By Faith Chimutsa
From left Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Ambassador Dr Tamer Almassri
During the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestine People commemorations held in Harare on 29 November , minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Government Programmes Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said Zimbabweans went through a very bitter war of liberation and the nature of issues is the same with what is happening to the Palestinian people in terms of being occupied.
“Every year, we celebrate the International Solidarity with the people of Palestine but this year it is different as the international community is witnessing or has in fact declared genocide against the Palestine people”, said minister Mumbengegwi in his speech.
” We have to be very clear as to the nature of the issue. We Zimbabwe went through a very bitter war of liberation. We know how brutal the enemy can become. We were under occupation and during the colonial era, we actually had a national holiday on the 12th of September every year which was called Occupation Day. And we resisted against the occupation such that we were branded terrorists “, he added.
” Is there any higher level of terrorism higher than occupying people, their country, their resources and their wealth? When you resist against that occupation, you are branded a terrorist. And the occupier tries to deceive the world that they are the victims “, he explained.
” The victims of a people fighting against occupation. And that is what we are faced with. They are people who say Isreal are only resisting, defending themselves and their country. The Palestine people have every right to resist against occupation”, Mumbengegwi added.
He went on to say apart from it being Palestine people’s right to defend themselves, no people have got any right under international statutes to occupy and control another person. ” Israel has been able to do it because powers of this world, the western powers have allowed it and will continue to allow it. Intact, we are seeing all the leaders of the western countries flocking to later pay homage in the fave of such unprecedented brutality”, he noted.
He said Israel wants to raise every building in Palestine to the ground openly. “They don’t want to allow any food, any water, any medicine, nothing to get to millions of Palestine people. They move on to bombard hospitals, schools without any apology. Not by mistake but by intention. International laws doesn’t allow this but Israel can do this because the western powers allow it. None of the western powers is prepared to announce that this is a war against humanity. They are getting silent. Even in their own countries, they have gatherings protesting on why their governments can stand idle and cheer on murderous”, he bemoaned.
” I have no doubt, whatsoever happens to the people of Palestine, they have a will and destination to win back their land. No oppressor have succeeded in our history. We can feel for them and as Zimbabwe we express our commitment and solidarity with the troubles of the Palestine people . The oppressing powers should be ashamed of what they have done”, he said.
We are looking at a bombardment which has never been carried out even in World War 2. Hiroshima and Nagasaki didn’t reach the intensity of destruction carried out in Palestine today. We will continue to stand beside Palestine”, he reiterated.
Palestine Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr. Tamer Almassri in his remarks said nowadays Israel is bombarding Gaza to the extent of 15 000 lives lost, 75% being women and children, 7 000 are under the rubbles, 58 000 are injured with 1.5 million displaced most of them from the North to the South of Gaza.
” Unfortunately, the Israel Apartheid is now targeting Palestine identity. The Americans are the partners presented by Biden who is a criminal and is heading the genocide. They want humanity to be ejected from our people”, he said.
Dr. Tamer Almassri appreciated Zimbabwe solidarity with their people.
The crowd was entertained by poets from the Women Writers Support Network Africa. Their poems were in solidarity with the Palestine people.
Luke Musekiwa recited Blared and Its no longer a war but complete genocide, Mary Makoni had Talking to wars and Loved, Yvonne Ndove recited Hand in hand and Its not a war its genocide, Matipa Mavunga had The letter of the little boy and Rutendo Muzadzi had also a nice poem titled Whispers of hope.
Chenura Trust Theatre had a play titled Chindunduma meaning struggle. The play was about the Israel occupation of Palestine since 1948 till now.
News Sport Online 