NOTE: This is the letter I wrote in reply to the letter sent to me on the 4th November 2010 which was delivered to the Association’s offices on the the 5th November 2010
5 November 2010
Mr. Mpofu
Provincial Chairman
Zimbabwe Liberation War Veteran Association
Harare Province
Cnr Jason Moyo and 4TH Street
Harare
Dear Mr. Mpofu
REF:Â YOUR LETTER DATED 4 NOVEMBER 2010
I refer to your letter dated 4 November 2010.
I was misquoted by NewsDay in so far as their Headline is concerned. In this regard, I attach a copy of the actual speech I gave which I trust will set the record straight. Amongst other things, you will note that I made reference in it to the Nyadzonia Massacre and to my concern that human rights violations of the past, including the colonial era, have not been adequately dealt with in my view.
In my view, human rights are universal, eternal and sacrosanct and whenever they are breached, men and women of goodwill have a duty to speak out against such breaches.
For the record, I was never a member of the Selous Scouts or any unit of the army. I was a member of the British South Africa Police (BSAP) having been conscripted by the Rhodesian Government (as applied to all white 18 year old men). As my speech (and many others I have given) makes clear, I strongly believe that racial discrimination and many other actions of the Rhodesian Front Government were unjust and wrong. However, we now all have an obligation to reconcile and move forward in the best interests of our beloved Nation and her future- which predominantly rests in all our children. As my speech makes clear, if we do not deal with the mistakes we have all made in the past in different ways, then our Nation will be doomed to repeat them in future.
Yours Faithfully,
Senator David Coltart
MINISTER OF EDUCATION, SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE.