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Zimbabwe security sector reforms debunked

13 Aug 2020 at 09:15hrs | Views
US-funded studies on security sector reform in Zimbabwe have largely taken the radical view that more often than not, the military has acted undemocratically through uttering and overseeing an array of operations meant to stifle democracy. However, a Twitter user called Matigary has a different view. Below are his views on the so-called reforms.

I used to talk with Tsvangirai for many years. Often he spoke about security sector reform. I realized later it wasn't his idea. It was a foreign idea.



"Security sector ‘re-forms'" are foreign agendas. Why wld foreigners who r not citizens want to "re-form" the security sector of Zimbabwe? Why wld ZDF allow it?



The re-form idea was not Tsvangirai's.

There is a foreign group dedicated on this "security sector re-form" thingy!

They call themselves Zimbabwe Working Group.

Foreigners, who dedicate their time to work on Zim? For what?




The Zimbabwe Working Group comprises people like Alex Noyes (who says he is an expert on security sector re-form in Africa), Mark Bellamy, Bruce Wharton (former US Ambassador) & of course Todd Moss (who pushed for extended sanctions this year.



Is it out of love that foreigners on a far away continent across the Atlantic want to ‘re-form" Zimbabwe's military?

What's their interest?

The idea was never Tsvangirai's idea. He got it from foreigners. Why?




As I said, I later discovered many of Tsvangirai's ideas were not his - fed on him by foreigners. His military's re-form ideas were foreign.

This is y the military had disdain for him.

Frank Chikane told us that during GNU talks, Tsvangirai was some1 else's front.




Recall that Zimbabwe is under sanctions. The stated reason for those sanctions - Executive order, is that Zimbabwe is a "unusual & extra-ordinary" threat to the foreign policy of the US. That is the stated reason for sanctions.



So Tsvangirai's calls for security sector reforms were a voice from a far away country.

Now, remember when Mugabe resigned in 2017 November, Biti was full of praise of the military. So was David Coltart. @nelsonchamisa called it a "miracle"!

When Chamisa called the transition a miracle, I questioned his view back in 2017.



Tendai Biti even told @SABCNewsOnline to chill and not panic, the military understood "needs of business."

David Coltart called it the coolest coup in the world.




Soon after celebrating the coup, Biti, Dewa Mavhinga & @nelsonchamisa flew to Washington DC & lobbied for more sanctions. @edmnangagwa had not included them in his cabinet. The trip was facilitated by who? By Todd Moss, Jeffrey Smith & the security sector reform lobby.



Todd Moss,a member of the Zimbabwe Working Group had, after Biti was kicked out of the MDC by Tsvangirai following the Mandel debacle, facilitated a fellowship for Biti at the Center for Global Development.

Moss pushed for sanctions & called Biti a friend of the committee.




Most Zimbabweans do not understand that the military in Zimbabwe has unique foundations arising from the war waged by the Heroes we honour today.

This is why Zimbabwe is punished & foreigners want to "re-form" the military!



Why is Zimbabwe unique?

Zimbabwe was considered a European country by European settlers.

Zanla & Zipra fought a liberation war from colonization from 4 July 1964 to 1980. It was the longest armed liberation war in Africa. Not even ANC waged such a long war!




The only reason Zimbabwe got independent, only reason, is because of these men and women who fought for nearly 2 decades, with no salary, little food & clothing. They were revolutionaries who didn't need foreigners to tell them do this or that. Smith finally gave up!




Zimbabweans didn't get freedom from colonial rule through the benevolence of Europe. Zimbabwe became free after nearly 2 decades of war.

Even US mercenaries joined Rhodesians to stop independence - called the Crippled Eagles, the likes of George W. Clarke, John A. Coey, etc




As Chimbetu said, "Kwaienda vakashinga moyo chete". Vana @ProfJNMoyo ran away.

Rhodesia was the only country in Africa where chemical and biological weapons - weapons of mass destruction - were used against our people (see Glenn Cross's book Dirty War: Rhodesia..)



The problems of diseases like anthrax that still bother and destroy Zimbabwean cattle all over the country today were biological weapons manufactured in Rhodesian Labs to kill villagers.

Selous Scouts used to leave poisoned tinned beef to kill villagers & Cdes.




The so-called human rights activists like David Coltart who today clamour for security sector "re-form" were killing our people and dumping them in mine shafts. They were killing the same people they are seeking to re-form. It's ironic, isn't it?



Now most of our young people today don't know that the British helped shape the current Zimbabwe Defence Forces, which foreigners seek to "re-form".

At Independence, UK army sent in trainers - a team called British Military Advisory & Training Team (BMATT).




For over 20 years, the British Army had a contingent of military officers stationed in Zimbabwe, about 150 of them training soldiers across the country: in Nyanga, etc. A number of them were based in Gweru at Zimbabwe Military Academy.




Why were 150 British soldiers in Zimbabwe? Mugabe had developed a close relationship with Lord Soames, and it was part of the independence deal to integrate the military and avoid problems for Rhodesian elements in the army.




Even when Gukurahundi was happening the British BMATT soldiers were in Zimbabwe.

Even when ZNA soldiers went to the DRC in 1998, the BMATT team was here.

Even when warvets started taking land from white farmers, the British  army was here.



Britain spent £1.6 million a year to keep its BMATT soldiers in Zimbabwe.

In 2000, Francis Maude, a shadow foreign secretary started pushing for the withdrawal of the BMATT soldiers citing (1) ZNA's DRC involvement & (2) what he termed "ethnic cleansing" of white farmers.




MDC then, pleaded with Blair to keep BMATT soldiers in Zim.

Lieutenant Col. Gary Donaldson, BMATT chief of staff said then: "What we have seen of the Zimbabwean military is impressive. This is one of the best armies in Africa."

BMATT soldiers only left Zimbabwe in 2002.




Recall sanctions were imposed by George Bush & Co in 2001.

Also recall Mbeki disclosed that in 2003, Blair wanted a military invasion of Zim.

Mbeki: "It was a regime change scheme, even to the point of using military force and we were saying no."




If u watch carefully, claim by Francis Maude in 2000 of  "ethnic cleansing of white farmers" is same claim being made in SA today by a minority (thru Afriforum) that owns 70% of the land to protect status quo. It's y @CyrilRamaphosa got millions for his campaign.



Many of the top military officers in the ZDF were trained either at Sandhurst or Camberly. For example, Perrence Shiri was trained at Sandhurst.

As L.Colonel Gary Donaldson, chief of staff of BMATT) said: "What we have seen of the Zimbabwean military is impressive."




As way back at 1993, soldiers like @MinisterSBMoyo were already accomplished brigadiers who have far more military knowhow than the likes of Alex Noyes or Todd Moss or Tsvangirai or Chamisa who today seeks to "re-form" the military.



So why do foreigners want military re-form in Zimbabwe? To achieve what?

If you look at this table here where the Zimbabwe Working Group was discussing security sector re-form, its a foreign agenda with some token Africans who have no clue what they were doing there.



Why do foreigners have a mission to re-form the security sector in Zimbabwe?

It wasn't Tsvangirai's agenda. It was always a foreign agenda with Tsvangirai as a front of that agenda.

But as Joshua Nkomo said, our army is not a Salvation Army.



Source - Twitter
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.

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