Trust complies Court order

order stopping it from exhuming remains of former freedom fighters anywhere in the country.
The association was exhuming remains of freedom fighters at the disused Chibondo Mineshaft in Mount Darwin.
FHTAZ stopped its activities after a High Court judge in Bulawayo a fortnight ago ordered it to stop the exhumations forthwith.
Justice Nicholas Mathonsi also ordered the co-Ministers of Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi and Theresa Makone to ensure that the association and its chairman Cde George Rutanhire complied with the court order.
A visit to Chibondo Mine (formerly William Monkey Farm) recently revealed that the association had since stopped its activities.
All the remains they had exhumed so far were still at the site.
“We are not exhuming as of now since there is a High Court order and the Government has also stopped us since they want to come in also,” the association’s deputy chairperson Cde Takesure Chemhere said.
She said it was disturbing to note that the Zipra Veterans Association represented by its chairman Lazarus Ncube had taken them to court when they were doing this for the nation.
“We have been doing this since 1980 without any resources and we were doing it for the nation so that these freedom fighters get decent burials.
“If we are given the go ahead we won’t give up until we finish this job,” Cde Chemhere. said
Ashanti Mine has provided them with an excavator which is currently digging graves at the site to bury some of the remains they exhumed.
Cde Chemhere said a shrine would be constructed at Chibondo Mine Shaft.
She said some of the people whose relatives were found there, had agreed that the remains be buried near the mineshaft.
Over 100 remains are expected to be buried this week.
Chief exhumer Cde Jimmy Motsi believed there are still more remains of freedom fighters at the shaft.
There are over four mineshafts at the area where remains of freedom fighters were buried during the liberation struggle.
“Our wish is to have all these remains exhumed and get a decent burial,” Cde Motsi said.
He expressed concern over some media reports alleging that some of these remains were found with cellphones and plastic national identification particulars.
“These people were not killed recently but died a long time ago, during the liberation struggle.
“Some of these journalists are dreaming and not reporting it as it is. They want to damage the country’s image,” Cde Motsi said.
Several people from all parts of the country continued visiting the area to see the remains and according to reports they receive between 1 500 and 3 000 visitors a day.