Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike in LUENA, Angola
IN a long-overdue act of remembrance, the Government has pledged to construct permanent shrines and monuments at the Boma mass grave site in Moxico Province, Angola, the final resting place for over 300 liberation war fighters, alongside their Cuban instructors and Angolan allies.
The fighters, who were killed when the Boma training camp was bombed on February 26, 1979, have lain in unmarked graves for over four decades.
However, that is set to change following a visit to the site yesterday by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who laid a wreath in their honour and announced plans for a dignified memorial.
Speaking at the memorial site, Vice President Mohadi stressed the importance of ensuring that the sacrifices of the fallen heroes were honoured.
“So, we are going to give them a decent burial, or shrine, or memorial site, that will remain in the annals of Zimbabwean history,” said VP Mohadi.
“Young Zimbabweans who want to learn about the liberation of Zimbabwe must also come and see what happened here in Angola, where our young people were just butchered. And it is so sad to be here. In fact, it reminds me of those moments when we were out here in the bush, when we were being hunted like animals.
“These souls that lie here never committed any crime, but because they wanted their country, they wanted to liberate their country, and they paid the supreme sacrifice.
“It is so touching, and it is so painful, to relive this kind of situation, but I am happy that we are here, the officials are here, they have seen this place, which, if we had not come here, could have been forgotten completely.”
The Vice President thanked the Angolan Government and the local community for safeguarding the mass graves for nearly half a century.
Without their vigilance, he said, Zimbabwe might never have been able to honour its fallen at Moxico.
His visit, he said, was born out of the need to honour all fallen heroes — regardless of the countries in which they were buried.
“From the way you see the state of the mass grave, it has not been attended to for years, I think 46 years or 47 years,” he said.
“But we have come to the realisation that every Zimbabwean, regardless of where he lies or she lies, must be recognised by the State.”
VP Mohadi also saluted Angola for hosting Zimbabwean fighters during the liberation war.
“To Angola, our sister republic, we were here, hosted by Angola, which was a very young republic then, because they had just gotten their independence in 1975.
“But they did not wait for themselves to come of age.
“They said Angola was not going to be free until the whole of SADC was free.
“So they gave us this base here, this training camp to train our people so that they could execute this struggle and we would like to thank them again, we cannot thank them enough.”
He reminded the gathering that Angola, Zambia, Mozambique and other frontline states paid a heavy price from the bombardments and raids by the apartheid regime of South Africa working with Rhodesian forces.
“When I say the region of SADC, I mean that we are brothers, and the bond between our countries is by blood,” said the VP.
“It is the blood of the Angolans, the blood of Zambia, Mozambique, and all other frontline States. They contributed to this.”
Describing the massacre as a cowardly act, Vice President Mohadi said such events should never be forgotten.
He assured the Governor of Moxico that Zimbabwe would continue to honour the Boma shrine and deepen relations between the two nations.
