Stop the violence
out beyond ideas of right doing and wrong doing
there is a field
I’ll meet you there
rumi
Last week the Tree of Life held workshops in the granite rocks of Mutoko
sheltering from the October heat under Mahatcha trees
as they dropped their ripening fruit into the circles
30 people had walked from their homes 1 to 2 hours away
all from the same community
headmen, councillors, community leaders and activists
victims and the perpetrators together in the same circle
victims who had become perpetrators
and perpetrators who had become victims
brother against brother
father against son
a community who have been carrying the brunt of political conflict and social upheaval in the centre of their families
but in this place
where they told their stories
they began to speak of something different
of their need to stop the violence
and to reconstruct their lives
to see beyond fear
into the eyes of their brother, neighbour, friend
and recognise that peace was more important
(there was even the space for humour
as one man said to the person who had burnt his house and stolen his chicken.
“the house I can understand – but my hen?
did you think she had a vote?”)
and when the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about
rumi
Thursday, November 12th 2009 at 4:18 pm
How I wish that one day we will be living in a land where there is no enmity. And those who perpetrated violence living like normal human beings who can be trusted and them being honest in their communities. If one day, ZANU PF decides to stop the violences against those who challenge them, those who criticise them and if one day the MDCs will just decide to not to retaliate but by all means try to ask their enemies to refrain from violence and show them a better way of living, by TALKS.
If the CIO agents will one day smile and laugh with other people (civilians or normal people) in combis, if they can allow people to talk openly their political minds without threatening them with death – guns and other dangerous weapons. And when we will all argue but at the end eating together on the same table.
My wish and my desires, I know, are unachievable, yes seemingly, but the truth be told, are achievable even in a very short time unimagined. But this, when all warring parties decides to let go of the evil and violent ways of sharing information and expressing self.