Motsi Trauma 2010.Pdf

TITLE The Trauma Caused by the Matebeleland Massacre of 1982 – 1987 in Tsholotsho Zimbabwe and How the Church can Bring Transformation Using Pastoral Care. By Raymond G. Motsi Submitted in Partial fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree, Doctor of Divinity In the Faculty Theology University of Pretoria Promoter; Professor Maake Masango May 2010 1 © University of Pretoria Declaration I Raymond Givemore Motsi declare that the dissertation which I here by submit for the degree of doctorate in Practical Theology at the University of Pretoria is my own work and has not previously been submitted by me for a degree at this or any other tertiary institution. 2 © University of Pretoria Acknowledgment This Dissertation is dedicated to the many thousands of victims and survivors of this man made disaster who are heroes and heroines because of their resilience. Secondly, I would like to thank my family for allowing me to pursue my heart and for their patience and tolerance toward me during my absence in body and spirit because of this work. Thirdly, thank you to all those who have contributed by assisting me in being able to achieve this. It is true to say, “I am because I belong”. May the spirit of ubuntu be resuscitated in our communities and country. 3 © University of Pretoria Abstract This study was undertaken in order to research on the trauma caused by the Matebeleland Massacre of 1982-87 in Tsholotsho Zimbabwe. This dissertation is two pronged: one part is to ascertain the trauma in the community twenty years after and the second aspect is to suggest interventions that can be applied. The history of the country and the political background to the conflict is the most rational way to explain why this may have happened. This history has been used to justify the Massacre and is being used continuously even today by those in power. If people do not learn from their history they are bound to repeat it, (interview with Phineahs Dube 4/8/20080). Trauma has been investigated using a qualitative social reconstruction narrative theory by way of cultural world view and not medical psychological means. Investigating people’s painful experiences and emotions has not been easy. A suitable framework and trauma measure which are scientifically approved had to be found and used in order to validate and verify the results in a manner that the outcome can be accepted scientifically and internationally. Chronic ‘on going’ trauma or Long-term Psycho-social Crisis is the kind of trauma that the researcher has come up with if conventional medical jargon is to be avoided. The survivors can not fully comprehend what happened to them but the greatest injury and pain is caused by how the community as a whole was under threat of annihilation by the Gukurahundi, The name itself is infamous and points to the brutal nature of the operation of this North Korean trained army battalion known simply, as the 5th Brigade. 4 © University of Pretoria The interventions suggested are psycho-social since the context is rural Tsholotsho Matebeleland, culturally, a socio-centric set up with in an African world view, (Mbiti 1969) and (Mugambi and Kirima 1976). The Church is proposed as the agent for change in the community as light and salt due to its proximity to the community. The interventions include funerals services and rituals, testimonies, and archival processes for the sake of prevention and collective memory. The psycho-social cultural approach takes the survivor from being just an individual with a personal problem to a collective memory of experience. (Becker 2000: 18) This gives practical theology an opportunity for a logical conclusion of all theologizing which is a theology of praxis or engagement. Key Words Psychosocial, survivor, trauma, worldview, transformation, culture, torture, silence, church, peace-building and resilience 5 © University of Pretoria Summary of the Dissertation The community is hurting and in crisis whilst the church lulls in its comfort of precarious peace and dubious plenty. The problem is that nothing has been done about the problem of the Matebeleland Massacre of 1982-87 even by the church. It is believed that over twenty thousand people were killed by the Government special army, the 5th Brigade. This dissertation has a two pronged approach to the issue of the Massacre. The first one is the ascertaining of the trauma on the ground twenty five years after the event. The second one is the proposal of non-violent interventions which could be used to bring about transformation in the community that is hurting. A correct diagnosis will lead to a correct treatment. A history of the country and its political background is given in order to frame the problem in its proper context and help the readers to understand. The history and the nation’s political background is the bed rock on which this conflict that brought about the Massacre is imbedded. The back ground was used by both political parties i.e., ZANU PF and ZAPU PF, either as a justification and/or to vilify the other. This was a political problem, a conflict that had been nursed for over two decades. The methodology used is a qualitative social reconstruction narrative theory. The aim was to establish the kind of trauma and its severity. Trauma is a phenomenon that can not be quantified but can be qualified through emotions and experiences hence, qualitative approach was used. Due to the fact that the Massacre happened in three provinces of Zimbabwe i.e., Midlands and Matebeleland North and South sampling approach had to be done and Tsholotsho which is located northwest of the country in Matebeleland north was chosen. The reason for sampling was to do a thorough 6 © University of Pretoria scientific investigation based on structured interviews by way of questionnaires and unstructured group conversations. The first task was to define trauma in an African cultural world view. This had to come from the survivors as they narrated their stories, songs, and proverbs. Trauma in this dissertation is not defined from a medical psychological perspective but from a psycho-social approach. The researcher is a minister of religion and he is not qualified to assess trauma through the instrumentality of psychology or PTSD approach. Secondly, He believes that PTSD is not an appropriate diagnosis in the African context where a person is socio-centric and not ego-centric. The third reason is that there are not enough medically qualified personnel in Africa, let alone Zimbabwe to help millions that have been traumatized and need urgent help. Trauma is the deductive and reconstruction of the people’s stories, experiences and understanding of what happened to them told by a third party. That is where data interpretation came in as it was analyzed and coded using the framework and grid designed for that purpose. The trauma that the researcher came up with is chronic ‘on going’ trauma if the researcher uses western understanding. But the researcher would suggest that in this research and in Africa it will be called Long-term Psycho-social Crisis. A health crisis in African culture means that the community has a problem and a responsibility amongst its members. The Church has by its proximity to the public in the community has a role to play with its pastoral care through shepherding and wise guidance as suggested by Gerkin (1997). By its influence, the church is supposed to be light and salt to the world. 7 © University of Pretoria The interventions suggested are all psychosocial in nature. They start with the Church realizing its mandate and mission here on earth as it puts practical theology to test in its praxis. Interventions involve funeral services, rituals of mourning, testimonies, and archival processes for a collective memory and for the sake of our posterity. The researcher has been enriched and transformed by the survivor’s resilience, courage and generosity not to keep their experiences to themselves but to share with those willing to listen. All that is left is to be reminded that information means responsibility what are you going to do with this information now that you know? 8 © University of Pretoria Definitions Atrocity; It is an act of cruelty or wickedness, violence done to civilians or non combatants. Base Camps; These were the centres established by ZANU soldiers in the bush or any way they so fit during the war of liberation. People were forced to go there and have all night vigils singing. The idea was used after the independence in 1980 and was used by Gukurahundi. Church; It is the local congregation and all other national Christian church from all denominations which make up the body of Christ in Zimbabwe. Conflict transformation; The process of changing a confrontational /antagonist situation into a manageable process by way of removing and dealing with the way we perceive things and circumstance. Dissidents; These were Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army; freedom fighters that had left the Zimbabwean National Army or were absent without official leave and were accused of destabilizing the Zimbabwean government. Non violent interventions; These are peace building, conflict transformation, ritual and liturgical activities in the affected areas in order to bring about holistic social transformation. Gukurahundi; It is a nick name given to the 5th Brigade army battalion trained by the Koreans which literally means “the early rain which sweeps away the chuff.” 9 © University of Pretoria Operation drama; It was a South African government sponsored code name for under operations of the apartheid regime to destabilize Zimbabwe soon after independence. Reconciliation; It is an action that seeks to establish or built the pillars of peace by removing and dealing with impediments of healthy relationships in the community.

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