Alliance Mosi-OA-Tunya (AMOT) commemorates Castro's life

The coalition of Mthwakazi groups under the Alliance Mosi-OA-unya (AMOT) has joined all progressive Africans at Johannesburg Hall to commemorate the life of former Cuban President CDE Fidel Castro who passed away last week.

The group said they honour Castro for his bravery and also for his commitment in fighting against imperialism and capitalism world over.

"Cde Fidel Castro played a pivotal role in making sure most African countries especially those in SADC get their Independence from the colonialists governments. Though as UMthwakazi people we are still to get our own independence, we appreciate the efforts that were made by Cde Fidel Castro and we believe that he was/is not the only person who have people at heart. We strongly believe that the world is watching and soon we will get international support," said the AMOT.

"As an Alliance of different Mthwakazi organisations we are gathered here today in solidarity with African National Congress (ANC), ever since Gukurahundi genocide took place in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland region from 1982 to 87 we have not known peace and more than three million of our people have found a new home in South Africa on the benevolence of ANC which have allowed our people some who are political refugees, some economic refugees and majority being Ndebele people who ran away from tribal killings against our people. Our people from Mthwakazi are currently scattered all over the World mostly here in South Africa after they ran away from Zimbabwean State security brutality."

The alliace said the ANC through uMkhonto Wesizwe had a good relationship with the people of Matabeleland because of their working relationship with ZAPU and Zipra, unfortunately ZAPU and Zipra didn't get into power and they were subsequently haunted out of Zimbabwean government by Mugabe and his Zanu PF party and they wish the relationship between Mthwakazi and South Africa which dates back from the time of their King Mzilikazi in Kwazulu Natal to remain.

"Cde Fidel Castro who we are celebrating his life today helped ANC and ZAPU a lot during the struggle, Castro gave them moral support, intelligence information arms. Etc. But in Zimbabwe things didn't work out well for ZAPU which was robed out of power by Britain and Mashonaland people represented by their tribalistic party ZANU PF led by Robert Mugabe," sai the AMOT.

"We are here to support and say thank you to ANC for taking care of us while in South Africa, we take this opportunity to ask the South African government and the South African media to help us and also to expose the Zimbabwean regime's Human Rights abuse. We in Matabeleland have been made to be second class citizens in our own country, after ZANU PF in 1979 crafted their satanic document called the Grand Plan which is meant to wipe out all Mthwakazi people."

They said the tribal war against Ndebele people in Zimbabwe is so serious such that in 1982 to 87 Mugabe unleashed his private army to kill thousands of people at least over 50 000 innocent people were killed, as if that was not enough thousands were maimed, millions run away from their homes and were made to be destitutes across the world today, we are denied education, employment, land, natural resources in Mthwakazi are benefiting Mashonaland people at their expense.

"Even the so called land reform is only meant to benefit people from Mashonaland even in Matabeleland we have seen farms being taken from White people and given to Shona people while we benefit nothing, it was even better when those farms were owned by White people because there was production in those farms that benefited us with food security and employment, but the current owners from Mashonaland benefit us nothing at all," said AMOT.

"Our only hope is South Africa in Matabeleland there is no family that doesn't have relatives in South Africa most of our parents remain at home while all youthful people are finding their way to this country. While we are not proud of that we just appreciate that South Africa has taken care of us for this long. Just like Fidel Castro who made it a point to help liberate many countries outside his country Cuba, may the same spirit be upon the ANC government today as one of the super powers in Africa can you please help us get our freedom back, help us as Mthwakazi people get self-determination."