MDC-T a terrorist organisation

The Oxford English Dictionary defines terrorism as "the unofficial or unauthorised use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims." It also defines a terrorist as "a person who uses terrorism in the pursuit of political aims."

MDC-T's recent demonstrations brought untold violence and terror in Zimbabwe's capital city of Harare. That party's youth assembly organised the demonstrations and strategized violent tactics against the police and innocent civilians. They also burnt a police base to ashes. Vehicles were burnt and stoned. That party's goons caused mayhem in the city using iron bars, bricks, stones and catapults to damage shops which they then looted. Innocent civilians were forced to chant that party's slogans; failure of which one would receive severe battering from the hoodlums.

The MDC-T terrorists grabbed mobile phones belonging to innocent people and smashed them after suspecting that the phones were being used to take footage of the unfolding terrorism. They used innocent civilians as human shields while stoning the police; a tactic used by terrorist groups the world over. Thank God; some of these terrorists are now in police custody. Zimbabweans are hoping that the judiciary will not let them down by setting these terrorists free into the streets where they would continue with the vagary of terrorism.

MDC-T is, and has always been a violent political grouping. That party's leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, unwittingly disclosed his party's evil modus operandi when he said that President Mugabe should go peacefully or risk being removed from office violently. His nefarious attempts to have President Mugabe assassinated is quite revealing. Tsvangirai's thugs are notorious for petrol bombing police stations, houses and public transport. They even direct their mayhem at fellow party members who may be perceived as going against their leader's dictatorial tendencies.

For that party's spokesperson, Obert Gutu, to describe his party as "a lawful and peace- loving social democratic party'' will not fool anyone. The party is a terrorist organisation as evidenced by its deeds. Now it is being revealed that the party is training terror squads in some neighbouring countries where they are also getting uniforms similar to those used by the Zimbabwe National Army and Zimbabwe Republic Police to further fuel terrorism in the country. What will stop this terrorist organisation from acquiring arms of war?

Terrorist groups, all over the world, use terrorism to gain publicity, force constitutional governments to abdicate to their demands or to remove the governments from power violently. It is surprising that some Western countries, led by the United States of America, are discouraging the Zimbabwe Republic Police from fighting terrorism unfolding in the streets of Zimbabwe. The Western countries are spending billions of dollars in trying to combat terrorism they created in North Africa and the Middle East as it is now directly affecting their countries. They are now helping to create this monster in Zimbabwe led by Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T. What will be these countries' reaction if Zimbabwe does a similar thing on their territories?

Some sections of the press have chosen to be mouthpieces of terrorism. Instead of condemning acts of terrorism, unfolding in Zimbabwe at the hands of MDC-T, they seem to be encouraging acts of mayhem to continue unabated in the country.

It is therefore prudent for the opposition political parties, which recently joined MDC-T under the banner of National Election Reform Agenda (NERA), to revisit their decisions and disassociate themselves from the terrorist organisation, MDC-T. Failure to do so will only make them associates of a terrorist organisation. "Birds of the same feather fly together." They should not cry foul when the government ruthlessly deals with terrorism like any other government on earth would do.

Instead of preparing to get into power through the constitutional path, MDC-T has chosen to violently get into power through the path of terrorism. Zimbabweans love peace and would not tolerate the highest form of destabilisation of their country through terrorism.

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Chadzimura Mhute <chadzi.mhute@gmail.com