Zimbabwean army deserters in South Africa : military bonding and survival
Date
2013
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Volume Title
Publisher
University for Peace Africa Programme, Addis Ababa, ET
Abstract
Accounts of Zimbabwe’s political crisis have mostly presented soldiers in the army as defenders
of President Robert Mugabe’s regime without any mention of the regime’s victimization of its
own soldiers. To escape further victimization many of these soldiers deserted and migrated to
South Africa. In exile, their military bonds remain a significant aspect of their lives. This article
explores how Zimbabwean army deserters in South Africa deal with their past and survive in
exile. The exploration is based on qualitative research using life histories, focus group discussions,
informal conversations, and observation. It was found that the thirty-nine army deserters
surveyed formed the equivalent of a ‘military unit’, albeit in exile, to manage their pasts, maintain
their sense of dignity, and lobby for political amnesty from the Zimbabwean government.
Description
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Journal Article (peer-reviewed)
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Text
Keywords
MILITARY RECRUITMENT, NATIONALITY, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, POST-CONFLICT SOCIETIES, DESERTERS, POLITICAL CORRUPTION, MILITARY SERVICE, CULTURAL IDENTITY, AMNESTY
Citation
Maringira, G., Richters, A., & Gibson, D. (2013). Zimbabwean Army Deserters in South Africa: Military Bonding and Survival. Africa Peace and Conflict Journal, 6(2): 32-43.