The Sunday Mail
SISTER Janice McLaughlin, an American missionary of the Maryknoll Order, who was imprisoned by the white minority government in war-torn Rhodesia for exposing atrocities against its indigenous people, died in March this year.
President Mnangagwa described Sister McLaughlin as a hero.
Before she died, she had completed her auto-biography, The Colour of Your Skin Doesn’t Matter, a wonderful text on her life story, which was published by Weaver Press, Harare.
It should be in every library in the country. Sister Janice enrolled as a nun at the age of 18, and dedicated her entire life to missionary work in Africa, spending time in Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
She spent 40 years in Zimbabwe, which was her home.
She first came to Zimbabwe in 1977 to work as press secretary for the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace.
In that position she was responsible for publishing details of the abuse of civilians who were suspected of helping or being freedom fighters.
These people, young and old, were tortured and beaten up ruthlessly.
Many were hanged illegally and secretly buried.
Because of her fearless exposure of these atrocities she was arrested by the Rhodesian Government and imprisoned at Chikurubi prison.
While in prison, she was placed in total isolation, with only her two guards for company. She won the support of all the prison guards and women prisoners, some of whom had also been imprisoned for supporting freedom fighters. Every night, they sang liberation songs and were often joined by the male prisoners. After her painful imprisonment, she was deported to New York.
Back in America, she continued supporting the liberation struggle, meeting with Senators to inform them about the liberation struggle. This was absolutely critical because she was able to give important leaders accurate information about what was happening in Rhodesia.
She learnt all about how the political system works in the United States, an invaluable knowledge which put her in good stead all her life. She also mobilized funding for valuable food and transport for the liberation struggle, especially for the tens of thousands of children living in Mozambique and Zambia refugee camps.
She came to Mozambique and participated in the education and training programmes at ZANU Education Headquarters in Matenje as well as in Maputo. She started an administration programme in Maputo to train cadres on how to improve the administration after Independence.
This was supported by military and education leaders.
Unfortunately, this programme was never completed. It would have been invaluable after Independence.
Her work was valued by the freedom fighters. After Independence she was involved in the founding of Kushinga Phikelela Agricultural College together with president Canaan Banana to give war veterans agricultural training.
She also helped found the Zimbabwe Foundation for Education with Production (ZIMFEP), established to provide education and job training to war veterans and former refugees who had been in Mozambique and Zambia.
She was a member of the Zimbabwe Project, which provided support for ZIPRA combatants. Sister Janice loved people, particularly the people of Zimbabwe.
She was a close friend of Josiah Tongogara and his family, and spent a lot of time with his young children.
She loved children, and was a great godmother to my daughter Chipo.
Fay Chung is a former Minister of Education, Sport and Culture.
