BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
people placed them literally in the middle, between the security forces
and liberation forces.^31 In order to win the minds and the hearts of the
civilians; unorthodoxy means were used especially by liberation forces
like terror tactics that included: raiding civilian homes, forcing civilians
to attend clandestine ‘all-night’ meetings (pungwes)^32 , attacked women
and children, committed horrendous acts against innocent people espe-
cially civilians considered to be ‘sell outs’.^33 People would settle personal
scores (possibly jealous neighbors) by labelling innocent persons as ‘sell
outs’ and reporting them to ‘Vakomana’ or liberation fighters. The la-
beled victims ended up being killed, disabled, losing their homes, bro-
ken limbs simply because they were suspected of being ‘sell outs’. In
most cases, a Kangaroo court was set by the guerillas and not chiefs,
where the accused would not stand a chance. Edgar Tekere rightly ad-
mits that, ‘if you were an opponent or perceived rival, you were simply
labeled a ‘sell-out’.^34 There could be no worse accusation in a struggle
because of the ruthless manner in which the so-called sell-outs were
treated. There could have indeed been sell-outs, as happens in war situa-
tions, but it is fair to say the label was also misused and abused to settle
personal scores or simply endear themselves to the leaders’.^35 The orgy
of violence also included the indiscriminate use of landmines and mur-
dering of unprotected missionaries. The same madness was seen on the
part of Rhodesian security forces that also used terrorist tactics against
the civilians. Yet the Rhodesian forces were expected to protect the peo-
ple and maintain order in society. Civilians saw helicopters gunships
firing incendiary bullets into the roofs of their huts and thousands of
innocent civilians were indiscriminately killed.^36 The trauma against
civilians included interrogative questionings, use of bayonets to stab
peoples’ feet, putting electric wires to instill electronic shocks on civil-
(^31) M Auret, From Liberator to Dictator: An Insider’s Account of Robert Mugabe’s Descent to
Tyranny, South Africa: New Africa Books, 2009, 32.
(^32) Pungwes or all night meetings were clandestinely carried out by the guerrilla fighters.
There was no excuse for not attending such meetings. It is such meetings that people
got indoctrinated about the moral importance of supporting the liberation struggle
against the colonial totalitarian regime of Ian Smith. People who were not supportive
or critical of nationalists fighters were labelled as ‘sell outs’.
(^33) Auret, From Liberator to Dictator, 33.
(^34) Tekere, A Lifetime Struggle, 52.
(^35) Tekere, A Lifetime Struggle, 52.
(^36) Auret, From Liberator to Dictator, 33.