This morning the country woke up to the news of vandalism of the grave of one of the liberation struggle heroes, Chris Hani. While it is not clear whether this kind of vandalism of the grave is politically motivated or not it begs the question as to why whoever wanted to make a statement would resort to express this onto a grave of the diseased.
The dissenting views, fears and hatred that permeate amongst some sectors of the South African communities have found expression onto the graves including those of the heroes of the struggle. The CRL Rights Commission notes with shock and deep sadness the shooting of the tombstone of the grave of Chris Hani.
The Commission further wishes to highlight the growing phenomenon of contempt in which South Africans are treating their dead. It leaves us to wonder if the dead have rights. Many of the graves in the farms and poor communities have not only been neglected, vandalised but illegally exhumed with such extreme traumatising consequences for the families.
The graves are part of historic heritage and human rights. As such, they are sacred sites and thus function as part of expression of the community’s culture, conscience, identity, tradition, spiritual and religious belief and way of life.
To destroy graves is to eradicate the beliefs and identity of many of South African communities and hence many in this country continue to grieve over their loved ones that disappeared without trace during apartheid. They cannot find a sense of reconciliation and closure in the current dispensation. Nor do the dead rest in peace in that case.
As the country will be celebrating Human Rights month the CRL Rights Commission will be highlighting the continuing violation of the dead and the associated violation of cultural, spiritual and religious rights of the communities especially in rural areas in South Africa.
We call upon all peace-loving people to assist the police with as much information as possible so as to prevent a continuation of such barbaric acts.
For more information contact:
Adv Pheagane Moreroa
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 011 537 7625
Cell: 083 233 1538
