TERRORISM AT PLAY
THE masterminds of terrorism are reaping their bounty.
Their orchestration is bearing the day, with the citizenry in total disarray, disregarding the normal structures of law and order and taking the law in their own hands.
With suspects torched and symbols of law and order - police stations - burnt down by seemingly indignant and rightfully self-righteous citizens who have taken pretentious steps to forestall carnage and property destruction alternative authority will prevail.
This is what domestic terrorism is all about.
Terrorism is all about the desire to undermine public confidence and especially in the ability of authorities to protect and defend citizens. The authority of the Police is undermined, and Government is forced to use the heavy hand of the military which is interpreted by the international community as political coercion.
As we have said before, it is intended to create a climate of fear and intimidation in which the terrorists thrive. Any terrorised community invariably changes its way of life, terrorised in homes, schools and normal safe assembly points.
This is exactly the effect terrorists want to implant on a community by turning everyday routines and events into highly suspicious and potential terror instruments.
As we have said before, the moral of the story is that the cynical agents of death and destruction do not value life. They are embroiled in a narrow, evil and sinful pursuit aimed at undermining authority from a safe distance while sacrificing innocent people who are brainwashed into undertaking the dastardliest acts such as suicide bombing.
They hide behind the naïve operatives gassing families, schools and clinics which are symbols of community cohesion with the purpose of entrenching fear, despondency and ultimately a desire for regime change.
This is evidenced by the chant of school pupils demanding regime change. It is a betrayal of the intentions of those behind the gassing of families and institutions, in the hope of influencing the general public against the existing regime. It is as myopic as it is dangerous.
This is fake news inspired by those who stand no chance of winning success in a democratically inspired plebiscite, and would rather undermine existing authority by virtue of underhand and totally unorthodox means to wrestle power and hopefully install themselves in the driving seat of political authority.
This is an illusion that will not materialise.
Terrorism will never succeed because it does not deal with the sentiments and concerns of the ordinary people. It deals with fringe personalities desirous of imposing their will over the majority.
We appeal to the public and all law enforcement authorities to smoke out the miscreants responsible for the gassing campaign that has shaken the peace loving Zambians who have laid their trust and confidence in the ballot box to change regimes rather than in the obnoxious hand of terror.
It is our sincere hope that Zambians will cooperate with the law enforcement agencies to identify the culprits and bring them to book in the shortest time.