(MISA/IFEX) – On 10 November 1997, freelance journalist Lewis Gaba was assaulted by angry ex-combatants of the armed wings of Zimbabwe’s liberation movements for asking what they called “provocative questions”. Gaba sustained a cut below his eye and his trousers were ripped open during the attack. The editor of “The Herald” newspaper, Tommy Sithole, was […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 10 November 1997, freelance journalist Lewis
Gaba was assaulted by angry ex-combatants of the armed wings of
Zimbabwe’s liberation movements for asking what they called
“provocative questions”. Gaba sustained a cut below his eye and
his trousers were ripped open during the attack. The editor of
“The Herald” newspaper, Tommy Sithole, was also threatened by the
chairman of the Ex-Combatants’ Association, who described him as
an “agent of imperialism” who should be dealt with.
The incident happened at a press conference addressed by War
Veterans’ Association of Zimbabwe (WVAZ) chairman Dr. Chenjerai
Hunzvi. During the question and answer period, Gaba had asked Dr.
Hunzvi to comment on allegations that he was using the war
veterans issue to further his political ambitions. He had also
asked a number of questions that were shouted down by former
freedom fighters, after which he was warned not to ask those
kinds of questions again. Gaba claimed that he was merely
fulfilling his duties as a journalist by asking questions to set
the record straight.
In a statement issued on 11 November, MISA-Zimbabwe condemned the
attack, adding that “It is extremely unfortunate that some
members of the War Veterans Association who risked life and limb
to fight for freedom of expression, among other human rights
denied them by colonial governments, should now find it necessary
to resort to threats, intimidation and physical harassment to
deny journalists and by inference, other citizens, the same
freedoms.”
