Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai comfortable among 'poppy allies'

Tsvangirai comfortable among 'poppy allies'
By: Nancy Lovedale
Posted: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 5:24 am

MORGAN Tsvangirai is an embarassment to the people of Zimbabwe. It has to be categorically stated and the time for diplomacy regarding this man is simply over.

When I heard that he was a keynote speaker at the 43rd Annual Conference of the International Association of Political Consultants and Public Affairs (IAPC) in Paris, France on 8-10 November 2010, I thought this was just another visit, and we are accustomed to MDC leaders receiving bonuses for their work for the west.

Remember Tsvangirai won a "Human Rights Award" from this organisation in 2002. Our naive media could not even remember that. They reported that he had gone to receive an award. Tsvangirai had gone to 'repay' them for that 2002 award.

The significance of that trip and its symbolism is very troubling.

Tsvangirai later attended commemorations in Paris. This was very significant and I don't know whether Tsvangirai and his team are simply naive or deliberately contemptuous.

The date 11 November (11th Hour of the 11th day) is Armistice Day. It is also variously known in the West as Poppy Day, Remembrance Day or Veterans Day.

On that very day/date, our own Prime Minister wore a red poppy in France, together with Roy Bennett, Nelson Chamisa and other MDC-T officials commemorating the cessation of hostilities of the First World War.

They stood there, among westerners, to observe a one minute silence in memory of Allied soldiers.

These are the same people who had boycotted the Heroes Day commemorations held at the provincial heroes acre in Masvingo in August this year, among other boycotts.

Morgan Tsvangirai at the IAPC (10 November, 2010)

Tsvangirai, on that cold winter day, also stood there and listened to Roy Bennett lie about Zimbabwe's liberation struggle and twist Zimbabwe's history; while Europe commemorated its war dead.

Bennett lied that Zanu-PF had fought against its own people from its inception. He could not tell the same group that Zanu-PF brought democracy to Zimbabwe, and that he had been a member of Zanu-PF in the past.

He also subliminally praised the role played by whites in Zimbabwe, in the full glare of Tsvangirai, Chamisa and their MDC-T functionaries.

This is pathetic and an indictment on our quest for freedom, human dignity, independence and sovereignty.

How low can one stoop, when they stand there idly and hear their history twisted by the same people who killed, maimed and stole from their forefathers?

Chaminuka, Nehanda, Kaguvi, Mzilikazi, Lobengula and all those who fought for us must turning in their graves.

MDC-T leaders now jet in and out of Europe meeting Western leaders, without meeting their supporters, since Tsvangirai was jeered at and heckled at Southwark Cathedral in 2009 and he has abandoned his dwindling flock ever since.

MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti secretly visited the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 29 September this year and MDC-T supporters never knew "their man" was in the country.

The MDC-T has ceased to be an important political party on the continent; that is why it gets snubbed by regional organisations that are beginning to express their assertiveness internationally.

The MDC-T has become a thorn among roses on the continent; and an itch that needs scratching.

Their pathetic attempt to seek redress for their political misfortunes from Sadc is laughable; given that barely two years ago they were chastising the same grouping for being slow and lazy with regards to Zimbabwe.

Sadc is simply tired of the MDC-T's tantrums and will never tolerate their ever-shifting demands anymore. That time is over. The region has more pressing issues to deal with than MDC-T's hormonal imbalance.

The words of former South African President Thabo Mbeki will haunt the MDC-T forever.

After Tendai Biti had written to Sadc leaders calling them "cowards", Cde Mbeki responded in a terse, but straight-to-the-point letter:

"Realistically, Zimbabwe will never share the same neighbourhood with the countries of western Europe and North America, and therefore secure its success on the basis of friendship with these, and contempt for the decisions of its immediate African neighbours.

"Such manner of proceeding might earn you prominent media headlines. However, I assure you that it will do nothing to solve the problems of Zimbabwe."

Now the party is seeking an audience from "cowards". That is the unfortunate position they find themselves in as they become increasingly isolated on the continent; and internationally too as the world order starts shifting.

_____________________
Nancy Lovedale is an avid supporter of Dynamos FC and Arsenal FC. She writes from Beijing in China and can be reached via nancy_lovedale *** yahoo.com

Labels: IAPC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 10:25 PM