aged over 60 yrs: 4% of all deaths
Men aged between 20 - 60 yrs are of `breadwinning age' (ie 70% of all dead). However approximately 30-40% of them can be assumed to have had no dependants, as many had just returned from the war and had not yet married. Many others, at the top end of this age group, had fully grown children.
This means between 42% and 50% of all those killed can be assumed to have had dependants. In addition, a few of the women killed were widows with dependants, whose children were henceforth orphans. Around 2% fall in this category. Total Breadwinners killed is likely to be around 45% of total deaths. In terms of current figures on
Nyamandlovu/Tsholotsho:
TOTAL Deaths: approx 900+
BREADWINNERS Dead: approx 400
The vast majority of these were self-employed farmers, who supported themselves from their fields and occasional labour on surrounding farms and in nearby towns.
PROPERTY LOSSES: HOMESTEADS BURNT:
This constitutes the largest category of property loss reported.
Reported burnt: 345 homesteads, with others implied.
(Involves burning of 26 villages either entirely or substantially)
BEATINGS:
This is the largest category of offence, involving both isolated beating incidents and also at least 60 incidents in which most or all villagers in a village were beaten. Both men and women were beaten, with no obvious preference for beating men in the mass beatings. Preference was sometimes shown to the elderly, who would be beaten less severely or not at all.
Individual or small group assaults: 314
Mass village beatings: 70 villages
Mass railway siding beatings: 4
If approx 50 villagers is assumed per mass beating, 3 400 villagers can be estimated to have been beaten.
Most common beating technique: People would be forced to lie face down on the ground, and then would be repeatedly beaten, often for several hours, with thick sticks or gun butts.
Most common complaints:
Permanent back\arm\leg\neck\hand aches, inhibiting any heavy work.
Fractured fingers\arms and other bones
Permanent scarring of buttocks and back
Recurring headaches, dizziness and high blood pressure
Permanent eye damage and hearing disorders
Jaw damage including loss of teeth
Permanent uterine disorders
Permanent kidney damage, also male impotence
NOTE:
Numbers in brackets: indicate source numbers of BLPC interviews from which information was derived.
** indicates source document is in a CCJP file
**** indicates an incident involving dissidents. For all other incidents, the perpetrators are identified as Army units or other Government agencies such as the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), or Police Support Unit (SU).
5 Brigade (5B) may be assumed as the perpetrator unless another unit is mentioned.
Tsholotsho has been roughly divided up into four regions for this section, each one being an area within the vicinity of known 5 Brigade Base Camps. In practice some villages were affected by more than one of these units, and in early 1983 the far south of Tsholotsho was probably affected by the unit based in Tsholotsho, as the one at Mbamba Camp appears to have been established later in 1983. The four regions are:
1. Pumula Mission, covering the whole western area and much of the south.
2. Mbamba/Nanda, in the extreme south and east
3.Tsholotsho town and the central part of Tsholotsho, west towards Dhlamini Rest Camp.
4. Gwayi/Sipepa region, in northern Tsholotsho.
The spellings of names of "villages" or "lines" have been standardized in accordance with the 1975 Surveyor General's map of the Nyamandlovu region (Sheet SE-35-15).
5.1. PUMULA MISSION AREA (WEST TSHOLOTSHO)
In general, this seems to have been very badly affected by 5 Brigade, who set up camp close to the Mission, from late January 1983. From interviews, it is clear that many settlements within a very wide radius of the mission experienced mass beatings, or were burnt to the ground because villagers had fled the area.
A few parts of this area, to the west of the Mission ( eg Korodziba, Soloboni), have been entirely resettled since the early eighties, so reports on 5 Brigade activities here trickle in from other locations in Tsholotsho, wherever people have been resettled to. Fortunately, events around Pumula Mission were well documented by CCJP, and File H also has comprehensive accounts of events in some villages. It has therefore been possible to place those few interviews which lack detail in context within the broader data framework.
NESHANGO LINE (next to Ningombeneshango Airstrip):
3 FEB 1983: Mass beating of villagers and shooting of 2 young pregnant girls, followed by their being bayoneted open to reveal the still moving foetuses. These two girls (already pregnant) and several others had been raped by members of the ZNA in November of 1982, who reportedly left by helicopter after several days of raping these girls.
(1146 - 1168 inclusive, also file H).
Raped: 8
Dead: 2
Beaten: 6 named victims, 50 estimated total
KUMBULA SCHOOL, PUMULA VILLAGE (approx 5 km SE of Pumula Mission)
13 FEB 1983: Whole village beaten and 7 shot dead, including a teacher, after digging their own grave. Witnesses refer to a fountain of blood from the pit.
(file H, all named,** CCJP case files confirms 1 name, also 298-9, 310-11)
APRIL 1983: Several ZAPU officials badly beaten, one named victim (323)
Dead: 7
Beaten: 50 estimated (January), plus 10 estimated (April).
DINGANDAWO: (near to Kumbula School):
11 FEB 1983: The villagers were rounded up and beaten, and then some were shot dead at 7p.m. (458-9).
**CCJP case files has name of 1 dead here, 1983
Dead: 3 named, plus others
Beaten: 50 est.
SAHLUPEKA (approx 7 km due South of Pumula Mission)
FEB 83: the whole village was rounded up in the evening and very severely beaten. 5 members of 2 families were chosen and shot to death in a shallow mass grave.(file H has all names)
Dead: 5
Beaten : 50 est.
PATALIKA: (2 km south of Tankahukwe)
2 men were abducted and their decomposed bodies were later found in the bush. (319, also file H)
Another villager from here was abducted from Bulawayo, where he had gone for safety, and was later shot dead at Tshitatshawa in Tsholotsho. (482).
Dead: 3
PELELA: (approx 8 km due South of Pumula Mission)
FEB 83: Man killed coming home from a beer drink. A stranger to the village was also tortured and left for dead. He managed to crawl almost to the village and died - nobody knows who he was. (File H, 303)
FEB 83: Man accused of supporting dissidents and killed. (320).
FEB 83: a villager from here fled to Plumtree, where he was killed by 5B. (294).
APRIL 83: villagers who were in church were forced to leave by 5B and made to sing and dance all day. 5B also killed and ate 3 goats. (3257)
Dead: 4
DANDA: (approx 9 km due South of Pumula Mission)
FEB 83: 3 ex-ZIPRAs from Mkubazi were among many taken to the pan here and shot. One escaped with gunshot wounds to Botswana and one was killed. The other went missing. (3246/7/8)
Missing:1
Dead:1
GSW:1
MUZIOMUTSHA (10 km South of Pumula Mission)
14 FEB 1983: 4 villagers were badly beaten, then 3 were taken to Pumula Mission. One was tied to a tree and was later shot. The other 2 had to bury him. (257, 2259-60)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 3
CAWUNAJENA (10 km SW of Pumula Mission):
8 FEB 1983: Entire village rounded up, and many were beaten very severely. 12 men and women, including 2 school teachers, were shot dead. This happened during the night. The 5B camped nearby and the dead were not buried until a year later, by which time many bones were scattered around.(File H has all names, also 479).
2 other men abducted and killed here in FEB. (315, 318)
A woman was also abducted into the bush and shot with her baby on her back. (314)
Another woman was also abducted in FEB and shot. (481)
Dead: 17
Beaten: 50 est.
TEMBILI: (adjacent to Cawunajena)
FEB 83: People here were beaten by 5B after church and made to cook daily for the soldiers, who killed and ate some of their livestock. (3258-60)
APRIL 83: a man visiting from Patalika was shot by 5B. (3256)
Dead:1
Beaten:20?
Property: l livestock eaten.
GULAKABILI (approx 20 km SSW of Pumula Mission)
12 FEB 1983: Whole village abducted from nearby to the Pumula Mission area, where they were beaten. Some were then forced to dig a mass grave, made to climb in, and were shot. They were buried while still moving, and villagers were made to dance on the grave and sing songs in praise of ZANU-PF. Number of dead given as 12. (File H has all names, also BLPC 300, 305-9 incl)
One victim locked in a hut and burned to death. (296)
MARCH 83: 5B burnt 5 homesteads one morning. (3246-48)
ZNA soldier killed while trying to visit his mother, on leave. (304)
2 others from this area also killed by 5B, circumstances unclear. (478, 484)
A woman was accused of cooking for dissidents and was shot dead. (293).
A woman and her child were taken from here to Pumula Mission and killed (292, also file H)
7 others from this area met individual deaths - one was detained trying to get to Plumtree and was never seen again, another went missing from a house in Bulawayo, and his wife and child were apparently killed by 5B, while trying to flee to Botswana. Another man had his throat cut and bled to death. (file H)
Dead: 25 named victims
Beaten: 50 est
Destroyed: 7 known homesteads
MPILO: (due west of Tankahukwe)
OCT 82: ZNA took the store-keeper and killed him and assaulted his wife. (3264/5)
JAN 83: 2 men from here were killed by 5B because they ran away when they saw 5B coming. (3262-3)
Dead: 3
Beaten:1
TANKAHUKWE (7 km SW of Pumula Mission) FEB 1983:
All the villagers were rounded up and severely beaten. 12 were selected and shot after being forced into 2 mass graves. One of the chosen managed to run away, so his younger brother was killed instead. 5B came back in 1984 and stabbed the escapee to death, also severely beating another brother at this time. Another villager who was badly beaten ran away but died later of his injuries. (file H has all names, also 295, 297, 312, 324, 455, 3264-6)
Dead: 14
Beaten: 50 est.
EGOMENI (5 km almost due west of Pumula Mission):
FEB 1983: Villagers were rounded up and beaten. 5 were then shot and buried in one grave. (301-2, 321)
A villager was shot dead in February and then had his hut burnt down. (461).
One villager killed trying to return to work in Harare (314)
Another villager was abducted in a truck as a dissident and shot at a nearby farm (483)
Another villager was killed in the Sonqinyana area. (463)
13 FEB 83: One villager shot at dawn at his home. (460)
FEB 83: woman shot dead by 5B who also burnt the homestead. (461)
** CCJP case files report 1 named death here, could be 1st incident.
A man was also detained and never seen again here, February 1983. (319)
Missing: 1
Dead: 10
Beaten: 50 est.
MAZHOU: (near Egomeni?)
FEB 83: 4 villagers were abducted to the bush, and were tortured with sticks and knives. One villager attacked his assailant, allowing another to escape. 3 were then killed. (file H)
Dead: 3
Beaten: 1
ST WILFRED'S SCHOOL ( Pumula Mission area)
2 FEB 1983: Some of the ex-ZIPRAS in this area ran away in January. The mothers of 2 were tortured for "parenting dissidents", and were then shown 5 men including their sons. These 5 were taken to Tsholotsho town, and 2 weeks later one returned, with serious gunshot wounds. He had climbed out of a mass grave in which he had been shot with many others, and had made his way home. He died a day later. (609-11)
Dead: 5 plus possibly others
Beaten: 2 plus possibly others
MANALA: (West of Pumula Mission, resettled)
29 MARCH 1983: 1 beaten, bayonetted, finally killed the next day, and his body burnt, by 5 Brigade. (1230)
Dead: 1
SALANKOMO ( approx 5 km NW of Mission):
**28 JAN 1983: 20 5B soldiers came in the morning and killed the village ZAPU chairman and 2 schoolboys, one aged 14. They were beaten in front of the villagers first, and all the adults present were also beaten. (Comm of Inquiry Statement, also file H).
**28 FEB 1983: same soldiers rounded up people in the village and put 2 men, 7 women, 2 with babies, and 3 children into one hut. They set fire to the hut, and the men inside forced the door open. As the 12 ran out, 6 were shot and killed including a baby and a girl, and 1 was shot and left for dead.
**CCJP has on record the Medical Cards and Comm of Inquiry statement of the victim who suffered a GSW to the stomach in Feb 83 incident - records start from May 83 by which time wound is very infected. (file A, also file H)
Two more homesteads were burnt at a later date. (BLPC 338-9, 457, 3274-5)
Dead: 9
GSW: 1
Beaten: 5 plus possibly others
Homes burnt: 3 known
NDAWANA (6 km west of Pumula Mission):
FEB 83: 2 villagers from here were curfew breaking and their tracks were reported by villagers from Egomeni nearby, who did not know who they were. 5B prepared to beat and destroy all at Egomeni, and had already dug mass graves. However, the 2 from Ndawana were caught before this happened, and they were killed instead. (file H, also 3273-6). The soldiers then moved to Ndawana, where the commander ordered the whole village into a hut and set fire to it. Once the commander left, another 5B soldier let the villagers out of the hut, so they were spared. (file H)
MARCH 83: an old man from here was taken to Pumula Mission, tied to a tree and forced to make animal sounds. 5B also killed his ox. (3272)
Dead: 2
Tortured: 1
Burnt: 2 homesteads
SOLONKWE: (4 km north west of Pumula Mission, now resettled)
**JUNE 1983: CCJP Comm of Inquiry report of 22 villagers including women and children burnt to death in a hut, after being brutally beaten first. The owner of the hut begged for the lives of his 4 youngest children to be spared, and this was allowed, although the life of an older daughter was not spared. (file A, file H also refers, also 316-17, 322, 462)
Dead: 22
Burnt: 1 hut
PELANDABA (west of Pumula Mission):
29 JAN 1983: 5B rounded up many men from the area, tortured them until they couldn't walk and shot them. File H names 8 victims, **CCJP case files also reports 11 other named deaths here in 1983, probably same day, and 1 death in 1984. BLPC names 2 more victims from Jan incident. (342-346)
3 others killed, including a married couple who went to report dissidents in the area. (345, 348)
Dead: 25 named victims
Beaten: 50 estimated
SEQWINI: ( approx 15 km due north of Pumula Mission):
15 APRIL 1983: 1 person killed by 5 Brigade, bayonetted to death. (1232)
Dead: 1
TANKENI: (NW of Pumula Mission)
1983? a villager from here was one of 6 men beaten and then machine gunned by 5B at Mzimwatuga. 5B also burnt homesteads in the village and destroyed crops and livestock. (403)
Dead: 6
Burnt: several homesteads.
KORODZIBA (west of Pumula Mission, now resettled):
FEB 83: 5B came to the school and took about 60 pupils aged over 14 years. They were all beaten and asked about dissidents. 20-30 girls were raped and then ordered to have sex with some of the boys while the soldiers watched. They were beaten for 3 hours. (3311)
4 MARCH1983: 5 villagers were murdered at night for being PF-ZAPU members. (1223-27 incl).
Also MARCH: 2 children out of a group of children died of starvation trying to run away from 5 Brigade in this area. They were trying to reach Ngamo railway siding, which is about 100 km NE of Korodziba. The dead were aged 9 and 14, the survivor was 15. (1234-5)
Dead: 5 plus 2
Raped:25?
Beaten:60
SOLOBONI (west of Pumula Mission, now resettled):
23 FEB 1983: 5 Brigade rounded up entire village to the borehole. 6 people were chosen at random and were bayoneted to death, and buried in one grave. Everyone was then beaten. 5 people were beaten to death, and one person died years later, partly as a result of injuries from this beating. Another man who wept to see his brother killed, was severely beaten and died a few weeks later from his injuries. One old lady who was found in her hut was raped, and 5B then set fire to a plastic bag and burned the old lady with it, setting fire to her blanket. She died 3 weeks later from the burns. (3313)
1 hut was burnt. (1238-42 incl, 1282-87 incl)
Dead: 14
Raped: 1
Beaten: 50 est
Burnt: 1 hut
GIBIXEGU (NW of Pumula Mission, now resettled)
2 FEB 1983: 5B entered the village in a truck and rounded all the villagers up. 2 women were tortured and a man taken away was never seen again. 6 people were beaten to death, including 4 women.
(275, 697-703 incl)
Dead: 6
Missing: 1
Beaten: 2 known, plus others
EMANALENI (7 km NW of Ematetshaneni)
On the same day that 5B beat and killed people at Gibixegu, they "did the same" at Emanaleni (698).
A villager was taken by the Army and killed with bayonets, because he asked "World Vision" to film atrocities in their area. (613)
MARCH 1983: 5B killed a headman from Filabusi and chopped off a woman's head. (1228 9)
Dead: 4?
EGAGWINI (approx 25 km due north of Pumula Mission): MARCH 1983:
One young man was taken by 5 Brigade, badly beaten, returned, and while his parents were washing his wounds, 5 Brigade came back and shot him. (1236)
Dead: 1
EMATETSHANENI (approx 24 km due north of Pumula Mission):
FEB 1983 School treasurer beaten and then shot for not handing over funds, 500 m from his home.
(1237)
Dead: 1
SIHAZELA (30 km NNE of Pumula Mission)
FEB 1983: an old man was shot 500 m from his home by 5B. They came back 3 days later and killed the old man's wife and daughter, and burned down the homestead. They also kicked a year-old child and broke his back. (599-603)
Dead: 3
Injured: 1
Burnt: 1 homestead
MKHONYENI (Between Dzimidza-Sihazela, approx 20 km NNE of Pumula Mission):
END JAN 1983: the first woman to die in this area was accused of feeding dissidents. She was pregnant and was bayoneted open to kill the baby. She died later. (350)
FEB 1983: All the villagers were forced to witness the burning to death of 26 villagers, in the 3 huts of Dhlamini. (326-37 incl, 347-49, 605-7). Women and children died. There was only one survivor.
File H lists all names of victims. The same report says that a few days before the hut burning, many men were killed, in punishment for having failed to catch a local thief the 5B wanted. (5 names in file H, 7 more in **CCJP case files)
**CCJP case files also name 9 who died here, probably same incident as above.
Just before the hut burning, at least one woman was beaten to death. (334)
MARCH 1983: many men were shot dead at Mzimwatuga Pan. This was in punishment for having failed to catch a local thief 5B wanted. This report also mentions the hut burning (file H, also 604)
Another villager was stabbed to death at Tshiyakwakiwe, near the pan. Another villager also died in this area. (332, 353)
**CCJP also report 1 missing here in 1983.
Missing: 1
Dead: 1(preg): 26 in the hut: 12 named victims at the pan: 3 others = 42
****JULY 1984: Dissidents killed the ZANU chairman as he was addressing a meeting. (1231)
Dead: 1
SEMAWURU/ CUSECULU/ NINGOMBENONZI (10 km NE of Pumula Mission):
FEB 1983: All the people from these villages were rounded up and beaten and some were killed. Name of one dead victim. (600, 1125)
JUNE 83: 5B shot 2 cows who ate their washing off the line. (3211)
**** JULY 83: as dissidents passed through the village of Semawuru, the army arrived and started shooting. The villagers ran away and a woman was shot in the foot. Her husband took her to hospital and in their absence Army vandalised the house. (1248) Genuine crossfire.
OCT 83: A villager was asked about dissidents by "Nai Ka" and then hit in the mouth, losing all his teeth. A villager found milking and the headman of his village were taken to Pumula Mission by the Commander whose nickname was "Nai Ka", and the villager was killed. (658, 590)
An old man from the neighbouring kraal of EMPISINI was hit with rifle butts. (608)
A villager was assaulted when he asked a soldier to pay for goods taken from a child. (1120)
Dead: 1 known victim.
Beaten: 150 est
BONKWE/NYANGANYUNI (15 km NE of Pumula Mission)
FEB 1983: A young woman from Bonkwe going to buy mealie meal was beaten for wearing her husband's watch. Her husband was summoned to Nyanganyuni and beaten to death. Every bone in his body was broken - he is referred to as being "like a cloth". (612)
Another local was abducted to Pumula Mission and killed there. (file H)
Dead: 2
Beaten: 1
FOLOSI (7 km due east of Pumula Mission):
3 FEB 1983: Whole village beaten with sticks. Boys were made to fight each other, while other villagers were forced to dig a mass grave. 4 men were made to lie face down in the grave and were then shot. (1169-1174 incl)
2 other men were abducted and tortured to death and buried in shallow graves. (file H).
Dead: 6
Beaten: 50 est.
LUBESI (10 km SE of Pumula Mission):
7 FEB 1983: The entire village was rounded up, was forced to sing songs and was then beaten. 3 men were made to dig a grave (2 were "curfew-breakers" from neighbouring Nxuma). They were made to jump in to the grave, and were then shot. They were buried while still moving. 5 Brigade also killed and ate a cow and some goats around this time, while camped at Lubesi Dam. (1135-7 incl, 1139, file H also refers to 2 of these dead)
Dead: 3
Beaten: 50 est
MBIRIYA and NXUMA (15 km SE of Pumula Mission):
END JAN 1983: All villagers in these two neighbouring settlements were assembled in Mbiriya. They were accused of cooking for dissidents and everyone was beaten, after being placed in small groups. 10 people were shot dead at the dam (9 names). 4 were beaten to death, while others were badly beaten, including a 4mth old baby. Some of the injured went to Pumula hospital. After the beating, the villagers of Mbiriya deserted the village for a while, and 5 Brigade came back and burnt 15 homesteads to the ground.
10 others were killed at Nxuma, and buried in 1 grave (all names, file H).
In another incident in February 1983, 2 teachers at Mbiriya School were badly assaulted, one was killed, and a house was burnt down. (1182-4, 1199, 1186-92 incl, 1257, 1262-1268 incl, 1292-93, 2016ff)
APRIL 83: an army Puma carrying villagers after a rally where Mugabe spoke, was fired at and people were injured near Nxuma. (3273)
Dead: 25
Beaten: 100 est
Burnt: 15 homesteads
BUMBU (just east of Mbiriya):
END JAN 1983: A councillor and a man back from working in South Africa were shot dead. 11 homesteads were torched to the ground. When other villagers saw the fires, they ran away, but 5B fetched them back. 1 man was made to bury the dead and another was taken away and never seen again. (628, 634, 1116-18 incl, 1128-32 incl, 3261)
JAN 1983: a man trying to return to work in Harare from here has never been seen again. (1272).
**CCJP case files names another man who went missing in 1983.
Dead: 2
Missing: 3
Burned: 11 homesteads.
BUTSHENA (just West of Mbiriya):
11 FEB 1983: The villagers moved out of their houses after witnessing what had happened in neighbouring villages. On 11 Feb they saw 5 Brigade burning all their homesteads. (1143)
Burned: 22 homesteads, 9 granaries
SANDAWANA (approx 10 km East of Mbiriya):
4 FEB 1983: A man accused of telling others to bury their property to save it was taken to Pumula Mission and killed. (1279)
10 FEB: all the villagers assembled and some were selected and beaten. At least one was taken away and killed. (1275)
After this, the villagers deserted the village, and 5 Brigade found it empty and burnt down 30 homesteads - names of 28 owners given. (Exact date not clear - reports say variously Jan, Feb, April, - Feb seems most likely, as the curfew was still in force). On this same day, a girl found near the homesteads were severely beaten. She was hidden by her parents and then smuggled by scotch cart 30 km southwards to Ndolwane clinic. (1179, 1254-58 incl, 1288-91 incl, 1300-17 incl, 1261)
2 men killed after being tortured at a borehole in this area. (file H)
MAY 1984: a villager from here was among 5 taken from a bus for having no ID, and was apparently tortured and killed at Bhalagwe Camp in Kezi. [see Part Two, II for Bhalagwe Camp].(1278)
NOV 1984: a man from here had his house burnt down, ran away and was never seen again, although rumour had it that he was buried at Empandeni Mission, in Bulilimamangwe. (1280)
Dead: 5 known
Beaten: 1 named, plus others
Burnt: 30 homesteads
KALANE: (near Sandawana)
18 FEB 1983: The day the villagers saw neighbouring Sandawana go up in flames they ran away. One villager came back to let his cattle out and was badly beaten. 11 kraals were burnt down that day. (1261)
SEPT 1983: a villager was beaten to death and 3 homesteads were burnt. (1273-4)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 1
Burnt: 14 homesteads
TSHOMWINA and DZOKOTZE (5 km due south of Mbiriya):
JAN-FEB 1983: All the villagers of Tshomwina were forced-marched to Dzokotze nearby. They were beaten, and 5 were killed. One man died after terrible mutilations which included having his jaw broken and his tongue cut out. This man ran away and was found by his family in a neighbouring village. He took 8 days to die, without medical care. (1186-98)
20 homesteads in Tshomina were burnt down. (1186-98)
A ZNA member home on leave was taken to Pumula, tortured, taken from there in a car and never seen again. (1144)
Another interview refers to 6 villagers from TSHOMWINA detained in Jan 1983, taken to Pumula Mission, where they were beaten and released after 6 weeks. (1140-41)
Dead: 5
Missing: 1
Beaten: 100 est
Burned: 20 homesteads.
Detained: 6
DZOKOTZE:
OCT 83: **** DISSIDENTS shot dead 4 and injured a 5th, accused of conniving with the Army. (1295-99incl)
Dead: 4
GSW: 1
GARIYA - near BUTABUBILI (12 km due south of Mbiriya):
5 Brigade referred to as raping all the women in the village, and forcing them to cook for them. (Time not given, but probably early 1983). They are then said to have returned some months later, posing as dissidents and beating people. (569)
Another interview refers to 3 killed by 5 Brigade, including the kraal head, in 1983. (569-70)
JUNE 1983: a few villagers found at a nearby dam were beaten and 9 villagers were killed. (1292-4)
SEPT 1983: 5B came at night and took away 4 men in the village, who were then shot at a nearby kraal. One survived. (575)
OCT 1983: 6 homesteads are burnt, and 3 villagers are beaten. The woman who was ZAPU chairwoman for the area was burnt to death in her hut. (1270-71, 1279)
DEC 84: 5B interrogated villagers about dissidents. They injured one man, and woman had her leg broken. They then burnt one villager to death in his hut. (576-7, 670)
Dead: 17
Raped: several
GSW: 1
Beaten: 6 known plus others
Burned: 6 homesteads
MGODI MASILI: (5 km east of Butabubili)
2 FEB 1983: villagers heard 5B coming and ran away. 2 who stayed behind were bayonetted and beaten to death. An old woman was also killed, and 7 huts and 2 granaries were burnt. (555, 557, 581) Young men were taken from the villages in the area to train as "youth patrol" to look out for dissidents. Some youths were shot dead by 5 Brigade during the training exercise. (1259-60)
15 FEB 83: an ex-ZIPRA was picked up and never seen again. (1253)
FEB 84: a man was picked up and stabbed 32 times with bayonets by 5B, and thrown in a pit - he survived. (554)
1984: a man and his wife were picked up at the shopping centre and beaten, then were taken to an Army camp in Plumtree for a week, before being hospitalised. (1723-24)
1 other man was also killed. (546)
1 other man also beaten. (574)
Dead: 6 known victims plus others
Missing: 1
Stabbed: 1
Beaten: 3 known
Burnt: 7 huts 2 granaries
SIKENTE (approx 10 km due south of Sandawana):
END JAN 1983: The whole village was marched to Sekatawu Pan. Many were beaten and some were accused of being dissidents and were shot and buried in one grave. Number of dead not given, one named victim. (562 )
Early 1983? Villagers were gathered at Sikente School and beaten. Some were shot dead, others were shot and injured. Details including time are vague. (558)
**2 FEB 1983: CCJP reports store keeper and one other shot dead, also one woman with a GSW
3 teachers were also robbed and told to leave the area, and all the homesteads along the Nata river were burned down. (file B - this sounds the same day as 558)
LATE 1983: one man detained at night and never seen again. (560)
JUNE 1984: a man was taken off a bus in this area, was never seen again. (573)
Missing: 2
Dead: 3 known - plus several others from Jan incident
GSW: 1
Beaten: 100 est (incl 2 incidents)
Burned: Most homesteads - more than 10 estimated
Another incident, SIKENTE area, time not clear, but probably not during early 1983, but later. 5 Brigade are accused of posing as dissidents, collecting a group of men and women, taking them into the bush and chopping them with axes. Interviewee suffered serious injuries - unclear how many others died or were injured.(568)
Another incident, SIKENTE area, time not clear - or perpetrator - this might have been dissidents although it sounds more like an early 5 Brigade incident. An unspecified number of villagers is referred to as having been "killed while worshipping" in the bush. 5 Brigade could well have killed people here as curfew-breakers - the dissidents almost without exception kill only sell-outs and usually make their motive clear. Is this possibly the same incident as the one above? Or it could be same as a church shooting incident among the Plumtree reports? (567) (Plumtree is 544)
Dead: 2 named victims, plus others
Injured: 2 named, plus others
JALUME (5 km NE of Sikente)
1983: a man was killed on his way back from a cattle sale. He was tortured with burning plastic and then shot. (580).
6 NOV 1985: 5B in plain clothes badly beat a woman, and axed her husband. They then burnt him to death in a hut along with his eldest child. Their footprints led back to the army camp nearby. (571, 572)
Dead: 3
Beaten: 1
TSHIBIZINA (between Nengombenshango and Dhlamini airstrips)
3 FEB 1983: mass beating of the village, by 5B from Dlamini Camp, and the headman was shot dead. 2 women who were beaten too badly to walk were also shot dead. At least one homestead was burnt. (1122-3, 1126, 1142)**** FEB 83: 6 dissidents are referred to as beating 2 villagers in Tshibizina (1133-4).
1983: 5B shot dead a man in the village, and then next day the commander apologised. (1180).
** CCJP reports closure of school here after the Headmaster was beaten up in front of the pupils, after which he fled the area. (file B)SEPT 83: 3 taken to Pumula Mission for interrogation, one then killed (1121).**** NOV 1985: dissidents pulled a man out of bed and shot him dead. (1115)
Dead: 5
Beaten: 50 est
TSHAKABANDA (approx 20 km due east of Pumula Mission): 7 FEB 1983: the whole village was beaten by 5 Brigade, and 2 were shot dead.
Another interview refers to 2 people found chopping wood, who were accused of being dissidents and were bayonetted to death in front of the other villagers - it is not clear when this was. (497)SEPT 1983(?): Tshakabanda: 3 homesteads were burnt, villagers were beaten, and one victim was beaten to death.
(1273-74)
Dead: 5
Beaten: 50 est
Burnt: 3 homesteads
BEMBA: (10 km due north of Tshibizina)6 FEB 83: 5B marched villagers from Bemba to the school, where there were some from Pumula Mission. They were beaten for the whole day (7 named victims plus others). They also broke window panes and killed chickens and a goat.
Beaten: 50 est
Property:2 chickens, 1 goat.
5.2. SOUTH AND SOUTH EASTERN TSHOLOTSHO
Parts of this very southern end of Tsholotsho seem to have been in the path of the early 5 Brigade onslaught, while others escaped until later in 1983.
In mid to late 1983, 5 Brigade set up an interrogation centre at MBAMBA - there are numerous reports of selected people being beaten and killed at Mbamba Camp from mid-1983 onwards.
[**** It is also interesting to note that interviewees from this very southern end of Tsholotsho seem to report a higher incidence of dissident presence and atrocities than any other area. (816, 824, 823, 826, 846ff) 5 Brigade atrocities still by far outnumber those of dissidents.]
NANDA AREA, (approx 15 km due west of Mbamba): BHANTI KRAAL: 29 JAN 1983: whole village rounded up and beaten and then several selected and shot. It is not clear how many were involved, names of 5 deceased and 2 assaulted.
(378, 379, 359, 377, 382-3-5)FEB 1983: 2 girls collecting water beaten by 5B. One victim beaten again in March, with her husband. (1719-20) 1983: a man from here ran away to Plumtree where he was bayonetted to death by 5B. (381)
**CCJP case files also reports name of 1 dead here in 1983.
Dead: 6 known victims
Beaten: 50 est.
NANDA, NEMANE SCHOOL:JAN 1983: A man found with goods stored in his house was taken to the school, made to say goodbye to his children and was then shot in the toilet. His family were told to celebrate his death, to "make umpululu". His wife was then abducted and taken to "be a wife" for 5B. (578-632)**EARLY 1983: CCJP report tells of whole village being taken to Nemane School. A roll-call was called and those on it were shot dead, totaling 12. Mistresses (no number) were raped. (file B, also 384) **9 FEB: a few days after the above killings a man was shot dead near the local store. (file B) EARLY 1983: a villager trying to get to Tsholotsho to get an ID card was taken to the school where people were being killed. He was killed, along with others. (559 - this sounds same day as CCJP report.)MARCH 1983: people were rounded up and taken to Nemane School, and were never seen again. Name of 4 victims, 2 women, 2 men. (371, 373, 375, 376)17 AUG 1983: 17 Puma trucks took all young men in the greater area to Nanda air strip (?) where they were beaten and tortured for seven days. "Many" died and others were crippled for life. (1340, 1357, 1366)
Dead: 16 known, plus others from 3 different incidents.
Missing: 4
Raped: 3 plus others
Beaten: 50 est.
NANDA AREA: time not clear, but after early 1983. 5 Brigade posing as dissidents locked people in their huts and then shot several. One named victim. (374)NOV 1983: 2 men were burnt to death in a hut, by 5B - one was a herbalist accused of using his powers to help dissidents. (1276-77)DEC 1983: 2 men were taken away for interrogation, also one from Denge, also a woman from Ngubomlilo and were never seen again.
(357, 358, 372, 1341)
NOV 84: a solitary 5B soldier in uniform shot a man after the victim had given him food. (380)
Dead: 4
Missing: 3
MALANDA: ( approx 20 km NW of Mbamba):JUNE 1982: (this may be 83, as 5B is accused, or it may be another ZNA unit). Man assaulted for failure to report dissidents. (1364)14 JAN 1983: villagers were told to assemble at Malanda Stores, where they were beaten. (1362-63)**21 JAN: a doctor based at Tsholotsho hospital reports a man shot dead here by 5B and his wife severely beaten by 5B. This man's brother was shot a few days later, while home on leave from Bulawayo. (file E) 24 JAN 1983: A small group of 5B went from house to house on this day, and shot any young men they found, including 2 ZNA soldiers home on leave. They also severely beat up a pregnant woman, so that her baby was later born in pieces.(444, 466-7, 476-7, 1358) see page , for full statement.1983: several individual assaults ( 1338, 1355, 134 )APRIL 83: a couple badly beaten, man taken to Nanda and returned. They also shot up a neighbour's granary. (1368-69, 1370)
A man was detained and beaten after he went to report dissidents (1371).MAY 83: A villager was taken in a truck and never seen again. (475)JUNE 1983: a man found milking was shot and seriously injured. (1281)JUNE 1983: young men were gathered at Malanda School and were beaten and forced to fight each other. Others were assaulted in their homes on this da: all 5B as perpetrator. (1359-60 61)
Man badly assaulted and then taken away some days later, missing - by 5B. (1365)
2 girls were raped in their home in front of family, and then were force marched with others to Malanda School where they were beaten. Could be same day as above - by 5B. (1373-74) JULY 1983: ZAPU official beaten with burning logs - by 5B (1354)AUG 1983: Man beaten and tortured with burning plastic - by 5B. (1337).
A woman horsewhipped - by 5B. (1367)OCT 1983: a villager was beaten, detained and had his house burnt down - by 5B (1269)MAY 1985: local herbalist beaten to death - by 5B (1352)
Dead: 8
Missing: 2
Raped: 2
Beaten: 23 known plus others
GSW: 1
Burnt: 1 homestead
MPUNGAYILE (near Nemane School) 1983: 5B shot dead a mentally retarded boy, and then shot 3 other men. Because the women wept, they were shot too, 4 of them. (547-52 incl, 561,566)
Dead: 8
ZIBALONKWE SCHOOL ( 8 km SW of Nemani Sch) FEB 1983: Villagers were rounded up to the store and spent the night there. In the morning the teachers wre released. It is unclear whether wide-spread beating took place during the night, but the interviewee was beaten with gun butts and had property stolen. (545)
Beaten: 1 plus probably others.
BAYANE ( approx 13 km West of Tsh town)Date not known - man abducted from here and never seen again. (352)FEB 85: man abducted from here, by CIO, never seen again. (367)
Missing: 2
MBAMBA AREA, far south TSHOLOTSHONumerous reports of incidents in this area, from early 1983 - but more towards the end of 1983 and parts of 1984.
** EARLY 1983: CCJP reports 7 young men in Mbamba region gunned down. (file B).MAY 83: a villager from near here was taken and never seen again. (840)AUGUST 1983: a teacher was detained and tortured for 5 days. (791)AUGUST 1984: 16 teachers from this area were badly tortured at Mbamba army camp. (792)
**** One of the teachers in the above incident was also stabbed by a dissident in 1982, for refusing him money. (792)JULY 1983: an ex-ZIPRA demobbed man was taken off the bus at Mbamba shopping centre and never seen again, although his family were asked by the police to forward his ID card, demob info etc.(1325)SEPT 1985: a man and his wife were beaten by CIO and the man was taken away to Mbamba where he was killed. (189, 712).
Dead: 8
Missing: 2
Tortured: 17
Injured: 2
DINYANE (1 km north of Mbamba) DEC 1983:Woman made to cook for plain clothed armed men speaking Shona (ie. not dissidents), then is beaten the next day by 5 Brigade for feeding dissidents. Her entire household was burnt down. (822)1983: a villager was killed by 5B at neighbouring MatuleFEB 1983: several villagers in nearby SILANDE were beaten by 5B. (818)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 5 ?
Burnt: 1 homestead
SOLUSWE SCHOOL AREA (3 km east of Mbamba)1982?: a villager was shot by ZNA for curfew breaking. (837)
No date given: 2 soldiers from SU harrassed and beat 2 women before shooting their husbands dead. (832-34)JAN 1983: 5B shot a man in the back and injured his father. (829-30)
?**** SEPT 85: 7 "armed men" shot the local ZANU chairman. (836)
?**** SEPT 85: one woman was killed and another bayonetted by "armed men". (851-2)
?**** SEPT 86?: 5 "armed men" beat 5 women from TSHETSHISA for "being in love with soldiers". (846-50)
Dead: 2 (diss) 3 (army)
Beaten: 7
Injured: 2
SIYANGAYA AREA: (5 km SSW of Mbamba)14 JAN 1983: 2 schoolboys were shot dead at the school by 5B. (813-4)
A ZNA soldier home on leave was also shot dead here.
?**** 5 "armed men" killed a villager after he had cooked them chicken at their request. (831)
Dead: 4
TSHETSHISA (4 km south of Mbamba Camp).18 JAN 1983: 2 young men were shot dead by 5B. (819-20)
Dead: 2
BUBUDE: (10 km south of Mbamba): **** ? 1 JAN 1982: 2 villagers were badly beaten by "5 armed men". (802-3)MARCH 1983: a man on his way to Tsholotsho CBD was detained, badly beaten and taken to Mbamba Camp before release. (801) JULY 1983: 2 brothers were taken by plain clothes CIO and were never seen again. (1321-22)
AUG 1983: a man from here was detained, tortured at Tsholotsho, then at Stops Camp, then put in Chikurubi until 1987. (797)DEC 1983: a 3 year old child was run over and killed by an Army Puma truck. (800). DEC 1983: Villagers were force marched, tortured and beaten. 2 dead are named, also 1 badly tortured. (799)FEB 1985: 2 young men taken by CIO and never seen again, although blood was seen on the road. (1323)
Dead: 3
Missing: 4
Tortured: 3 known
Beaten: 10?
Detained: 3
BUBUDE: **** JULY 1982: Death in Crossfire (1319-20, 1322 incl). While dissidents were asking for water from the villagers, a ZNA unit entered the village and shot up a hut, killing a dissident and also seriously injuring two villagers, one of whom died.
Dead: 1 villager, 1 dissident
Injured: 1 villager
GUDUZA: (SE of Mbamba Camp) DEC 1983: A man was shot while trying to collect his ID from a bus he had just left, at the request of 5 B. (1372)
Dead: 1
GOTSHANE - LUZE (8 km SE of Mbamba Camp, Mbalibali school area?)MARCH 1983 at Dibha line, a homestead was burnt down by 5B. (827). Time not clear: 5 villagers were taken to the school and badly beaten, over several days. One victim went insane from this, ran away from hospital and has never been found. (841-5)MARCH 84 (?): a villager found watering goats was taken to Mbamba and badly beaten, suffering broken hand and kidney damage. (828)1984: 2 villagers were tortured by 5B, beaten and semi drowned. (810)**** JULY 1984: 2 villagers were killed by dissidents, and 1 house burnt, for joining ZANU. (823-4)
Dead: 2
Missing: 1 (insane)
Beaten: 9
Tortured: 5
Burnt: 2 homesteads
MATHE (SE of Mbamba): FEB 1983: The whole village was called to the primary school and was beaten by 5B. ZAPU chairman, and others (at least 4) were taken and tortured overnight. (1334-36)
1983: ex-ZIPRA man beaten and then shot dead, by 5B. (1327) SEPT 1986: 2 men hanged by wire, by the "army", one then burnt to ashes in his hut. (1331 32, 1938)
Dead: 3
Beaten: 50 est
Detained: 4
MBALIBALI SCHOOL AREA ( South of Gotshane)1983: several villagers from this area were beaten by 5B on different occasions. (807-8)AUG 1983: a woman and her 12yr old son were detained, taken to Tsholotsho and beaten severely. The woman woke up in Mpilo hospital. (804-5)
A ZNA soldier from this area went missing. (806).JAN 1985: a man from here was detained. (202).
Missing: 1
Beaten: 4 named
Detained: 1
TSHABANDA AREA (approx 20 km south of Mbamba): 4 JAN 1983: the whole village was rounded up to the local school by 5B and was beaten, some very badly, incl the local ZAPU treasurer. One victim was beaten again very severely in AUG 1983. (1326, 1342-43) JUNE 1984: a man was assaulted with rifle butts at the store, by 5B. (1089).APRIL 1985: 3 villagers badly beaten for not reporting dissidents. (1100-2)
Beaten: 50 est
DENGE - JIBI (near Tshabanda and Nkunze)FEB 1983: 4 villagers watering cattle were severely tortured and beaten by 5B. (1088)
1983: 3 villagers were severely beaten by 5B. (1077-79)APRIL 1983: an ex-ZIPRA man was taken by 5B and never seen again. (1083)
**** APRIL: a man and his wife and others were beaten by dissidents for preparing a meal too slowly. (1084-5) MAY 1983: a villager was beaten by 5B with an axe and a gun. (1082)JUNE 1983: a schoolgirl was killed and 2 others injured in a truck accident on the way back from a "pungwe". (1086-7)MARCH 1984: 5B came at night and tortured a man and wife, pulling her ear off with pliers. They then raped the 2 daughters aged 12 and 15. The same months they also abducted an exZIPRA man who was never seen again. They beat him and his mother. (1094-5)
Dead: 1
Missing: 1
Raped: 2
Beaten: 10
Tortured: 2
Injured: 2
CHEFUNYE (South)MARCH 1983: 5B took away a ZAPU chairman, who was never seen again. (1098)
1985: 2 villagers were taken away at night. The one was first forced to drink insecticide, and was beaten. The other was blind, and his wife found his ID paper torn up in the road, next to blood stains. (1097, 1099) See Part Three, I, page , for full statement on this victim.MARCH 1985: The ZAPU vice-chair from Matshadula area was taken by 5B, who beat his wife and burnt the house down. In August they were shown his grave. (825)
Missing: 3
Dead: 1
Beaten: 1
Burnt: 1 homestead
NKUNZI- GODONGO-NSHABA: (south):
GODONGO - NSUKAMINI:
FEB 1983: the whole village was marched to an open space near a river, and was beaten by 5 Brigade. At least 2 died and many others were badly injured. One interviewee comments that this was the only time 5 Brigade came to Godongo itself.
( 1348-49-50, 1375- 87 incl, 2262)FEB 1983: a villager was abducted at night and never seen again. (1347)JULY 1985: a villager was seriously beaten (1328)
5 Brigade detained 15 people at the Nkunzi business centre and sjamboked them. They were then shot at by 5 brigade, who missed. (1103)
One man was detained by 5 Brigade and went missing. (1347)
The owner of a big trading store in Nkunzi had all his stock stolen by 5 B (280)
The store owner was badly beaten in 1983 (1344).
Man detained, missing 1983 (1351)
Missing : 3
Dead: 2 known, plus others
Beaten: 50
Detained:18
NSHABA school FEB 1983: 7 ex-ZIPRA men were killed, after the whole village was gathered at the school for the day. Not clear whether any beating took place. (1346)
Dead: 7
GODZO: (approx 2 km south of Magama Mission) 7 FEB 1983: 2 villagers beaten, taken from their homes and killed (1206-7)4 MARCH 1983: man taken and never seen again.(1205)
JAN 1985: a villager was detained from here. (201)
Dead: 2
Missing: 1
Detained: 1
MGUZANA: (approx 2 km SE of Magama Mission)
5 FEB 1983: 2 taken and never seen again, one man, one woman. (1208-9)
Missing: 2
ENHLANGANO: (20 km SE of Tsholotsho town)FEB 1983: 2 villagers from here were force-marched to Mananzwa line on the other side of Magama Mission, and then beaten before being shot dead. (1206-7)FEB 1983: an old man mistaken for ZAPU chairman was very badly beaten. (1210)
Dead: 2
Beaten: 1
MATSHADULA (15 km south of Tsholotsho town): FEB 1983: One Botswanan refugee taken and never seen again. (1676)
Missing: 1
MVUDHLANA: (5 km South of Tsholotsho town)FEB 1983: a man from here went missing after visiting his mother further south. (1676)
Missing: 1
NKEZO: (near Tshanda): **** SEPT 1985: several villagers beaten by dissidents, looking for a ZNA soldier. (1104-8, 1110-11)
Dead: 4
Beaten: 4 named victims, plus others
Burnt: 3 homesteads
SOLUSI MISSION: **EARLY 1983: CCJP report of 5 schoolmistresses raped by the ZNA, and also a 16yr-old schoolgirl. (file B).OCT 1983: man tortured by the Army and beaten for having raised ZIPRA combatants. (1732)
Raped: 6
Tortured: 1
5.3.CENTRAL TSHOLOTSHO
TSHOLOTSHO TOWN AREA:
From eyewitness accounts it is clear that Tsholotsho Business Centre showed obvious signs of the disturbance being caused by 5B in Tsholotsho as a whole. There are references to around 400 refugees camped permanently near the council offices, because their houses had been burnt down or because they thought they might be safer in a bigger centre. Many hundreds spent days queueing for Identity Cards, and also for ZANU-PF cards, without which they were likely to be shot. The safety many sought in Tsholotsho town proved elusive, with reports of young men in the town being rounded up, beaten, or executed at the nearby 5B camp. A variety of interviews and CCJP documents testify to this. (eg 609-11, 189, 1672-4, CCJP files B and E, all ff).
JAN 83: man taken from his workplace and never seen again. (444)FEB 1983: mass beating and deaths at "the borehole" - is this the same incident as the deaths referred to at the "hospital tap"? (522 - CCJP refers to similar incident)
[FEB 83: many young men shot in a grave they had been made to dig themselves. Some of these were from other parts of Tsholotsho - this incident has already been recorded in the Pumula Mission section. (609-10-11) ]
Dead: several
Missing: 1
Beaten: ?
Another interviewee refers to being beaten for buying food, and says "they" were forced to dig their own grave, but she manages to escape before being killed. Number of people involved not clear, could be part of above incident. (1353)
MARCH 83: a man was assaulted by SU, just east of the centre. (3249)**14 MARCH: CCJP reports between 600-700 women and children being loaded on to trucks and being taken away, and the same thing the next day. No men were around, destination remains unclear.JUNE 1983: 3 store employees were taken from the CBD in a Puma to Mbamba Camp and were tortured, allegedly for phoning the store owners in Bulawayo and warning them 5B were still in the area. (1679-80-81)1983: month unknown: member of ZNA taken and never seen again. (1200)**4 FEB 1984: A Botswanan refugee was detained by 5B and was believed to have been shot. (file '84) FEB 1985: 7 bodies were found on Tsholotsho football field, after the dead had been collected by landrover from their homes at night. This murder was a reprisal for murder of ZANU officials. (204)SEPT 1985: a man abducted from Matola was tortured at Tsholotsho police camp and then drowned in the well. His wife was also badly assaulted. (189)NOV 1985: A woman disappeared after release from detention. (185)
Dead: 9 known plus others
Missing: 2
Tortured: 3
Beaten: 2 known.
TSHOLOTSHO DISTRICT COUNCIL OFFICES: FEB 1983: several council employees taken by truck, were seen being beaten and killed. 7 named victims. (469-70, 1251-2, 1675FEB 1985: 2 employees were abducted by CIO and never seen again. (114, 474)
**CCJP also refers (file B).
Dead: 7 known, plus others.
Missing: 2
TSHOLOTSHO HOSPITAL** FEB 1983: CCJP document reporting dramatic increase in casualties who have been beaten or suffered GSW at the hands of the army. One victim is a survivor of a mass shooting at Madona (see below) and the CIO arrive at the hospital and remove this man "for interrogation". Same witness reports massive influx of refugees into the town. 3 named victims are reported as being severely beaten while walking to Tsholotsho from Madona. (file E)
Beaten: 3 named, many others indicated
GSW: 1, man then detained.
MADONA-LUPINDI- DOMBO VILLAGES: (1-7 km north of Tsholotsho town ): FEB 1983: 5B referred to as "burning huts and killing people" in these 3 villages on 1st and 2nd Feb. At least one named victim was also killed at Manzamahle Dam to the east of Tsholotsho town on this day.
7 named villagers taken and never seen again, 2 killed in their houses, 2 homes burnt, homes of 4 other villagers plundered - Madona (1672-4, 1743-51 incl)** EARLY 1983 : CCJP reports deaths of 10 people in Madona, 8 were shot and 2 were burnt to death in a hut. (file B - : file E also refers)
At least 2 homes burnt and 1 person killed - Dombo
(1670-71, 1672-73-74)
Homes burnt and people killed - LupindiFEB 1985: 2 villagers taken the same day 2 Council employees also disappeared (see above), never seen again. (1670-71)
Dead: 14 victims - plus others
Missing: 9 named
Burnt: 4 known homesteads plus others
plus 4 homes plundered
MUSIKAWA ( near Tsholotsho town)**30 JAN 1983: CCJP document reports 12 shot dead here on this Sunday. Many others were beaten here on the same day.(file E)
Dead: 12
Beaten: 20 est
Apart from 5 Brigade units based at Tsholotsho town, there seems to have been an interrogation centre at Dhalamini Rest Camp to the west, and villages between Dhlamini and Tsholotsho town were repeatedly involved in 5 Brigade incidents.
MAGOTSHA: (between Tsholotsho town - 7 km away -and Emkayeni): FEB 1983: Interviewee reports being involved in a mass beating here, on his way between the two centres. At least one shot dead. He talks of escaping from this after being beaten, to the hospital, where he witnesses 5 Brigade killing people at the "water tap" at the hospital. (522)**3 FEB: CCJP also report a mass beating here, during which a man found driving a scotch cart is accused of buying cigarettes for dissidents and is shot dead. (file E)
Dead: 2 known - several, exact number unclear.
Beaten: 50 est.
EMKAYENI: (Approx 25 km NW of Tsholotsho town) Very badly hit by 5 Brigade in early Feb 1983.**EARLY FEB: 7 teachers killed and thrown into a pit latrine (CCJP file E).
Man sitting outside his house shot dead. (493)7 FEB: mass beatings, burning of all homesteads, and 5 young men shot dead. (514, 529)
Some also died later from beating injuries. (521) This same group of 5B, numbering possibly 200, also hit Zibunkululu on this day, and several villagers from Emkayeni were later shot at Zibunkululu. (530-1)12 FEB 83: a man was accused of running away from 5B and was beaten to death and robbed. (527)
MARCH 1983: many rounded up and beaten, then taken to Dhlamini Rest Camp, from where they never returned. One was a man on leave from SA. (501, 516-17, 524, 525)
Missing:4 known
Dead: 18 known
Beaten: 100 est
Huts burned: 15?
**MAY 1983: CCJP report of 10 schoolgirls being forced by 5B to have sex daily after school in the vicinity of Dhalamini Rest Camp. Exact villages of origin not on the document, to safeguard girls concerned.
Raped: 10
**** AUG 1984: Man beaten by 8 dissidents with sticks and a hammer for being a sellout. He died later. (504)
Dead: 1
Another man, date not clear, beaten until his ears bled, by 5B, for not revealing whereabouts of dissidents. (506).
Villager, time not clear, beaten by 5B at night, then was shot through the back of the head. (515)
Villagers, time not clear, beaten while herding cattle and tilling the land. (518)
Another taken by 5B while tilling, never seen again. (523)
Dead: 1
Missing: 1
Beaten: 5
ZIBINKULULU: (near Emkayeni: 20 km NW of Tsholotsho Town): 11 FEB 1983: Mass beating, shooting, and burning of huts, by huge group of 5 Brigade. 6 named victims. Some interviews estimate as many as 200 5B present, and say they were moved to Emkayeni before the beating. Some of the dead were picked up at Tsholotsho Beer Garden because their names were on a list. (360, 362, 366, 444, 530-531-526, 1185)
Dead: 8 named, possibly others.
Beaten: 50 est
Huts burned: ?
FEB 1983: the day after the beating, they detained a boy who had run away and killed him. (363)APRIL 1983: another villager was detained, and never seen again. (365)July 1983: a man was taken with a neighbour to Tsholotsho Town and detained at Makwinzini. They were tortured and beaten, then released. (364)
Missing: 1
Dead: 1
Beaten: 3 known
MATOLE (3 km NW of Emkayeni) FEB 83: Villagers from here were also rounded up to Emkayeni on the 7th and beaten, and their houses were also burnt down. A man ferrying mealie-meal in a scotch cart was badly beaten.
Another villager, who passed 5B dressed as dissidents on the path, and then failed to report their presence, was killed by the same 5B men. (498, 528, 532, 536, 1244)FEB 83: several villagers from Tula line were grouped in the bush and beaten with bayonets (3219-20)MARCH 1984: 2 villagers were taken by a truck at night and never seen again. (533-4) MARCH 1984: A man was beaten in front of his family, and then made to run away. He was shot in the back. (535)
Dead: 2
Missing: 2
Beaten: 50 est
Burnt: several homesteads - 4 named
NYAMAZANA and MBUHULANA (approx 7 to 10 km SW of Matole)FEB 83: villagers from these 2 lines were marched to Matole school. Dissidents shot at 5B and some villagers escaped. All the others were made to lie down and were beaten with logs.(5 named plus others ) After the beating, 9 homesteads were burnt (7 names). A man from here was detained. (3200-7)
Dead:1
Beaten:100 est
Burnt:9 homesteads
Detained:1
NGADZI and JOWA: (approx 30 km NW of Tsholotsho town, on a pan): JAN 1983: People rounded from fields by 5 Brigade and beaten, first the women and then the men. References to "all " the houses being burned, some taken to Dhlamini Rest Camp, and never seen again. (499, 500-1-3, 505, 507-8, 520, 1726, 3283).
OCT, year unclear, another villager taken by 5B, brought back and shot at his kraal. (442)
Dead: 1
Missing: 3 known
Beaten: 50 est
Huts burned: 6 named homesteads plus others
MANONDWENI and MAZIBULALA: (10 km NW of Dhlamini Rest Camp): FEB 1983: whole village of Manondweni force marched to Mazibulala and beaten all morning. At 2p.m. 2 men were killed, one for being the father of a ZAPU official. (1175-99 incl)
Dead: 2
Beaten: 100 est
DHLAMINI REST CAMP: 1983: in the village of Emhlabeni, 1 homestead was burnt (3283).NOV 1985: mass beating of all the young men from the villages of DLAKANIYA, BAYANI, TSHAYISANI (Mabhanda), EMHLABENI, XANIXANI, VAGASINI AND DHLAMINI. They were rounded up in groups of 30 or more and beaten, by 5B, first at the rest camp and then in Tsholotsho. They were released after several days. (206)
Beaten: 210 est
Burnt: 1 homestead
MONEMA: (6 km E of Dhlamini)APRIL 1984: the army beat a man and smashed his radio. There is reference to several "fellow workers" being taken and never returning. (3215)
Missing:1+
Beaten:1
DLAKANIYA KRAAL: (approx 10 km east of Dhlamini Rest Camp): END JAN 1983: a mass beating of several kraals, with at least one death.(675-678)
** CCJP has a Commission of Inquiry statement on this incident, in which villagers were forced to beat each other as well as being beaten by 5B. One villager was beaten to death. (fileA)FEB 1983: A ZNA man on leave was taken and never seen again. (659)
Another villager, time not clear, possibly 1985 (see Hangapu) was picked up in a truck at night and never seen again. (660)**** MARCH 1985: dissidents came to a homestead and demanded food. SU arrived and 2 villagers were killed in crossfire, and 1 injured. (694-6)
Dead: 3 known, possibly others
Missing: 2
GSW: 1
Beaten: 30 est
HANGAPU (just east of Dlakaniya) MARCH 1985: 4 men were picked up on the same night from different kraals, and were never seen again. (662, 664, 695, 3306)
Missing: 4
GARIGARI: (3 km N of Hangapu)****MARCH 1986: dissidents burnt down 3 homesteads completely. (3277-9)
Burnt:3 homesteads
MPANEDZIBA: (approx 20 km NE of Dhlamini Rest Camp): FEB 1983: 5 Brigade were camped at their borehole at this time. It seems there were several incidents in a short time here.EARLY FEB: several homesteads (11 known) were burnt, one killed, others beaten (668, 3280/1/4/5/6/8).11 FEB: a woman was tortured and her house was burnt with her in it, although she survived. (1201)25 FEB: villagers were all gathered together and beaten in the morning by one group of 5B. Then later the same day, another unit beat them again. This is different to the above incident, as interviewee refer to it as happening "after the huts were burnt". (661, 663, 668)MARCH 1983: a young woman coming from the fields was asked to take her baby off her back and was then beaten until unconscious, by 5B. (665)MARCH 1983: a ZNA soldier on leave was picked up by 5B and never seen again. (370)EARLY 1983: an ex-ZIPRA from here was detained in Bulawayo where he was hiding, and was never seen again. (669) APRIL 1984? This happened after victim had rebuilt his burnt hut. He was beaten, shot at, and then managed to stab 5B soldier with a knife. (666)
Another villager was taken off the bus at a month-end (pay day) and was never seen again. His wife was beaten. (667) FEB 1985: 3 villagers were abducted by vehicle, and never seen again. (354, 368, 369)1986: 2 villagers, one of them a small child injured by 5B. (543)
Dead: at least one
Missing: 6
Beaten: 50 est
Burnt: 11 known homesteads
MOYENI (5 km SE of Mpanedziba)**FEB 1983: 11 kraals were burnt - CCJP Comm of Inquiry statement. (file A, also 3289 3305).
On the same day, all the villagers from Moyeni and Maqetuka were taken to Moyeni and beaten. (3282)
Beaten: 100 est
Burnt: 11 homesteads
MAQETUKA: (due west of St Joseph's:) FEB 83: 1 homestead was burnt here on the same day as Moyeni burning. (3282)FEB 1985: 5 Brigade drove up and down the line knocking on every door, taking certain people, who were never seen again. (1097-98-99).
Missing: 3 plus others.
Burnt:1 homestead
MALINDI (12 km SE of Mpanedziba)** APRIL 1983: CCJP has copies of Medical Records of victim who was first beaten near Tshabangu store and then taken with other men to Tsholotsho airstrip. Here he was tied to a tree and beaten, suffering permanent damage to use of arms. He was also given electric shocks to his testicles. He mentions 20 others (not all from his town) receiving similar treatment. Dated from May 83 - beating apparently in April 83. (file A - CI).JULY 1985: 2 men were picked up by CIO and never seen again. (193-4)
Missing: 2
Tortured: 20
MAKALALE LINE (Chief Mswigana's area)OCT 1984: a woman was raped and abducted by "soldiers", while her husband was a refugee in Botswana. She later died. (1729-30)
Dead: 1
Raped: 1
NEMBE (15 km NNW of Tsholotsho town): MAY 1985: 4 beaten, and a homestead burnt, by 5B. (1217)FEB 1983: 2 boys taken by 5B to Dhlamini Rest Camp and beaten. One never returned, and was rumoured to have been killed and buried there. (1668-69)
Missing: 1
Beaten: 6
Burnt: 1 homestead
MKUBAZI (20 km NNW of Tsholotsho town)FEB 1983: villagers heard 5B vehicles coming to the dam and many ran away. Those that stayed were beaten, and 2 were killed, shot dead after the beatings. (3222-4)MARCH 1983: 1 villager was beaten by 5B.APRIL 1983: an old woman was accused of harbouring dissidents and beaten. 2 others died this same day. (3226, c-r 3231?)MAY 1983: villagers brewed beer to appease their ancestors, and were accused of brewing for dissidents and beaten (3227-8).JULY 1983: a villager at a beer drink was assaulted by 5B (3229).**** JULY 1983: dissidents shot one villager dead and beat his wife. (537)1983: a villager going to buy cigarettes at the store was shot dead by 5B (3230) Another villager disappeared, last seen running away from 5B. (3231 -c-r 3226?)1987: a man who owned his own grinding mill was assaulted for "feeding dissidents", by ZNA. His grinding mill was destroyed, and he was badly injured in the groin.
Dead: 5
Beaten: 50 est?
PONDO: (6 km north of Mkubazi)JUNE 83: an old man was detained by 5B and tied to a treee all night. He was assaulted, breaking a rib, taken to various camps and then to Tsholotsho CBD wwhere he was kept in a pit for 7 days. He was assaulted throughout this time, then released. (3242)JULY 83: another old man from here was accused of growing fat on cattle originally stolen from Mashonaland (a reference to Ndebele plundering in the 19th century). He was taken by puma and never seen again, along with another man from Malindi line.
Missing: 2
Beaten:1
Detained:3
SOMQIBE: (13 km NNW of Tsholotsho town) FEB 83: A ZNA soldier was beaten by 5B and then taken to Dugwe school and killed. (464)APRIL 83: an old woman was woken and bayonetted by 5B, and her son was dragged out of bed and shot dead. (3240-1)
Dead: 2
Bayonetted:1
LUTIBA: (7 km SW of Tsholotsho town) MARCH 83: Villager taken by 5B and never seen again. (471)
Missing: 1
SONTAMBA (15 km W of Tsholotsho town) FEB 84: CIO took away an old man and he was never seen again. (468)MARCH 1983 A man who saw 5B coming ran home and warned his family to flee. He stayed behind to buy them time, and was killed. (351)
Dead: 1
Missing: 1
MATSWAHENI: (18 km due W of Tsholotsho town): NOV 1985: 5 people killed by CIO disguised? (538)
Dead: 5
NTULULA (approx 30 km due W of Tsholotsho Town): 1 FEB 1983: a woman fetching water was shot dead and so was her baby, by 5B. They beat her father who came looking for her. Then they came back and bayonetted the father and his nephew to death, as well as burning huts. (563-4-5)4 FEB: All the villagers were rounded up and beaten by 5B, some beaten to death - 2 named deaths. Huts were also burnt. (546, 556,)JUNE 1983: villager reports 5B beating villagers and burning several homesteads - could be above incident, with wrong date? (2440)**** MARCH 84: 2 Dissidents killed a ZNA member by cutting off his testicles and his head. They also killed his mother and brother, as sell-outs. (355)
Dead: 9 known, plus others
Beaten: 50 est
Burned: 4 homesteads plus others
MABELE: (4 km NNW of Tshitashawa)EARLY 83: 5B took 2 men away. One returned and reported the other had been killed and buried. 5B stole property. (3221)
Dead:1
TSHITASHAWA (approx 10 km N of Ntulula): FEB 1983: Teacher assaulted and property stolen.
3 others, one aged 14 gunned down in this area and buried separately. (file H)SEPT 1986: dissidents passed through this area and the next day 5B came and stole some property and hit one villager on the side of his head. (1124, 1250).
Dead: 3
Beaten: 2
ENSEDHLWINI (4 km ESE of Tshitashawa)JUNE 83: 5B beat the whole line for several hours, allegedly for failing to report dissidents. At least one homestead was burnt. (3216-17)
Beaten:50 est
Burnt:1 homestead
ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL: (East Central, 30 km S of Tsholotsho town): 2 FEB 1983: everyone was marched by 5B to a nearby pool, 2 women "tortured", 6 shot dead, others beaten.MARCH 1983: 1 villager went missing. (809)
Missing: 1
Dead: 6
Beaten: 50 est
NKWIZHU (2 km SW of St Joseph's School): APRIL 1983: man beaten and tortured, and house burnt down for failing to inform 5 B of dissident presence. (1735)
Beaten: 1
Burnt: 1
MANAWENI: (nr St Joseph's school): MARCH 1983: 2 killed, one woman had her head chopped off, and her homestead burnt, by 5B.
(1228-29)
Dead: 2
Burned: 1 homestead
JIMILA (5 km W of St Joseph's)JAN 1983: 5 Brigade burnt down many houses here. In Jan and Feb they also shot 8 men, several in one incident and others in separate incidents.(2415 - 2435 incl)JUNE 1983: a villager was taken away by 5B and shot. (2421)** 21 JUNE 1983: Builders ran away from 5B and one was killed.
CCJP case files name 9 dead here in 1983, and 10 property losses, and 1 assault
Dead: 9
Beaten: 1
Burnt: 10
NTULANI (? Amnesty refers)JAN 1985: 2 men were detained from here. (1196-7)
Detained: 2
MGUZANA (?Amnesty refers)JAN 1985: 2 men were detained from here. (199-200)
Detained: 2
SPINGWINI - MAGAMA: (15 km SE of Tsholotsho town): MARCH 1983: 5 Brigade abducted several men, after severely beating several villagers and destroying property. They chopped off one man's arms and legs and came back the next day and shot him. At least one other was killed, and several taken were never seen again.
(472-473)JAN 1985: a villager was detained here. (198)
Dead: 2 known
Missing: several, one named.
Beaten: 5 ?
Detained: 1
TSHAYISANI: (15 due south of Janiza)****AUG 82: 6 villagers reported the presence of dissidents. The Army attacked the dissidents, who returned and beat them, killing 1 villager, and cutting off the ear of one. (3214)
Dead:1
Mutilated:1
Beaten:5
Along the railway line: Many incidents at the railway sifings near Gwayi, including Mpindo and Mlagisa, involving mass beatings and shootings. Villagers from surrounding areas were sometimes taken to the railway line and then beaten and killed. (640, 448)
(617, 635, 644, 647-9, 653, 582, 623, 624, 640)
**CCJP case files (MCF)reports names of 2 dead and 1 assaulted here in 1983
Deaths: 6 known, plus others
Beaten: 10 named victims
Mass beatings: 4 mass beatings referred to.
EGCENI: (above Sipepa, between Mlagisa and Mpindo sidings): **1 FEB 1983: CCJP reports that 50 people were estimated dead here, and the rest severely beaten. This may be a mass killing at Mlagisa railway siding, as this is very close by? (file B)SEPT 1983: Three young men were taken by 5B, first beaten in their village and then taken to Dhlamini Rest Camp, where they were allegedly killed. (446, 453, 492)
Dead: 50 est.
Missing: 3
Beaten: 50 est
MPINDO LINE: (approx 15 km NW of Regina Mundi, on the railway line)FEB 1983: all the villagers were called together and were beaten. 7 were selected and shot dead. One escaped with a gunshot wound, and 5B came back and burnt down his very large homestead of 25 huts. (2469-72)
Dead: 6
GSW: 1
Beaten: 50 est
Burnt: 1 homestead
FUNDA: (3 km due N of Mpindo Siding): FEB 1983: Villagers heard firing and ran away. 5B came and burnt their houses down. (410, 454)
Burnt: several homesteads
MPINJWANA LINE: (approx 20 km N of Mlagisa): 2 FEB 1983: All the young and old men were assembled and beaten. 8 were shot, all named. (589-597, 687) St Lukes hospital records also refer. 2 MARCH 1983: At nearby Stezi line, a girl was beaten and her boyfriend was shot dead. (598)
Dead: 9
Beaten: 50 est
BAYI BAYI: (above Mlagisa town): JULY 1984: (?): All the men in the village were rounded into a swamp and beaten, and the kraalhead killed by 5B. (646-579)
Another villager was badly beaten on another occasion. (654)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 30 est
MLAGISA TOWN:(approx 20 km N of Gwayi Mission): 3 FEB 1983: 7 including women badly beaten. (619-642)
One of the interviews refers to beatings on 8 FEB: this may be another incident, or the same as the above. (643)10 FEB: a villager was taken away by 5B and shot dead. (645)11 FEB: a villager ran away when he saw 5B coming, so his wife was shot to punish him. (674)
Dead: 2
Beaten: 7 plus possibly others.
XABAMUDE LINE: (at Mataphula, near Mlagisa town): MARCH 1983: Men beaten (620, 1731)?**** APRIL 1983: one villager taken away by "plain clothed armed men" after a beating and then shot dead. (621)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 10 est
EMABANDENI KRAAL: (approx 20 km N of Gwayi Mission): 15 FEB 1983: 5 Brigade burned homes. Some villagers ran away, but most were rounded up and beaten and then 10 men and women were shot one by one. (679-687)
**CCJP also reports names of 2 killed here. (file B).
Dead: 10
Beaten: 40 est
MANGWATU: (approx 15 km N of Gwayi Mission): 9 FEB 1983: The villagers heard screaming and shooting in the neighbouring village and ran away. They saw 5B come and burn all the houses. 5B returned some days later and said they burnt the homes because they supported dissidents. (411,414)
Burnt: many homesteads.
MALILA ( approx 13 km N of Gwayi Mission) 2 FEB 1983: The soldiers found 2 women preparing lunch and accused them of cooking for dissidents. They shot one dead. They took the daughter into the bush and raped her all night. The other, who was pregnant was beaten with all the other villagers. (650-51-52, 2460)
Dead: 1
Raped: 1
Beaten: 20?
TSHAYAMATOLE ( Just E of Malila and Mangwatu)**CCJP case files name 11 dead here in 1983.FEB 1983: a big group of 5B moved through the area, forcing people from their homes into the road, where many were beaten. Some were forced to strip naked before beating, and one was burnt with plastic. One was shot and left for dead. Some villagers managed to run away and many homesteads were burnt down. (406-9 incl, 415)12 FEB 1983: 5B went to several individual kraals beating and shooting people. At one kraal, 4 adults and 3 small children aged 11 years, 2 years and 1 year old were shot dead. (2473-80 incl).
2 other children aged 4 years and 2 years were shot dead at another kraal. (2482-3)
At least 2 homesteads were burnt down, and everyone in the line deserted the area. (2481) MARCH 1983: 30 5B returned and beat villagers for the whole day. At night they fitted lights to their heads, chose 6 men and shot them. 3 were killed. (682, 2484-5)AUG 1983: 2 men and a woman were very badly beaten by 5B, looking for dissidents. (2205-7 incl)
Dead: 13
Tortured: 1
Beaten: 50
GSW: 1
Burnt: many homesteads, more than 8
MJUMI: (approx 12 km NE of Gwayi Mission) FEB 1983: villagers saw 5B coming and ran away and caught the train to Bulawayo. When they returned they found houses burnt down. (412)AUG 1983: A small group of 5B came on foot and beat many villagers. They also raped a girl, leaving her pregnant. (405)
Raped: 1
Beaten: 15?
Burnt: at least 1 homestead
MASHADE ( 1 km above Sipongweni)**FEB 1983: a villager was accused of being a dissident and shot.
Dead: 1
SIPONGWENI: (approx 12 km NE of Gwayi Mission): ** 31 JAN 1983: CCJP: 3 brothers found together were shot and killed. A fourth was wounded.
A man herding cattle in this area in FEB 83 was also killed. 2 boys from this village were among those pulled from the trains and shot in FEB. (file B)
**CCJP case files names 4 dead - could be some of the above.MARCH 1983: 5B arrived in the village one morning and ordered everyone to the school, where they were stripped naked and were beaten. 3 5B returned some nights later, and one stole property while the other 2 raped the young girls (no number). They were all then also beaten very badly. (416)MARCH 1983: A villager caught coming back from the store was marched away and then bayonetted to death. (655)
APRIL 1984: one villager taken away by soldiers, remains of body returned 3 years later. (2458)FEB 1985: the kraal head was shot dead by 10 soldiers. (2459)
Dead: 7
Beaten: 40? some twice.
Raped: more than 2
Property: stolen
SIKALE: (approx 10 km NE of Gwayi Mission): **1 FEB 1983: CCJP reports "more than 5 shot dead" here between 31 Jan and 1 Feb 1983. (file B). 20 FEB 1983: 6 5B arrived in the village and asked for someone by name. They then shot him in cold blood, and killed 2 other villagers, and seriously injured a 3rd. (421-2, 625-28)
On the same day they detained a villager they met walking in the area, and his bones were found in the bush in 1984, recognisable because of the shoes. (436)
Another villager was also shot in this area on this day. (440)
Another young man who ran away at this time was never seen again. (633)
Dead: 10
Missing: 1
NKWALINI (just E of Gwayi Mission) FEB 1983: a man from here, trying to take his wife away to Bulawayo, was shot dead at MLAGISA siding, and so was his wife because she cried when she saw him shot. (641-2)
**CCJP report on events between 31 Jan and 8 Feb 83 refers to 4 killed here, and 2 thoroughly beaten. (file B).
Dead: 4
Beaten: 2
GWAYI ( just E of Gwayi Mission, near Regina Mundi Mission) **FEB 1983: CCJP reports 4 primary girls, average age 13, raped in front of their parents. Next day 18 families left the area. There is also reference again to mass beatings of all getting off the train at the siding here, and to the deaths of 50, recorded above under EGCENI.
Another report, same file, (B) refers to women being forced to have sex with soldiers before being allowed to board the trains. FEB 1983: a man detained here ultimately disappeared. (107)
Missing: 1
Raped: 4 known, plus others.
Beaten: 50 est
Detained: 1
SIPEPA AREA: (10 km W of Gwayi Mission): **31 JAN 1983: CCJP refers to all villagers being gathered and told of curfew. One person carrying mealie meal was shot on sight and injured. 2 curfew breakers were shot dead on sight. 5B told them they would come looking for any ex-combatants, ZAPU officials, or refugees, in every kraal. The same day, schoolchildren on their way home from Sipepa and Gwayi were beaten and so were teachers. One teacher was shot and injured. (file B).**3 FEB 1983: CCJP reports one policeman shot dead and another wounded and smuggled away by colleagues to Byo - they were ex-combatants. (file B)
** diff list, same file, (B) refers to 6 dead, one boy beaten and wounded with a bullet, and a headman beaten.
6 schoolgirls from Sipepa were raped and not allowed to go to hospital. Soldiers referred to as going door to door and raping any women found alone at night. (file B)FEB 1983: Whole village forced to dig roots, some were then beaten, and 2 schoolboys who looked too old for their class were shot dead. (629-631).
One woman raped, had money stolen. she went to Byo to join her husband, and their home was destroyed in their absence. (1684-5)10 FEB: the villagers ran away when they heard 5B, and one failed to return ever. (633)
There is also a report of a homestead burnt in Feb 1983. (2468)MARCH 1983: 9 men from surrounding villages were badly beaten at the police station, by 5B. (616)
Missing: 1
Dead: 6
Raped : 7 plus others
GSW: 4
Beaten: 100 est
Burnt: 1 homestead
FEB 1983 - SIPEPA CLINIC: 2 5B soldiers entered the clinic in the morning, and shot dead a hospital clerk who was an ex-combabtant. (445 : CCJP also refers - file B)
Also in 1983, a ZRP member was beaten and gagged with sand by 5 Brigade, was unconscious for 3 months. (241)**FEB 1983: a whole family of 7 was killed behind the clinic. (file B).OCT 1983: man shot dead in the back in cold blood. (1718)DEC 1983: 3 women very badly beaten in front of whole village.(1736-37)**FEB 1984: CCJP report detentions of many by the CIO, and the shooting of one girl in the leg. 5B was also knocking at doors at 1a.m. announcing their intention to kill people.
Dead: 9
Detained: ?
Beaten: 4
GSW: 1
KAPUKA ( 1 km E of Sipepa)
A 75 year-old man was shot in his fields by 5B, time not clear. (486)
**CCJP report 31 Jan to 8 Feb refers to 5 people killed here.
Dead: 5
MKETWA (near Sipepa): END JAN 83: JAN 1983: a man from here was beaten, taken to the fields and shot dead by 5B. (1686)
A couple were badly beaten, one killed, in their kraal, in front of family who then ran away. (1686-7)
** CCJP refer to what seems to be the above incident, and also add that a student who was an ex-Botswanan refugee was taken from school and also shot with the man killed above. (file B).
At another kraal, one villager was badly beaten, then they returned and beat his wife, wanted to rape her but she ran away while they were shooting another villager. (1689-90)FEB 83: a man was shot in his doorway while trying to hand over his ID card to 5B. (447)
Dead: 4
Beaten: 3
DIBUTIBU: (Near Mpindo-Sipepa):
LATE JAN: a villager was beaten unconscious by 5B because he was cutting wood. (656)2 FEB 1983: Several families beaten, 7 shot dead, one injured, by 5B. (596, 240, 643, 3245).
Dead: 7
GSW: 1
Beaten: 50 est
JAKALASI (near Sipepa): FEB 1983 Whole village rounded up and beaten, at least 2 shot dead. (487, 491, 512, 1682)
A man was shot while working in his fields. (494)
Another villager was shot dead in his room in Gwayi. (513)
Dead: 4
Beaten: 50 est
**** JAN 1983: dissidents beat 4 villagers as sell-outs. One died. (488-89-90)
A relative came to visit one of the injured, and was killed at EMGOLWENI, on her way to Mpindo Siding. (489)
Dead: 1(diss) 1 (army)
Beaten: 3 (diss)
EMGOLWENI ( 10 km NW of Sipepa)FEB 1983: interviewee refers to 2 shot dead "with others', everyone being beaten and their homestead being burnt. (510-11)** FEB 1983: CCJP refers to 5 killed here - presume same case as above. (file B)
Dead: 5
Beaten: 10?
Burnt: 1 homestead.
KAPANE (approx 20 km W of Gwayi Mission)**CCJP case files name 6 dead here and one loss of property here in 1983FEB 1983: 3 ex-ZIPRAS were shot by 5B, one name. (639)MARCH 83: 5B assaulted all the big pupils in the school. The girls were then taken for raping, more than 50 of them. They were raped repeatedly over the nest few months, until the army left the area. Some fell pregnant and others ran away and never went back to school. (3 named rape victims: 3314-17)
1983: after a "pungwe', 4 people including one very elderly woman were badly beaten by 5B because their surname was the same as a man 5B had killed. (622).
1983: several families were very badly beaten by 5B. At least 2 men were shot dead and their wives ordered to laugh and then bury their "dogs". (2442-5 incl)
Dead: 7
Raped:50?
Beaten: 100 est
Property: 1
KEPANYANE (approx 5 km W of Kepane)FEB 1983: villagers were rounded up by 5B and all beaten, men and women. One woman was raped. The older people were then ordered to go home, and the younger adults were shot. Shooting was heard for some time. Names of 4 dead. (2436-37, 2446, 3329-30)
Dead: 4
Raped: 1
Beaten: 50 est
ZIGA (approx 7 km NW of Kepane)
**CCJP case files names 1 dead here in 1983
Dead: 1
ZANDILE ( approx 15 km NNW of Kepane)FEB 1983: all the villagers were rounded up by 5B and badly beaten. One was then chosen and 5B told others to look at him die. They shot him dead. (2438-39)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 50 est
NGAMO (approx 40 km NW of Gwayi, on the railway line)FEB 1983: 4 villagers were shot by 5B. 2 were beaten first, one was shot in his yard and his brother was taken away for shooting the next day. (2462-5)
**CCJP case files reports names of same 4 dead here in 1983 and 1 dead in 1984SEPT 1983: a villager from another village was shot dead for curfew breaking. (637)
Dead: 6
SEWELA (approx 10 km S of Ngamo)3 FEB 1983: all the villagers were rounded up to the borehole and were beaten. 3 men were selected and shot dead. 5B soldiers continued to beat the dead men and to laugh at them. 2 houses were also burnt down.
Dead: 3
Beaten: 30 plus
Burned: 2 homesteads
JANIZA: (approx 25 km due W of Gwayi Mission):
5 FEB 1983: Mass assembling of villagers for beating by 5B. One interviewee shot and injured. (618)
One interview refers to a mass beating by 5B at Janiza Hall in early March - could be same as above. (671)
MARCH 1983: a villager was taken away to Nyamandlovu and given electric shock treatment. When he was released he found his home burnt down. (673)MARCH 1983: the ZAPU chairman was taken by 5B: as he left, he told his family he was already a dead man. He has not been seen again. (638)APRIL: 5B soldiers slaughtered and ate a cock and goat in the area. (449)
Time not clear: a villager was accused of giving dissidents a "charm", and was thrown alive into a fire, at Kepane, and then shot while burning. (672)
A man from Janiza was shot dead in Plumtree, where he was working. (636).NOV 83: 10 men and women were beaten by 5B with hoe handles, at the borehole. Interviewee complains of loose teeth and poor vision. They also killed a goat and ate it. (3323, 3327)
Dead: 2
Beaten:10
Missing: 1
Tortured: 1
Beaten: 50 est
Burnt: 1 homestead
GWEMBGWA ( near Janiza)**** APRIL 1983: dissidents ordered the villagers to feed them, and then 5B arrived and fired at them.The villagers ran away, but one was killed: genuine crossfire. (657).
Dead: 1
NHOBATSHINADANKA and MTSHAYELI: (30 km W of Gwayi Mission)APRIL 1983: Villagers from Nhobatshinadanka were rounded up and marched to Mtsheyeli, after at least one homestead was burnt. At Mtsheyeli they were all severely beaten. The son of one of the victims on his way home from school for the holidays was taken from a bus and shot because he had no ID card. They do not know where he was buried. (451-2)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 40 ?
Burnt: 1 homestead
BONKE (near Mtshayeli)APRIL 1983: a woman was beaten and her husband taken away and killed at neighbouring Nxamabude line. (2461)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 1
REGINA MUNDI MISSION[** JULY 1982: CCJP reports the rape of 4 girls, one teacher and one domestic worker, by Army personnel. (yellow ZNA file)]**3 FEB 1983: CCJP report from priest, of Army in the area refusing him permission to collect and bury the dead. A man he is giving a lift to is made to get out of the priest's car, and he finds this man beaten very severely a few hours later.**10 FEB 1983: CCJP report from priest in charge of mission, on mission staff being brutalised by 10 armed, drunk 5B soldiers. Around 30 people were beaten, the priest was threatened, and he refers to them as out of control, and contradicting one another. Many civilians who had come to the mission for protection ran away into the bush after this, including the sick and wounded. People are referred to as starving, and food shortage is critical. (file B)**16 FEB 1983: CCJP priest in charge reports further beating of mission workers, but this time some of 5B stationed at the mission intervene to stop it. (file B).**25 FEB 1983: CCJP reports the raping of 2 more girls - the youngest one haemorrhaged for 5 days. (file B)
Raped: 4 (1982) plus 2 (1983)
Beaten: 40
ST MARK'S (2 km from Regina Mundi)** FEB 1983: CCJP report refers to people being beaten up and one teacher having a broken arm. (file B)
Beaten: several
MALOBA ( approx 10 km SW of Gwayi Mission) JAN 1983: Many villagers were gathered together and beaten for saying they did not know where the dissidents were. (1693-94)
Beaten: 50 est
MCETSHWA (approx 15 km SSW of Gwayi Mission) JAN 83: 5B forced whole village to one kraal, where they had to sing songs all night. They returned the next day and destroyed property, burning several homesteads. (1688, 2449-50) **1 FEB 1983: CCJP 3 people were beaten, young lady teachers were raped and then beaten (no number of victims given). (file B)10 FEB 1983: Many 5B soldiers rounded up all villagers to a nearby dam, where many were beaten. One woman miscarried as a result. Some men were chosen and beaten, and were then made to run before they were shot dead. Many villagers fled the area afterwards. (423-24-25, 2447-8)
**CCJP case files names of 3 dead, 2 assaulted and 3 property losses here in 1983.
Dead: 5
Raped: several
Beaten: 10 named, 50 est
Burnt: 3 homesteads
PUMULA LINE: (7 km west of Mcetshwa)AUG 83: 5B followed footprints from Tabagwa nearby to this line. They beat 9 villagers, including women, and burnt one hut. (3319)****APRIL 85: a man here reported dissidents and so the dissidents came looking for him. In his absence they beat his wife and burnt his hut. (3320)
Beaten:10
Burnt:2 huts
NYELESI: (beyond Pumula Line)AUG 83: same incident as Aug '83 above: 5B came through the line looking for dissidents and badly beat one person and burnt one homestead.
Beaten:1
Burnt:1 homestead
MBANYANA (approx 12 km S of Gwayi Mission)**1 FEB 1983: CCJP reports the whole village was rounded up and 2 were shot dead and another received gunshot wounds. All the villagers present, aged between 20-40 were forced to strip completely naked, both men and women. They were then beaten savagely. Then all the older people were also beaten, but not quite so badly.
Dead: 2
GSW: 1
Beaten: 50 estimate
MAHLABA ( approx 13 km S of Gwayi Mission)** 9-11 FEB 1983: CCJP reports 3 girls raped and then later shot dead. (file B)
There is also reference to one villager thoroughly beaten but still alive.
Dead: 3
Raped: 3
Beaten:1
TSHINU and BANGAMAKUNI: (approx 15 km south of Gwayi Mission):5 FEB: villagers were taken to the borehole and were badly beaten. 3 women had to be carried home and all 3 later died after days in agony. (2451-55-56)
At Hlabekisa Line nearby a villager was badly beaten and at least 2 homesteads burnt down. (2453-4)11 FEB 1983: Villagers were taken by 5 pumas to the school yard, where they were beaten, men and women - 9 homesteads were burnt, and one villager was burnt in his house and died 3 months later. 5B came back the next day to make sure all the houses were completely destroyed. (1211-12, 1698-1711 incl, 1714-15-16, 1727-28, 1738)MARCH 1984: A dip tank assistant was beaten (1725)
**CCJP case files name 3 dead here in 1983.
Dead: 4
Beaten: 50 est, some twice
Burnt: 11 homesteads
MANZAMAHLE (approx 3 km S of Tshinu)FEB 1983: villagers force-marched to Tshinu, where 5B made them lie down and beat them. This might have been the same day as above, and involved all the women as well as the men. 1 named victim shot dead, plus others referred to. One house burnt, others plundered. (1739 41,1721-22)
**** Victims refer to being beaten by dissidents in 1985. (1739)Also in FEB 1983: 2 villagers killed by 5B, one in her hut, and one caught in the fields milking, who was shot. (1717)
Dead: 3
Beaten: 50 est
Burnt: 1 homestead, others robbed.
MAKO (approx 12 km SSE of Tshinu)
FEB 1983: 1 villager badly beaten and another shot dead. (1733)
Dead:1
Beaten:1
TSHAYILE: (approx 30 km due S of Gwayi Mission)1983: The headmaster of the school was badly assaulted, and other staff members were beaten. A week later, their house in nearby TSHINU was raided, property destroyed. Victims ran away to Byo and when they returned in 1986 all the furniture was missing. (1712-13)
Beaten: 5
Property: furniture destroyed
5.5.EASTERN NYAMANDLOVU - FORESTRY AND FARMING
The resettlement areas to the east of Tsholotsho were affected by both dissidents and by 5B. Most deaths here were at the hands of 5B, but dissidents detroyed property. The dissidents were opposed to the Government resettlement policy, and burned down resettled villages to make a political statement. Villagers were often caught in the middle of this conflict: dissidents would burnt down their homes and then flee, and then army forces would arrive and arrest and "interrogate" the locals for information. Several interviews on file testify to this pattern. In addition to this, resettled villagers were also subjected to 5B brutality in early 1983, as were most parts of Northern Matableland.
Eastern Nyamandlovu is also where the dissidents ambushed and abducted 6 foreign tourists, in 1982, and it was later established that they were murdered and buried close to their place of abduction, although their grave is in Lupane and not Nyamandlovu.
Abducted: 6
ZIMDABULI RESETTLEMENT AREA - NSEZIFEB 1983: 1 man shot by 5B and his neighbour's homestead of 10 huts burned down. The neighbour escaped death by directing 5B in opposite direction, when they asked for him by name. AUG 1985: The son of this man was picked up by CIO and badly tortured (1696-7)
FEB 1983: a lad found milking was accused of being ZIPRA, was asked to bend down and was shot in the head. (441)FEB 1983: 5B called a pungwe, and one soldier fired off his gun, killing a woman. (631)**FEB 1983: CCJP files report 5 children aged between 7 and 12 who were shot dead by 5B while sitting in front of their hut by themselves eating sadza. (file A)**** OCT 1984: a man was assaulted twice by groups of dissidents, and fled to Bulawayo. He was detained by police for 21 days and released. (287)
Dead: 8 inc 5 children (5B)
Tortured: 1
Beaten: 1 (diss)
ZIMDABULI RESETTLEMENT VILLAGES 3 AND 4, NYAMANDLOVU**** These villages were burnt out by dissidents. Homes and the local school were razed, and villagers were also beaten.
[Exact date of when this happened is conflicting. Some reports say June 83 and some June 85. As incident is identically reported in all cases, it is fair to assume one not two incidents took place. The Chronicle reports mass burning of houses at a mine in July 83 in Nyamandlovu (141) - this does not seem to be the same affair. There is also, on 26 Sept 1985, a Chronicle report of dissidents setting ablaze a schoolblock, 4 teachers' houses and several villagers' huts in the Nyamandlovu area - this sounds like it could well be the same incident. CCJP also refers to dissidents destroying resettled villages in 1983, but this is most likely Lupane, where villages in 1983 were destroyed by dissidents in the Mbembesi Forestry Area. (417-420 incl, 427-434 incl)
The Army arrived on the scene of the above and the dissidents fled. The army then picked up several villagers, whom they took to their camp and beat. They were made to dig a grave, and one villager was killed. Rain then stopped the proceedings. (435)
Dead: 1 (killed by army)
Beaten: 8 named victims, (by dissidents), and several others (by army).
Burnt: 12 known homesteads
JAN 1983: 5B arrived in the area and shot one villager in the fields who said he worked in SA. They also burnt his house. (437-8)FEB 1983: 4 soldiers came into the village and took one man and shot him dead. (439).
Dead: 2
Burnt: 1 homestead
SAWMILLS - EASTERN NYAMANDLOVU: JUNE 1983: 1983: 5B took men from their homes into the bush, where they beat them severely and then buried them while still alive. Name of 1 dead. (2408)
One man who worked for the forestry commission was taken by the army. They first took him to say goodbye to his family, and he was never seen again. (426)**FEB 1983: CCJP reports raping of 3, one a young schoolgirl, after they were taken off the train here by 5B. (file B).
Dead: 1 plus others
Missing: 1
Raped: 3
GRANTS FARM - NYAMANDLOVU3 FEB 1983: A family of 8 were beaten by 5B. They did not burn the huts down because it was raining. (413)
Beaten: 8
UMGUSA RANCHJUNE 85: 2 tourists killed, by dissidents
Dead: 2
5.6.COMMERCIAL FARMING AREA - SOUTHERN NYAMANDLOVU
Some of the following incidents were recounted in interviews with commercial farmers, and therefore have no case number as reference.
LUSHABE RANCH: 1983: several farm employees were beaten and detained by 5B after feeding dissidents. (858)****JUNE 83: A farmer and his foreman and two other workers were shot and killed, and two others were injured, by dissidents. **** APRIL 86: This report accuses 5 Brigade of posing as dissidents and then holding up a bus at gunpoint. The bus was burnt and a widow with 6 kids was shot dead. (1329) Commercial farmers remember this bus burning, but can shed no light on who the perpetrators were.
(This report does not correspond clearly with any bus burning reported in The Chronicle - there were no buses burnt in 1986 according to CH, and none in April of any year. However there were buses held up often in this area, and always attributed to dissidents.)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 3 ?
BROMLEY (NYAKATHA) FARMTime unclear - many women who had been cutting thatching grass were beaten for 6 hours by 5B from 2 pumas. (859)
Beaten: 20?
PETERSEN'S FARM - Nyamandlovu. NOV 1983: Several farm workers beaten and one homestead burnt down by 5B, accused of keeping dissidents. (1734)
Beaten: several
Burnt: 1 homestead
BELL'S FARM 1983: 5B came to the farm and accused workers of feeding dissidents. They beat them until one died. A woman went insane from the beating, and others were hospitalised. (1691-2)
Dead: 1
Beaten: 2 plus others
NEW CROSS FARMSEPT 83: labourers assaulted by 5B.
Beaten: ?
GLENCURRAGH FARM1983: elderly farm labourer beaten by 5B
Beaten: 1
MOONTO FARM**** Dissidents crushed a farm worker's head, killing him. They also shot dead 2 other workers, and injured 2. They then went on to "kill the master."
Dead: 4
GSW: 2
EAST JUNCTION FARM1984-5: time not clearly remembered, but the rancher here found 15 human skeletons in a remote area: this sounds like 5B.
BUMANE FARM**** JULY 83: a farm worker who reported a dissident presence was in turn reported by others to the dissidents, who beat him and then shot him dead.
Dead: 1
TEAK DALE FARMFEB 83: dissidents spent the night on the farm, and the next day 5B arrived and beat those living there, and burnt their house. (1249)APRIL 83: an ex-ZIPRA now in the ZNA came to visit his family here and was assaulted by 5B, breaking his collar-bone. (3251)1987: an employee from Teak Dale was forcibly resettled by the army, who destroyed his granary. (3307)
Beaten: 6?
Burnt: 1 homestead, 1 granary
ROSIN FARMFEB 1983: 5B badly beat the foreman for denying knowing any dissidents. The farm manager arrived and took him to hospital.
Beaten: 1
SILVER STREAM FARMSEPT 83: labourers assaulted by 5B, on the same day as labourers on New Cross Farm and Cedar Park.
Beaten: 5?
CEDAR PARKSEPT 83: labourers assaulted by 5B.
Beaten: 5?
SPRINGFIELD FARMNOV 1984: the owner who was an MP was murdered, allegedly by the army. His son was detained with 6 others for 2 weeks. (340-1)
Dead: 1
Detained: 6
OCT 85: a farmer and his wife were shot and killed and so was their foreman - perpetrator dissidents.
Dead: 3
AUG 87: a farmer on his way to a cattle sale was shot dead and so was his militia man.
Dead: 2
OCT 87: a farmer and his wife were ambushed and sustained serious injuries, the wife sustaining permanent brain damage. Their militia man was killed.
Dead: 1
Injured: 2
NGOMA BOTTLE STORE (Nyamandlovu town)**** AUG 1982: man killed by dissidents. (2248)
Dead: 1(diss)
NGOMA TOWNSHIP (Nyamandlovu Town)MARCH 1983: a man was beaten until his ears bled by 5B for saying he had no daughters at home. (1233)
Beaten: 1
6.SUMMARY OF TSHOLOTSHO ATROCITIES BY REGION
Note: Beatings are counted separately from other forms of physical torture to highlight their prevalence: numbers in "mass beatings" are estimated separately from incidents in which a few, specifically numbered/named victims were beaten, hence the two totals for beatings in each listing. A conservative estimate of 50 per mass beating was decided on.
GSW - gun shot wound
BAYONET W - bayonet wound
1.PUMULA MISSION AREA
DEAD: 333 known, plus others implied
MISSING:10
BEATEN:45+ named victims
MASS BEATINGS:22 villages experienced this - estimated 1100 villagers involved.
RAPED:11
GSW:4
BURNINGS:148 homesteads - involves 11 villages where many or all homes were burnt
7 of the above burnings involved the burning to death of people, ranging in number from 1 to 30 per incident.
2.NANDA - MBAMBA AREA: SOUTH-SOUTH EAST DEAD:94 known plus others implied
MISSING:31
TORTURED:33
BEATEN:86+ named victims
MASS BEATINGS:5 villages experienced this - estimated 250 villagers involved
RAPED:13+
GSW:4
BAYONET W:3
BURNINGS:10 homesteads - NO reports of entire villages burnt.
NO reports of people burned in huts
3.TSHOLOTSHO TOWN AND CENTRAL AREA
DEAD:124 known plus others implied
MISSING:43
TORTURED:23
BEATEN:43+ named victims
MASS BEATINGS:18 villages experienced this - estimated 900 villagers involved
RAPED:12+
GSW:3
BURNINGS:55 homesteads - involves 9 villages where many or all homes were burnt
2 reports of people burnt in huts, 1 in each case
4.NORTHERN TSHOLOTSHO
DEAD:206 known plus others implied
MISSING:6
TORTURED:1
BEATEN:74+ named
MASS BEATINGS:25 villages experienced this - estimated 1250 villagers involved
(3 of these incidents involved everyone stripping naked first)
4 railway siding beatings - estimated 200 involved
RAPED:28
GSW:9
BURNINGS:54 homesteads - involves 4 villages where many or all homes were burnt.
1 report of person in a hut which was burnt
5 and 6.OTHER PARTS OF NYAMANDLOVU - COMMERCIAL FARMS, RESETTLEMENT AND FORESTRY AREAS
DEAD:45
MISSING:1
TORTURED:1
BEATEN:66
RAPED:3
BURNINGS:15 homesteads - also burning of clinic and school
DETENTIONS - ALL AREAS
WESTERN TSHOLOTOSHO42+
SOUTHERN131+
CENTRAL 300+
NORTHERN 15+
These figures exclude people forcibly removed from one village to another venue close by, such as an adjacent village or school or river plain. They also exclude general figures for detentions available from other sources, such as LCFHR.
TOTALSDEAD:802 known plus others implied
MISSING:91
TORTURED:58
BEATEN:314
MASS BEATINGS:70 villages - estimated 3500 villagers involved
4 railway sidings - estimated 200 villagers involved
RAPED:67
GSW:20
BAYONET W:3
BURNINGS:345 homesteads
