First voice: ‘It was so unfortunate for me when I got arrested by plain clothes
police after taking some photos of the government party giving maize to poor
people. I resisted arrest at first, but they handcuffed me and produced their IDs.
It was around 11am when they threw me into the cells without taking any
statement. My mobile and shoes had been surrendered in the charge office. They
deleted the photos I took and confiscated my SIM card.
I spent the whole day and night in the cells which were stinking due to a toilet
in the corner of the cell room which was only flushed once a day – it has to be
done by someone outside the cell. We were 14 in the cell and were joined by
another 7 at around 9pm – all 21 cooped up in an area around 16ft x 16ft. There
was no view with a barred window near roof level.
I braved the cold night with no blankets. At 6am I heard the noise of the cell
door being unlocked. We were told to come out for counting. After some 30
minutes, we were locked up again with no food or water. During the afternoon
when I peeped through a keyhole, I saw a cop putting some food onto the big lid
of a rubbish bin. The food stayed uncovered for almost half an hour when some
pigeons took turns to feed.
Come 3 pm, they unlocked the gate of the fence surrounding the cells and told
the inmates to come and eat. The food was sadza, not properly cooked with half
cooked beans and no salt. I only had a pinch and couldn’t continue feeding as I
felt like vomiting. At 3.15pm we were locked up again until the next day. There
were now 13 of us left as some relatives had paid fines for some inmates.
It was extremely cold during the night, and we shared one blanket among five
people and tried to sleep on the cold hard rough concrete floor. The blankets
were infested with lice which were biting. They were unbearably harsh
conditions.
On the third day my uncle borrowed US$160 and paid the fine as he was
worried that I was not taking my medication; I suffer badly from various
ailments. I was released at around 5pm on Day 3, without being charged, feeling
ill and afraid.’
Second voice: ‘He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered
them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, “This is
my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour.”’
We need to relate the two voices to each another. They both speak to us from ‘a
cloud’. Failure to listen to them only sinks us deeper in the mud.
By Fr David Harold-Barry SJ
English