Remembering the Terror of Nyazonia – ZimEye

Narrative
Ileana Sithole and Dr. Masimba Mawaza

Dr. Masimba Mawaza | It has been 48 years since the tragic day on 9 August 1976 when the Nyazonia refugee camp in Mozambique was brutally attacked by the Rhodesian Army, killing more than a thousand innocent civilians. Among the survivors of this horrific event is the Honorable Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, known by her war name “Chido Chimurenga”.

Mutsvangwa, now 63, remembers clearly what happened that day, and there is a mixture of sadness and resilience in her voice as she recounts the harrowing experience.

“Nyati killed his comrades, and whenever we’re in trouble, we just miss him, we just cry, we just dig him, like that friend,” she sings, her eyes reflecting the deep pain of that fateful day.

Nyazonia had become a refuge for Zimbabweans (then called Rhodesians) fleeing the war. On that day, the camp was home to a variety of people – children, nursing mothers, women and the elderly – all seeking safety from the war-torn area.

As a young woman, Mutsvangwa joined the liberation struggle after graduating from Mutambara High School in her third year with friends Winnet Mupita, Sophia Munakandafa and the late Veronica Chigumira. She recalls her arrival at Nyazonia camp, a concentration camp for Zimbabwean refugees. Conditions in the camp were dire. Food was scarce and the refugees went hungry in the first few days.

Competition for food, water, shelter and other basic necessities was fierce. Violence, already rampant, became even more abominable in these camps. Mutsvangwa had two clothes when she arrived, but they were taken by other comrades who had none. As she searched her memory, she remembered being served shaza and soy milk, which sometimes looked like colored water. They had to be strong to eat or they would starve to death. Although they wanted to go home, their desire for freedom forced them to stay.

As mentioned earlier, this refugee camp is a place of refuge for forcibly displaced persons or people who have fled their homes due to war, conflict or fear of persecution. These people seek safety in other countries. There are over five thousand people in the Nyazonia refugee camp. It is estimated that by the end of 1978, there were over two million refugees worldwide, all from Zimbabwe. While refugees seek safety and protection in other countries, it can be a long, difficult and dangerous journey before they find a permanent home. They are united by their common goal of training to become freedom fighters.

The journey to Mozambique was challenging. They did not know where Mozambique was, only that it was to the east, so they traveled east, fearing capture or killing by the Rhodesian army. Along the way, many were captured, tortured, or killed. Some ended up living in refugee camps, makeshift settlements that provide basic necessities for those waiting to receive training. Despite fleeing their home country, the refugees in these camps still face great risks.

Life in refugee camps

Living in a refugee camp is a step towards finding new accommodation and freedom, but it also comes with challenges. A major problem in Nyazonia is overcrowding. The camps pack thousands of people into small spaces, making it easier for diseases to spread and creating dangerous situations in emergencies. Overcrowding also exacerbates many other problems refugees faced when Nyazonia was attacked. Supplies and proper facilities are inadequate. They have to cut grass to build their camp homes, with straw beds and sometimes just a blanket. Some sleep without blankets, which mosquitoes feast on. Zvaive zvakaoma.

Sanitation and hygiene measures, while implemented, are difficult to maintain. Nyazonia also suffers from sanitation and hygiene issues due to a lack of clean water and cleaning supplies. This allows diseases to spread easily throughout the population. People are unable to clean themselves properly, wash cooking supplies, or disinfect areas effectively. This is particularly severe for girls.

One of the main problems facing the refugee camps is the lack of clean water. Without clean water to meet hygiene requirements, refugees risk becoming dehydrated and sick from drinking contaminated water. They have to rely on river water.

Food safety is also a concern. The nature of refugee camps makes them ill-suited for proper cooking and food storage. Without a reliable source of electricity to adequately cool or heat food, people are forced to take risks with what they can eat, leading to foodborne illness and other health issues.

Limited access to health care is another danger faced by refugees in the camps. Poor living conditions often exacerbate health problems and sometimes lead to death. Many of Mutsvangwa’s comrades died of illness.

“But as the war had planned for us, I remember the horrific events of August 9,” Mutsvangwa recalled, sitting on the ground with a tennis shoe stuck under her washed and drying skirt. She was with her fellow soldiers.

“As we sat there, we heard the sound of vehicles approaching the camp. People stood up and cheered, thinking they were being taken to a training camp in Chimoio, Tete, Tanzania or China,” Mutsvangwa recalled. “But that was not the case. The vehicles were not there to take us to the training ground. Instead, Nyati and the Selous scouts disguised as Frelimo soldiers came to ambush the unsuspecting refugees.”

Mutsvangwa has been at the camp for less than a year and she doesn’t feel the need to go near vehicles. She is not ready for training yet.

Mutsvangwa remained seated, doubtful about the situation, while her friend Veronica rushed to the vehicle, only to be met with a heavy hail of enemy bullets as they opened fire on the camp.

“I had never heard gunfire or explosions before and had no idea how to protect myself. We started running around, trying to find a place to hide, but bullets rained down on us. I saw people in front of me and to the sides of me being shot and falling dead. It was a horrific scene – I even saw a head fall off a body. I imagined the headless body running, but after a few metres, the lifeless body fell to the ground,” Mutsvangwa recalled, her voice shaking with emotion.

The survivors fled to the Nyazonia River, where Casablanca arrived to help those who could not swim across. They continued on and reached the Pongwe River, which was larger and more dangerous than the Nyazonia. Some comrades tried to make makeshift ropes and planks to help them cross the river, but the waves were too strong and many were swept away.

“We walked for a day and a half without food and finally met the people of Dzungda. They gave us oranges and I remember there was one orange for 15 of us. That day, I understood the true meaning of love and unity,” Mutsvangwa said.

The group eventually reached Dzunda and subsequently established the Doiroi camp from scratch. A platoon was sent back to the site of the massacre, where Cde. Pfepferere counted the bodies and buried the dead.

The leadership instructed Cde. Pfepferere to ensure that the deceased received a decent burial, if possible, according to the rites of the religion to which the deceased belonged. They are to ensure that the graves are respected, grouped by unit whenever possible, and that they are maintained and marked. This is a sad moment.

Since the Nyazonia massacre, there have been varying accounts of how the dead should be handled. Past societies, like us, had cultural traditions or spiritual beliefs about the proper handling of the bodies of their war dead. Some form of disposal, such as burial or cremation, in accordance with social conventions is often an important part of these customs. Respect for the dead, identification of remains, and repatriation of remains are values ​​we share with peoples of the past.

Now, as Mutsvangwa thinks back on that tragic day, she thanks God for sparing her life. She also learned that the man named Nyati who led the attack was actually Levy Mutasa, a traitor who sold innocent souls for his own selfish gains.

“The blood shed in Nyazonia must not be in vain,” Mutsvangwa said. “We must defend the freedom that was won through so many sacrifices. It is our responsibility to ensure that the sacrifice of those who lost their lives was not in vain.”

Related