|
n/a • n/a
Subject: Sanctions
Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:42:40 • Sekai - What an ace of a contribution! As you rightly say, Zimbabwe is endowed with resources and does not need to belong to the family of beggars. I agree with your sentiments about the Home link scheme. It was not a well -crafted scheme and come to think of it, who an earth pays a mortgage within five years? I have also heard rumours that some Zimbabweans were unhappy about the way both the scheme/ funds were administered but I do not know much about this and will not make any further comments. However, there is no reason why Biti can’t revisit the scheme, get feed- back from Diasporans and make the scheme more transparent.
Yes, issues of trust, confidence, transparency and perception are very important when one is dealing with financial/banking systems. Unless we Zimbabweans ourselves start correcting any such weaknesses in our own systems and portray a positive perception, then we should not expect outsiders to view our environment positively. Frankly, I have never ever witnessed any country in the world that has aired its dirty linen (real and imagined) to the whole world except Zimbabwe. Do you think all countries are squeaky clean and have no skeletons in their cupboards? We Zimbabweans individually and collectively have also played a very significant role in the tarnishing of our country’s image. The enemies of Zimbabwe have exploited this to further isolate and demonise the country and its people. In any other country, some of the information that has been put into the public domain by Zimbabweans would be viewed as a threat to national security and the providers of this information would be tried for treason. So as Zimbabweans we need to review our past behaviour and start marketing the country positively. As stated earlier, the solutions to Zimbabwe’s problems lie with Zimbabweans. I do not doubt the fact that Zimbabweans in the Diaspora have done a lot to help their individual families in Zimbabwe. It is universally accepted that without this support a lot of families would have struggled. However, what is now needed is to extend this support from Diasporans from purely family to the community at large. There is this African saying that “it takes a whole village to raise a child”. Why don’t we borrow this saying and state “it takes one diasporan to uplift a whole village”. I have also heard a lot of talk about the poor state of the roads in Zimbabwe. Excuses that have been given for this state of affairs include “the local council does not have diesel for the tractors that are used to grade the roads”. Why can’t the diasporans provide this diesel and have the roads fixed and then ask for video evidence that this has been done. Why can’t the local council also enlist people in the area to make good of the roads as part of their community service? During Smith time, most of the rural roads were maintained using forced local labour. Whilst we do not want to go back to forced labour, however, there is nothing wrong in devolving responsibility for infrastructure to the local community and asking the community to come up with ways it can maintain the roads itself. Decentralisation is the name of the game
Ownership, responsibility and being allowed to make decisions are very important factors in motivating individuals and communities. Surely the diasporans can provide money to buy shovels, axes, barrows, grass slashers and diesel for tractors. It can be done. Self-help first and then begging bowl later is the way forward. One cannot influence one’s destiny by being a bystander and not a participant.
Sekai • na
Subject: Doing it ourselves
Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:43:22 • This is exciting na! Yes, fellow Zimbos, these are serious questions that na is raising. As Zimbabweans from wherever we are:
(1) What have we done to help ourselves and our country?
(2) What are we doing now to help ourselves and our country?
(3) What should we be doing to help ourselves and our country?
If the answers to the first two questions are that:
(1) we have done nothing.
(2) we are doing nothing now.
then a we have to ask, Why?
Like na points out, with the resources that Zim (has both natural and human) and the infrastructure (although decaying it is better still than most African and other third world countries), Zimbabwe does not fit into the family of beggar nations! Zimbabweans are generally hard working peace loving people, all we need is an enabling environment, we work and fend for ourselves. Look at the brilliant ideas that na is suggesting, could it be that other Zimbabweans have never thought of this before? I do not think so, it is simply the environment, the systems, the conditions, that are toxic, killing every brilliant idea in its infancy.
Let me be a bit ruthless (indulge in the blame game a bit) and give one example why some Zimbos who could help hold on to their funds. Remember the RBZ facilities to harness Diaspora funds, Home link, etc, etc? Why did it not succeed? I want to categorically state here that the way RBZ administered the funds made a lot of Zimbos unhappy. It does not help to go into the details of what people generally think the RBZ did with the little forex that trickled in save to say people think (rightly or wrongly) that it was grossly abused (luxury car buying sprees, unnecessary foreign education expenses for the select, funding of partisan political activities, unnecessary foreign trips by bloated delegations, funding of election terror activities, etc). I am not qualified to state whether these accusations are true, BUT PERCEPTION IS EVERYHING! That is were our leaders stand accused. Why not come clean, be transparent dispel the perceptions? For I tell you as long as these perceptions (if they are that) exist not even the Zimbos will not want to let their hard earned forex flow into official channels. Na, people including Zimbos have completely lost faith and trust in our leadership (well , there is a somewhat new leadership now…).
People and capital (this is true for citizens as well) simply need to have faith and trust in the leadership and systems of a country and then everything else follows. So my appeal to our leaders is talk and act in ways that restore the lost faith and trust, then you will not need to experience the humiliation of begging to all and sundry for handouts. We Zimbabweans will invest and once international capital sees that Zimbos have faith and trust in their own systems and leaders, it will come. Surely this is not asking too much from our leaders? Yes, let us demand accountability and transparency in how the little forex and other resources that are there are being used by this huge government of ours. If people know that their contributions will be put to good use and they see that happening why would they not contribute more willingly?
At the individual level Zimbos in the Diaspora are doing a lot for the people back home na, they are paying for school fees, rent food, clothing and medical treatment. I think if it was not for these diasporans things would have been much, much worse. But na is right, we need to start operating beyond the individual or family level to save Zim. I hope the current government goes into overdrive in implementing policies and acting in ways that encourage Zimbos to contribute in full force. Unfortunately, I am personally losing patience, the pace at which they are moving is very slow and their priorities are alarming to say the least. It was embarrassing to note that only ONE minister, who probably shares less of the suffering of the generality of Zimbos than the rest of those in government, was able to see the absurdity of the speed with which mercs were availed to the new government at the expense of much more deserving areas. Surely being a basket case how do we justify going for the most expensive official car in the world for the biggest government in the world as if we are some nation sitting on unlimited oil reserves?
Brilliant article na, now I will ask myself what have I done to help before I point fingers. But to say the truth most of our leaders irritate me because by virtue of their positions they could make such a massive difference by just doing the right thing, putting the nation first.
Toonana, regai ndimboshandira mhuri ne nyika, vangafe nenzara ndichingo popota.
n/a • n/a
Subject: Sanctions
Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:19:52 • Sekai - Well argued points.I agree the present cabinet is over-bloated and the issue of luxury vehicles to cabinet ministers irks.There is no justification for this state of affairs but then the majority of politicians are a greedy lot . For instance, in the European parliament, an MEP can become a millionaire within five years just from claiming expenses that are never properly audited.
However,you are right to state that you wish the leadership could be more inward looking and that it should be looking for solutions within the country itself instead of extending the begging bowl to all and sundry.Have you noticed the absence of any positive ideas from Zimbabweans themselves on how they can help the country to recover. For example, Zimbabweans remit an estimated billion dollars (USD) annually to Zimbabwe (World Bank report). Why does the govt not think of ways of tapping into this stream of revenue? Have they thought of offering Diasporan bonds? What of micro-finance? A lot of Zimbabweans are very keen to finance viable businesses in Zimbabwe. The govt could make this easier by matching those who need finance with those who can provide that finance.Why can't Zimbabweans in the diaspora link up and set up a venture capital vehicle for investing in Zimbabwe? Why can't Zimbabweans set up their own NGOs funded by Zimbabweans to provide support to schools, hospitals etc. Why ain't Zimbabweans in the diaspora buying books/ stationary for locals schools in Zimbabwe and supporting teachers' salaries? Why are Zimbabweans not setting up educational trust funds to assist children who cannot afford to pay school fees? Why are Zimbabweans in the diaspora not linking up with small scale farmers and investing in such farms? Where are the philathropists in Zimbabwe? There are so many things we Zimbabweans can do at an individual and collective level to make a difference. Publications like Talk Zimbabwe can faciliate the meeting of like minds who genuinely want to make a difference. We Zimbabweans need to stop playing the blame and victim games and start helping ourselves. If the West does not want to play ball, we should just leave it at that and find other alternatives. Our leaders should set a clear vision for the country .How about your suggestion of turning Zimbabwe into an eden of Africa? We should all of us be asking the question what we can do for Zimbabwe rather than what Zimbabwe can do for us. However, Sekai keep you eye on China and see how China will be very instrumental in the near future in the reformation of IMF/World Bank and even the United Nations. We could be witnessing the demise of the US dollar. Money talks.
Sekai • na
Subject: Sanctions
Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:02:26 • na much appreciated, I enjoyed reading your piece here.
I have no problems with your valid point that international relations is a complex matter especially with regards to our case. But I do not think if we had our house in order countries like China, Cuba, Iran, Libya, Russia and Venezuela would think twice about investing in Zim even under threats from USA. These countries literally tell the USA to go hang and it cannot do much about it (e.g. Chavez recently nationalised a big USA company). The Chinese I understand are becoming more circumspect now as to where to invest, they are now making the same demands as the west albeit not that noisily. Also just check how many big projects they have now suspended in unstable African states because the risks are too much. I also remember how the much celebrated deals with Libya, Malaysia, Russia, Iran fell through. Political leaders on those countries said they can facilitate engagement with their business communities but then we have to be able to pay, we have to be able to guarantee investments and we failed on those two. My point is we do have serious internal weaknesses that keep the purses of even these not so risk averse friendly nations tightly closed when it comes to investing in Zim.
For example look at the size of our cabinet man! Hey, I understand there had to be compromise but 71 ministers (mercs there fuel and maintenance, salaries, drivers and support staff)? You should listen to talk in bars and other public places, people are saying they will try by all means to avoid contributing to the fiscus because this government does not seem to understand the concept of living within one's means. Now I say if we Zimbabweans are saying we cannot fund this extravagancy what more taxpayers from other countries? This is just a small e.g. of internal issues to attend to.
On employment data, the exact figures could be debated but there is no doubt that given 20% capacity utilisation in industry there has been massive loss of jobs. In Agriculture we know that the 4 500 commercial farms used to employ about 750 000, now I doubt whether even 150 000 of these are still in their jobs even under new A2 farmers because A1 farms are owner operated in terms of labour. Check current levels of farm worker salaries to understand why there may be no takers for the few jobs that are there. I guess what that statistics are saying is that 90% of that 5% of the population that used to have jobs no longer have the jobs.
Anyway, my point is we cannot wait for change of heart from the west because we have no idea when that will happen. Let's make the world an offer that is impossible to resist by sorting out those issues that repulse capital from whichever source. I know deep down you, na, and most Zimbabweans know that is some cases we are worst enemies, there are definitely certain issues that we can sort out and capital will flow to Zim as surely as water always flows down hill (well, at least if it has not been forcibly stopped from doing so!)
You see even in our personal lives, there is so much that militate against us but those that make it focus on things that are within their sphere of control. If you are organised as a person there is no stopping you, the same applies to countries. China and USA are powerful because internally they are organised (well, that may be debatable now for USA). USSR fell because internally it had become seriously disorganised, same thing with the Roman Empire.
I am crying out for our leaders to be inward looking and ask what they can do to help Zim before they ask the rest of the world what it can do, they owe it to Zimbos but the world does not. The problem is, for the leadership its business as usual while the house is on fire, partying while asking the neighbours to put out the fire for us! If an enemy started the fire, what use is it to ask that same enemy to put it out the fire while we fold our hands? If I was the enemy I would say, yes, I will help but bring a bucket of petrol instead of water especially if the reasons why you become my enemy have not changed!
Good article, na, though. Man what can we do, it is frustrating, Zimbabwe could be the Eden of Africa, if not the whole world, but ...
N/A • N/A
Subject: N/A
Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:00:47 • Sekai, you have come up with a valid question with regards to why Zimbabwe is not engaging our friends from the East instead of going on about the West and its sanctions on the country. I think we are all now agreed that the sanctions are real and not targeted. Biti (the Finance Minister), Tsvangirai (the PM) and Mutambara (the deputy PM) have all recently acknowledged the existence of these sanctions and their negative impacts. We have to also accept the fact that these sanctions are illegal because it is only the United Nations that has a mandate to impose sanctions on any country. When we call for the removal of these sanctions, it is because we want to highlight their illegality and the fact that they go against the United Nations charter. In addition to imposing the sanctions, the West has also used underhand tactics to bully any company, nation and individuals that wants to trade with Zimbabwe. However when the companies are their own like Anglo-American etc, the rules are not applied. African leaders have been put under enormous pressure to toe the West’s line against Zimbabwe. A carrot and stick approach has been used. Even the late Mwanawasa (Zambia’s President) commented on the undue pressure that was being exerted on him. Jendayi Fraser (the former US Assistant Secretary of State) was criss- crossing Africa arm twisting all and sundry in her quest for regime change in Zimbabwe. Are you aware that shipments of oil paid for by Zimbabwe were being high-jacked on high seas and the vendors paid more money to divert the oil? Are you also aware that if you have a web based company located in Zimbabwe, one cannot use pay pal as payment mechanism because of the requirements under the Zidera Act, 2001? Are you also aware that the same West put a travel warning to its citizens not to travel to Zimbabwe because the country was deemed to be unsafe? Are you also aware because of their voting rights, the US and UK representatives on any world financial bodies have been instructed to veto any applications by Zimbabwe for loans and lines of credit. Zimbabwe has operated without any balance of payment support for the last ten years all because of the sanctions. Which third world country can effectively operate without balance of payment support and lines of credit? Has the West not warned all and sundry not to invest in Zimbabwe? Did the IMF/World Bank impose selective sanctions against Zimbabwe in 1997/8 when the country ditched their prescriptions?
Zimbabwe has managed to remain standing to date because of assistance from friendly countries in the East who am sure have been under tremendous pressure not to do so. China is now the US’ biggest creditor and the West also presents China’ biggest markets for its goods. In assisting Zimbabwe, China has also to consider its investments and its market. The same considerations also apply to any country, nations or individuals who want to invest in Zimbabwe or trade with Zimbabwe. They have to consider whether they want to end up blacklisted by the West. How the West operates when it wants regime change in any country is an open secret. For example Laurent Kabila (DRC) was initially installed by the West but when he embarked on policies that went against IMF/World Bank dictates, you know what happened to him. Google the Ukraine Orange revolution and you will find that the strategies that were employed by the US to effect regime change there are very similar to what Zimbabwe has been subjected to. Funnily enough, the Ukraine orange revolution is unravelling so fast that one commentator has stated that the orange has gone blue. Belarus is currently receiving the same treatment as Zimbabwe. The US has even crafted a BeDera Act to that effect. Zimbabweans are focusing on the West because the West has shown a quite unhealthy fixation with Zimbabwe. Check the Western press. When ever Zimbabwe sneezes, the whole world catches a cold. Why? In the UK, Zimbabwe is constantly debated in the House of Commons and House of Lords? Why? Only the very naïve think that the West is concerned about human rights, rule of law, good governance etc in Zimbabwe. You mentioned a very interesting observation that most third world countries are celebrating the imminent demise of the US. The rationale behind this is as follows : Firstly, these Western countries purport to be bastions of human rights, rule of law, good governance, property rights, sound judicial systems, sound economic policies and yet given all these , their economies are in free fall as a result of corruption, greediness, unsound economic policies and lack of regulation. Naturally, Zimbabweans are asking why the West is using these parameters as conditionalities for the removal of sanctions/engagement with Zimbabwe when the same have failed them in their own countries. It is the double standard that baffles us mostly.
Secondly, the end of the cold war (demise of the USSR) ushered in a new world order where the hegemony of the US was strengthened with dire consequences for the third world. The emergence of another seat of power means third world countries have alternatives of who to partner with in their quest for development.
When the West talks of corruption in Africa, one is led to believe that there is not an whiff of corruption in the West and yet it is the multi-national companies from the West that are bribing and corrupting third world officials left, right and centre. Link at: Nigeria: Halliburton - FG Asks U.S. to Name Indicted Citizens (http://allafrica.com/stories/200903300002.html)
Was Dick Cheney (former US Vice President) not a senior official at Halliburton?
Another link at: The Victims of Corruption
The human cost of bribery in the developing world
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bribe/2009/02/spotlight-the-victims-of-corruption.html
Those that export corruption to all corners of the world have no moral standing to preach against corrupt practices anywhere else. Would it not be better to clean up their backyards first? All of us wish the world was much simpler. When it comes to Zimbabwe, the only people who can pull Zimbabwe out of the quagmire are the Zimbabweans themselves. When figures of 90% unemployment in Zimbabwe are bandied about, one has to ask whether this figure is true. Formal employment has never been constituted more than 5% of the population from time immemorial. Most people in Zimbabwe have always been informal traders. In Ghana, 60% of the population are employed in the agricultural sector. In Uganda, the figure is about 75%.
Why are Zimbabweans not finding useful employment on the farms? Why are they waiting for Food Aid? Remember Food Aid is not a charity but a multi-billion dollar business for those who provide it.
Lastly but not least is the question whether the West will ever engage with Zimbabwe. The cracks are already appearing in the western united front against Zimbabwe. Capitalism has no morality and when it comes to making a fast buck, all thoughts of human rights etc will be flung out of the window. Remember, there is a fierce scramble for African resources between the East and West. Watch this space.
n/a • n/a
Subject: Sanctions
Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:58:27 • Sekai, you have come up with a valid question with regards to why Zimbabwe is not engaging our friends from the East instead of going on about the West and its sanctions on the country. I think we are all now agreed that the sanctions are real and not targeted. Biti (the Finance Minister), Tsvangirai (the PM) and Mutambara (the deputy PM) have all recently acknowledged the existence of these sanctions and their negative impacts. We have to also accept the fact that these sanctions are illegal because it is only the United Nations that has a mandate to impose sanctions on any country. When we call for the removal of these sanctions, it is because we want to highlight their illegality and the fact that they go against the United Nations charter. In addition to imposing the sanctions, the West has also used underhand tactics to bully any company, nation and individuals that wants to trade with Zimbabwe. However when the companies are their own like Anglo-American etc, the rules are not applied. African leaders have been put under enormous pressure to toe the West’s line against Zimbabwe. A carrot and stick approach has been used. Even the late Mwanawasa (Zambia’s President) commented on the undue pressure that was being exerted on him. Jendayi Fraser (the former US Assistant Secretary of State) was criss- crossing Africa arm twisting all and sundry in her quest for regime change in Zimbabwe. Are you aware that shipments of oil paid for by Zimbabwe were being high-jacked on high seas and the vendors paid more money to divert the oil? Are you also aware that if you have a web based company located in Zimbabwe, one cannot use pay pal as payment mechanism because of the requirements under the Zidera Act, 2001? Are you also aware that the same West put a travel warning to its citizens not to travel to Zimbabwe because the country was deemed to be unsafe? Are you also aware because of their voting rights, the US and UK representatives on any world financial bodies have been instructed to veto any applications by Zimbabwe for loans and lines of credit. Zimbabwe has operated without any balance of payment support for the last ten years all because of the sanctions. Which third world country can effectively operate without balance of payment support and lines of credit? Has the West not warned all and sundry not to invest in Zimbabwe? Did the IMF/World Bank impose selective sanctions against Zimbabwe in 1997/8 when the country ditched their prescriptions?
Zimbabwe has managed to remain standing to date because of assistance from friendly countries in the East who am sure have been under tremendous pressure not to do so. China is now the US’ biggest creditor and the West also presents China’ biggest markets for its goods. In assisting Zimbabwe, China has also to consider its investments and its market. The same considerations also apply to any country, nations or individuals who want to invest in Zimbabwe or trade with Zimbabwe. They have to consider whether they want to end up blacklisted by the West. How the West operates when it wants regime change in any country is an open secret. For example Laurent Kabila (DRC) was initially installed by the West but when he embarked on policies that went against IMF/World Bank dictates, you know what happened to him. Google the Ukraine Orange revolution and you will find that the strategies that were employed by the US to effect regime change there are very similar to what Zimbabwe has been subjected to. Funnily enough, the Ukraine orange revolution is unravelling so fast that one commentator has stated that the orange has gone blue. Belarus is currently receiving the same treatment as Zimbabwe. The US has even crafted a BeDera Act to that effect. Zimbabweans are focusing on the West because the West has shown a quite unhealthy fixation with Zimbabwe. Check the Western press. When ever Zimbabwe sneezes, the whole world catches a cold. Why? In the UK, Zimbabwe is constantly debated in the House of Commons and House of Lords? Why? Only the
Mhofeti • pasizw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: Zuma says Zimbabwe sanctions unfair
Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:38:46 • Sekai I think you appreciate that the economic ties and relationships that existed between Zimbabwe and the west as compared to the east makes it more practicable for the west to subbotage us than the east. Anyway it's always been my pleasure to engage you in topical issues regarding our beloved nation. Chicken and egg case maybe.
Sekai • na
Subject: Sanctions
Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:34:56 • Well, Mhofeti according to the official Zim position and what most African leaders are saying the west has left Zim alone, they have said we will have nothing to do with you because of A, B, C and D. So we definitely know why the west has this fixation with us. To put it bluntly in the words of the so called super patriots, we took land away from whites therefore we got sanctions. We are not going to return the land to the whites therefore the reason for the sanction stays, it follows then that no matter how much we squeal the sanctions will stay. That is why I am saying let us forget about the west, their conditions for removal of sanctions are unacceptable why then do you think they will change their position if we make a lot of noise???
But they are not stopping us from having relationships with anyone else so that is why I say if their conditions for lifting of the measures they have put in place against us are unacceptable let us forget about them. We cannot force them to have a relationship with us so why dwell on and on about them, to what end, to what help for Zim?
When I say we are celebrating the demise of USA, I mean what I am reading from the writings, talks, etc by most third world countries and those who call themselves supper patriots in Zim, there is glee and celebration Mhofeti that America is going to fall. I do not mean you or me specifically.
So my question still has no takers, including from you Mhofeti, if the west does not want to play ball, why are we failing to bring on board our friends from the east and other parts of the world? For as far as I am concerned what the west offers can be found in the east as well and the east has not imposed any sanctions on us.
I am seeking an objective analysis of the problems that we have as a country not emotionalised and entrenched position. I believe we can get to the root problem by elimination. I am saying let us aside the west and its sanctions because we cannot control that (at least on the basis that we are rejecting their conditions).
Let us capitalise on what we can control. For example to dollarize or not to dollarize was well within our control for a long time. We refused to do so calling it treason, unpatriotic, an assault on sovereignty, never, never, ever we said, government leaders who were for it were fired and demonised, arrested, some had to flee and resign from foreign lands, and the shops went empty, people become scavengers, the few goods available where on the black market at extortionist prices. Then eventually, we came to our senses, we dollarized and in less than a month the shops were filled with goods, the prices fell by more than 60% and the black market died a natural death. Everyone now can put in honest work get paid legally in US$ and sell legally in US$ and buy legally in US$, access to food and goods has generally improved. That, Mhofeti is managing things that are within your sphere of control. If we had not dollarized we would be in a terrible situation now as far as goods and basic commodities are concerned, we would have been crying sanctions when all that is needed is the right policy as demanded by the situation on the ground. You will agree with me that those remittances from abroad now can buy 3 times what they were buying in January before dollarization because of stupid policies that were in place then.
That is where I am coming from Mhofeti, otherwise your input shows real concern for the generality of Zimbos and the Nation, I share that with you.
Mhofeti • pasizw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: Zuma says Zimbabwe sanctions unfair
Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:05:41 • Sekai, first of all, we have got to agree that it's a bit difficult to ignore someone who can't leave you alone as well unless of course you think you can ignore someone by sanctioning them. We can also ask the same question about the west WHY THE FIXATION WITH ZIMBABWE? Why do you say it as if someone is saying it's unfair for the west not to help Zimbabwe? If a continental nation like USA goes as far as putting in place legislation and measures to stifle progress in little Zimbabwe's economy, who is fixated with who here?
And also please don't overstate your points, when you say ....we are celebrating their demise.. who is we in your context? Please don't misrepresent Zimbabweans for your personal objectives. How can Zimbabweans who are being sustained by family members resident in the west celebrate the demise of the west? Most also still believe that if there is any hope of financial aid, it will come from the west. The naming of the legislation and sanctions was also designed to trivialize their effects in the public eye evidenced by your saying if the sanctions are from west only why not look east. Personally I will dare the west to lift the sanctions and prove to the international community that we are bluffing or overstating the effects of sanctions.
Sekai • na
Subject: Sanctions
Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:20:39 • Amazing how people stick to their entrenched positions on this issue and do not even want others to say their piece if they differ with those positions.
Some of the guys whose war cry is SANCTIONS ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL ZIM' s PROBLEMS are beginning to sound like old broken records playing the same tune over and over again. What a pity.
For one of the most objective contribution as to the root causes of Zim's problems I refer readers to the maiden speech to Zim's Parliament by Deputy PM Mutambara. AGO is not my favourite politician but man, I have to give it to him on this one!
In summary he pointed out that we are our worst enemies and are the architects of our own suffering. He said we need to address issues that we ourselves agreed we will address before even looking at what the west should do. This is all very logical to me. Others can only step in when they see that we are serious and have done all possible within our power to right our situation.
On another note, I do not understand this fixation with the west. Right now we are celebrating their demise, saying that the capitalist system has failed, they are surviving on handouts from the Chinese. We say that they have no money and they are ruthless and cruel to us. Fair and fine, but why the HELL do we beg and crawl and whinge for their help then? Why are we not just ignoring them and dealing with the more friendly Russians, Chinese, Indians, Libyans, Indonesians, Malaysians, Japanese, Koreans, Brazilians, Venezuelans, South Africans, etc., etc.? These have not imposed sanctions on us and we can get all we need from them money, machinery, technology, oil, everything, in fact more than the west can offer! So what is the hullabaloo about the west? If our problems are to do with actions of the west only, then we have no problems, let us look East!
Nobody has been able to explain this in plain language to me, WHY ARE WE NOT DEALING WITH THE EAST WHO HAVE NO SANCTIONS AGAINST US??
If we cannot even get help from our friends then there is something seriously wrong with us, maybe as AGO says, we need to get read of the internal sanctions, those we have imposed on ourselves. The internal sanctions stink so much that even our friends do not want to help!!
AHH • royan987@yahoo.com
Subject: To: Truth Chokwadi Iqiniso
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:25:27 • It seems that you are bent on misrepresenting what transpired and are trying to paint a picture of Mugabe and ZANU PF gone mad and were just brutalizing non-violent and innocent people who disagreed with them. You speak as if western sanctions are not also responsible for the woes in Zimbabwe. You are being thoroughly dishonest.
The west has always interfered in the affairs of Zimbabwe. They were hoping for Mugabe to die or be removed from the political landscape to ensure that the few whites could continue possessing the best agricultural land in Zimbabwe. They feared that is Zimbabwe land reform succeeded then other African nations would follow suit. Of course all you anti-Mugabe haters know this fully well.
In no way am I saying that Mugabe is a saint… far from it, but his efforts to correct the land issue was a step in the right direction and certainly was courageous. I know whites would have liked to see him send in the military to kill Blacks who were seizing farms. Mugabe was right to bring the process under political control and hence pass laws to regularize the process of reclaiming land. That action alone saved the lives of many white settlers.
When white settlers together with their black stooges decided to call for sanctions and engaged in violence to remove the government and derail the land reform program, their actions were treasonous and terrorism. The police and the government were right to treat with such actions firmly.
When the anti-Mugabe haters took Western aid while they wanted other Zimbabweans to suffer for supporting the government and land reform, they wanted many African people to die to keep white privileges and theft intact. Today they have a nerve to complain about how the government forces dealt with them, which I felt was rather lenient.
All you haters of self-determination… haters of African development…. are the worst scourges on this earth. White power is all you desire as you are narrow-minded and short-sighted.
N/A • N/A
Subject: N/A
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:53:43 • HUGO who told you Dalai Lama is spritual? he is just a politician wanting to eventually install his regime in TIBET on behalf of you know who. The Chinese are wise and wont allow that, the South Africans are wise and have refused to be used.
So lets not try to Rubbish Zuma for telling it as it is. Mugabe has a sizable support in this country so does Morgan and Mutambara. The three should work together Zimbabwean style.
Anyone who abandons our Zimbabwean style, will fall by the way side. HEAR HEAR HEAR>
n/a • n/a
Subject: Sanctions
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:30:04 • The world must surely laugh when it reads contributions from the likes of Hugo, Manu, goodpeople and Chokwadi Truth Iqiniso. Are these characters living in a bubble where they are not aware of what is happening financially around the globe? The West has no money to give to Zimbabwe and is therefore using all tricks in the book to postpone that day of reckoning. George Soros has said that the UK may have to seek IMF rescue because it's in bad shape financially.(http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article5989746.ece). Can Hugo et al tell us why the economies of the West are unravelling when the same countries (according to your gospel) do uphold the rule of law, respect basic human rights , have a free press, dispense justice without regard to political affiliation and have sound fiscal policies? Why has the global finance system collapsed? Have we been told that the best economists and economic models come from the West? Is it not the West's pundits who came up with the Washington Consensus of free markets that has underpinned the West economies for the last forty years? Is this orthodoxy not totally discredited now? Even Brown (UK Premier) has categorically stated that the Washington Consensus is dead. Brown (both as Chancellor of the Exchequer and PM) has slavishly followed this orthodoxy in the last decade with dire consequences for the UK economy. The US is in a far worse shape having followed the same doctrine and the Chicago School of economics mantra for the last thirty years. The US has the biggest debt of any country in the history of the world and Obama’s fiscal stimulus packages are only exacerbating the debt problem. Surely, the logical conclusion an inquisitive person would reach is why if the Western countries are upholders of human rights, property rights, good governance, sound fiscal policies, have a free press, best financial/economic brains and have judicial systems that are next to none, why has all these good practices not saved their economies from the free fall they are currently in. Second question one would also ask is why the same countries are stipulating the same conditionalities (that have not worked in their own countries) to the removal of sanctions and the provision of Aid packages to a developing country like Zimbabwe? The conclusion will be that the West is still hell bent on effecting a regime change in Zimbabwe through the back door because the presence of President Mugabe in the driving seat does not bode well for their real intentions on Zimbabwe i.e. reversal of the land reforms , unfettered access to is resources/markets and halting China’s in-roads into Africa. The West wants to exploit
the resources of poor third world countries to ease itself out of recession.
(http://blog.brokebritain.com/2009/03/g20-are-going-to-rape-the-3rd-world-to-ease-the-recession/)
So Chokwadi Truth Iqiniso et al, the world does actually laugh at your likes because of your naivety and colonised minds. Instead of blaming Zuma for calling for the lifting of sanctions, you should be supporting him because the persons bearing the brunt of these sanctions are your own relatives and not Zuma’s. Instead of extending the begging bowl to all and sundry, should you not be agitating for Zimbabweans themselves to dig themselves out of this hole.
MDC-T campaigned on the basis that they had powerful friends in the West who would bankroll them once in govt. There are in govt now, where are these fair weather friends now? The MDC-T fought very hard to be given the finance ministry and they should now deliver and not simply resort to this Kiya Kiya business. If the West fails to support its friends in the inclusive govt (MDC-T), come the next election the electorate will not be persuaded by promises of money from Western friends. Everyone in Zimbabwe knows that the dollarisation of the economy put in place by Gono and Chinamasa is the driving force behind the availability of food in the shops now.
n/a • n/a
Subject: Sanctions
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:16:28 • Truth Chokwadi Iqiniso-You are trying to justify the unjustifiable by your comments. Can you give us specific examples of a country in the West where citizens are treated equally without fear and favour? Do you think African Americans and indigenous people are treated equally in the US? Do you think Aborigines are treated equally in Australia? Do you think the indigenous Maoris are treated equally in New Zealand? Do you think the indigenous people are treated equally in Canada? Do you think black people and Asians are treated equally in the UK or in any western country? You are exposing your ignorance to the whole world when you utter such nonsense. As for corruption, boy oh boy you have not got even an inkling who are the barons of corruption in this world. The current global crisis is due to the greediness and corruption of international bankers and unsound economic policies. For your information, bribery and corruption are the main stay of multi-nationals who are the effective rulers of the world. Bribery of third world local politicians by multi-nationals is a yearly trillion dollar business (see World Bank institute report on The Victims of Corruption
The human cost of bribery in the developing world
(http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bribe/2009/02/spotlight-the-victims-of-corruption.html).Recently a subsidiary of Halliburton (a US conglomerate had to pay a massive fine for the corruption of Nigerian officials in order to secure contracts in Nigeria. Was Dick Cheney (the former US Vice President) not a key player in Halliburton? As for your insinuations that a fifty year old was taken in for interrogation, are you saying that if any fifty year old is suspected of engaging in activities that are against the law, then because of her age, she should be left alone to carry on as she wishes. Rule of law has no respect of age, colour etc.In the UK under the anti-terror laws; anyone can be abducted and held without any charge. When you state that the majority of Zimbabweans want change, you can only speak for yourself because the majority of Zimbabweans do not think like you. When you talk of human dignity, you conveniently forget that for almost one hundred years under colonialism, you forbearers did not even have a modicum of human dignity. They had been reduced to hewers of wood and drawers of water. If these countries you so much admire have all the necessary ingredients in place such as human rights, property rights, sound fiscal and monetary policies, can you explain to us why their economies are in free-fall? Do you think the West mismanaged its economies by applying unsound economic/fiscal policies? Can you explain to us why civil liberties are being curtailed in the West? E-mails, telephone conversations and surfing history are being monitored? Why? In the UK, CCTV cameras are capturing citizen’s activities all the time. It is getting more like an Orwell’s scenario. When you talk about freedom of the press, it is not about the number of publications that are out there. It is about who owns the press. You will find that in the US and the UK, a few barons control the media and therefore the news. So where is the freedom of the press? Novices like you spout freedom of the press because you have not carried out a thorough research to really understand what the term means. You are still in denial that the sanctions are not targeted. Biti, Tsvangirai and Mutambara have all called for the lifting of these sanctions. The sanctions are hurting the ordinary Zimbabwean and not the elite. The ordinary Zimbabwean did not call for the imposition of sanctions against the country. The real culprits are the likes of you Truth Chokwadi Iqiniso and MDC-T who called for these sanctions that have led to the death and impoverishment of millions of Zimbabweans. It is your responsibility to have these sanctions removed because you asked for them. By imposing the sanctions. the West is interfering in the internal affairs of the country. It is only the United Nations that has a mandate to impose sanctions against a country and any sanctions without the authority of the United Nations are illegal. Yes, the GPA has been underwritten by Sadc and the AU and one of the requirements under the GPA is the removal of sanctions. You know as well as everybody that if sanctions are removed, Zimbabwe will be fine. Are you frightened then, that your gravy train in opposition politics will come to a halt? Anyone who wants the sanctions to remain imposed a day longer does not have the interests of Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans at heart. Truth Chokwadi Iqiniso, do not let your personal dislike of one man and his party cloud your judgement. We all need to move away from the personalisation of the issues and put Zimbabwe first.
Faraway • n/a
Subject: Zuma needs his head examined
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:42:15 • So Zuma must think it is fair to abduct, imprison, terrorize and murder opposition supporters. And he must also think it's fair to seize farms and torture their owners. And what about the looting of public funds, guess he thinks that's fair too.
It's fair to say that a lot of these South African leaders, such as Mbeki and Motlanthe, need their heads examined.
Mhofeti • pasizw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: Zuma says Zimbabwe sanctions unfair
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:02:28 • To all you guys who are criticizing Zuma, what is your view about Zimbabwe sanctions? Are you saying they are fair? Do you care to explain what's fair about the sanctions?
The reason why I'm asking you these questions is because I sense a feeling that you think when one says sanctions are unfair he/she will be implying that Mugabe is fair. The fact of the matter is sanctions are hurting the very people the west claim to want to save from Mugabe brutality. Why is it that ever since the so called targeted sanctions were imposed, life for the ordinary Zimbabweans worsened by day whilst the targeted people can actually go on for ten more years with the staus quo? So at the end of the day, if people's lives were one way or the other worsened by those targeted sanctions, how is Zuma wrong in saying the sanctions are unfair? Whose side are you on anyway?
Truth Chokwadi Iqiniso • n/a
Subject: ZUMA'S CRITISM OF THE WEST OVER SANCTIONS
Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:44:36 • To the unamed contributor who says no country has a right to interfere in the internal affairs of any country, the majority in Zimbabwe would be very, very disappointed for you to imply that they have given Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF the right to kill them and inflict untold, inhuman and degrading illtreament on them simply because they don't support ZANU PF. It is not the west who are demanding a return to the rule of law and respect of all the basic human rights that we have been robbed of by Mugabe over the years. It is actually the majority of the people of Zimbabwe who are crying out for change and the restoration of their dignity as a people. People in the west have clean runnhing water in their homes, their police and security organs protect their citizens and their property prevent crime and guarantee their safety without fear or bias - every citizen being treated the same under the law. But you know what the situation is like in Zimbabwe, where a 50 yeare old, unarmed and therefore defenceless woman is kidnapped/abducted by 6 armed men on state payroll, from her home and she is then subjected to untold torture for months! And other examples abound. In the case of this poor woman and many others, a minister of State Security has the temerity to produce an affidavit confirming that CIO in fact kidnapped/abducted these defenceless/unarmed citizens and further exhorts the courts to condone such despicable actions in the name of protection of the state! Please be advised that for a start CIO do NOT have any constitutional mandate to arrest any offender. That role is the preserve of the ZR Police. Because of corruption, economic mismanagement and downright insensitity to the people's voices for a new democratic dispensation over the years, targetted sanctions were imposed on those persons who were directly responsible. But because they have control on everything, they allocated to themselves the limited foreign currency going into state coffers and simply abandoned the population to be like animals living in a jungle, where only the fittest and most powerful survive. Mugabe and ZANU PF cronies now no longer have that freedom of allocating to themselves state funds. The inclusive government is implementing policies that makeit more difficult if not impossible, for the the profligacy to continue. So what does Mugabe do, he refuses to make meaningful and tangible change as required by the GPA. But at the same time he wants the western countries to bring aid to Zimbabwe at the same time declaring his intransigence. The western countries are simply saying respect the provisions of the GPA. and financial help will flow. This GPA is NOT a western imposition but is a SADC/AU brokered dispensation. So the western countries are NOT interfering in the internal affairs of Zimbabwe. Please! Read this twice to understand it. Thank you.
goodpeople • n/a
Subject: sanctions
Sat, 28 Mar 2009 03:51:24 • Of course he is saying this now, SADC and or SA have not got the money to give Zim so they think by getting the sanctions taken away it will hide the fact they can not give Zim the money they said they would.
This is the blind leading the blind!
No this SA and SADC, the world knows what you promised mugabe and regime, deliver or the world will laugh long and hard at you! Let it be you money that lines mugabe and regimes pockets with no strings as the rest of the world add the strings to try and reduce the pocket lining of mugabe and regime!
Chokwadi Truth Iqiniso • n/a
Subject: ZUMA ON SANCTIONS
Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:05:49 • With due respect, Jacob Zuma is talking rubbish. In Shona its called kurotomoka and in Ndebele its ukuhumana. Why doesn't he ask Mugabe whats difficult with upholding the rule of law, respect of basic human rights which are actually enshrined in the Zimbabwe constitution, establishment of free press, dispensation of justice without regard to political affilitation and reintroduction of sound fiscal policies, etc? These are issues or benchmarks that the rich countries have asked for before they can pour their taxpayers' funds into Mugabe's seemingly bottomless pit. It is obvious Mugabe, Zuma and other like minded leaders are in denial that it was during the 28 years that Mugabe has had unfettered leadership of Zimbabwe that it has been reduced from a jewel of Africa to the poorest and worst place to live outside a war zone. Please Jacob Zuma, try to see the bigger picture. If you want to help Zimbabwean pewople tell Mugabe to respect the Zimbabwe constitution and most importantly, stop working against the letter and spirit of the SADC brokered GPA which led to the present inclusive government.
Hugo • hycon3@yahoo.com
Subject: na
Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:05:09 • Talking about sanctions Mr Zuma! Hasnt refusing the Dalai Lama entry into South Africa not only been unfair to the spiritual leader and amount to sanctions!
This is utter hypocrisy. How can South Africa so cheaply succumb to Chinese bullying?
Manu • shumba_manu@hotmail.com
Subject: na
Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:51:51 • We are waiting for an African solution Mr Zuma. You forced this agreement on the people of Zimbabwe and you now do not want to support it!
When Mugabe was calling the west 'bloody idiots' why didnt we here you make a comment? Instead shouldnt you be telling Mr Mugabe to change his ways for the betterment of Zimbabweans.
As said by the PM there are lots of things that can be done to improve the lives of Zimbabweans that do not cost money? We do not need money from the west to stop violence on the farms!
n/a • n/a
Subject: n/a
Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:34:08 • No country however powerful has the right to interfere in the internal politics of another country. The West should remove its sanctions against Zimbabwe. Zuma is right.
|
