Catherine Reilly speaks to human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, a year after her illegal detention by authorities in Zimbabwe
IT’S ONE year since Zimbabwean human rights activist Jestina Mukoko was abducted from her Harare home by state security forces, and illegally detained and tortured for over 20 days.
For Mukoko it was a “lifetime” ago, she told Metro Éireann on her recent Dublin visit, where she thanked supporters for their efforts.
“I never dreamt as I sat in the corner of the room where I was kept, incommunicado, that the world – including Ireland – was up in arms, demanding my unconditional release,” she said.
In Ireland as a guest of Trócaire, Mukoko is head of the human rights organisation the Zimbabwe Peace Project. She was one of 18 people abducted in Mugabe-ruled Zimbabwe this time last year and charged with variations of the same fabricated crime, namely training militia and planning to overthrow the president.
Mukoko, a former high-profile journalist, was released on bail after 90 days in captivity, and on 28 September Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court dropped all charges against her, ruling her abduction and torture a human rights violation.
She was also granted a permanent stay of criminal proceedings because the government of Zimbabwe had violated her constitutional rights.
“This morning at 6.18am my son said, ‘Do you realise that today is 3 December?’” said Mukoko. “He said he was so happy to be with me, because this time last year they’d already snatched me by this time – I was dragged out of my house, indecently dressed, without my glasses and barefoot.”
Mukoko continues her work as a human rights activist. But despite “aspects of improvement” in Zimbabwe, most notably in the economy, life for journalists and human rights defenders in the country remains tense.
“As head of an organisation that monitors and documents violations of human rights, we are concerned that we are still recording substantial numbers of human rights abuses. I think the situation could be better considering there is no election in sight and we have an inclusive government in place,” she commented.
“General harassment and intimidation” continues, she added, but access to healthcare and education has seen improvements.
The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), which Mukoko heads, is a non-profit organisation formed in 2000 by a group of churches and NGOs working towards peace building and human rights.
The organisation monitors and documents cases of violence and human rights violations, assists victims with legal redress, and refers victims of organised violence, torture and other human rights abuses to organisations that offer medical, social, counselling and other forms of support.
Trócaire has supported the ZPP since 2004 and has a strong working partnership with the organisation.
The ZPP hopes that by Zimbabwe’s next presidential elections in 2013, EU observers will be permitted into the country, and that structures for “professional electoral management” will be in place.
As for Mukoko, her Christian faith gave her hope during the ordeal, which she believes “had a purpose” ordained by God. But the Zimbabwean campaigner also conceded that it’s taken its toll.
“At times, it all comes back, I relive the day I was taken... I need time to get away from everything, recuperate and recharge the batteries.”
This Christmas, one of Trócaire’s ethical gifts is the gift of lunches for school children in Zimbabwe. This gift will help Trócaire to provide nutritious school lunches to over 24,000 Zimbabwean children every year, often the only good meal they get each day. For more visit the website www.trocaire.org/globalgift
