Mugabe’s insistence on sanctions being removed before he honours any of the concessions he made in the Global Political Agreement smacks of an odorous maxim, a sort of political trickery employed and calculated to prolong the impasse while he regroups, and a real test for Europeans and Americans to realize the futility of ram-roding white values on African problems.
While the man resembles a yardstick for rabid defiance, Mugabe has survived long enough to have the last laugh. Once a mighty figure in international relations, the man was singled out for challenging white supremacy with devastating consequences on his countrymen. He was demonized, crucified and hung to dry for daring to correct an historical imbalance that remains a hush-hush subject in Africa.
His stature as a statesman was revoked and his persona dissected, reconstructed and displayed on the international arena to reveal a living monster, ready to devour its own children. But at his age now it seems the vendetta must be laid to rest, and the man allowed to retire gracefully from active politics.
Always the cunning masters, Europeans and their American allies threw Zimbabweans into the deepest end of the pool to do their dirty work of eliminating Mugabe through a succession of hardships no human being could handle. Such a cruel pawn with human life is unacceptable in international diplomacy. The territorial integrity and sovereignty that every country enjoys was countermanded in Zimbabwe’s case, and the populace was left to burn for the sins of their leader.
The continuation of sanctions by the EU should be condemned, let alone the charade of them being targeted. They serve to perpetuate acrimony and mistrust, and reek of interferential collusion with local apologists to their lost cause. Mugabe, being the fighter that he is will never retire with the cloud of neo-colonialism hanging over Zimbabwe like a hungry vulture. It is time for our dear white friends to rest their case, and realize that Zimbabwe is a sovereign state that can determine its own destiny without being shepherded in the direction of Eurocentric democracy.
Respect for property rights should not be the precedent employed to safeguard the loot acquired during the barbaric partitioning of African land during colonial times. Failing to acknowledge their wrongs, let alone accept that they stole our land is a great folly that should not be allowed to continue or given space in any media today. Spiting Zimbabwe through sabotage and subversion will only serve to lengthen the strife, while robbing generations of life-loving Zimbabweans the chance to participate in the global village.
The country should be allowed to sell its diamonds at whatever market that exist for the product. Creating excuses like rule of law and human rights abuse are very lame substitutes of common sense.
Thousands of American products are manufactured in China and other parts of Asia in near slave conditions, and usually by child labourers. No one raises a stink about that.
Diamond mines in Botswana and Namibia have heavy quasi-military security presence and it has never raised issues. Being alluvial deposits, the Marange fields need military presence to prevent free-for-all scrambles. Why that fact eludes common sense beats me. Logic points to some kind of revenge being waged against the country for discovering the resource.
By refusing to loan the country the ten billion dollars it needed to resuscitate its economy, Americans and Europeans showed their true colours in double standards. It would have recovered the country and proven that the economic downturn was a man-made catastrophe, and Tsvangirai’s purported shine dimmed by Mugabe’s presence in the picture. They have sacrificed the MDC leader and stuck to their belief in being God-sent partakers of this world, and left Mugabe alive to fight another day. The unfortunate downturn has exposed Morgan Tsvangirai and killed his potential.
Most of his supposed gaffes are a result of abandonment, while the powerbrokers toy with the idea of pitting him against Tendai Biti, in a bid to cause confusion while they continue to loot the country dry. It has to be said for the record that a certain international diamond company has been shipping alluvial diamonds out of the country for fifteen years disguised as samples.
Going to such devious lengths portrays profit driven greed, and a gross disregard for the survival of the host country. Imagine the amount of revenue in royalties the country lost during that period.
Crying foul when legislation is introduced to empower citizens in economic activity is another sorry manifestation of racial prejudice. International media was harnessed to churn out conveyer belts of distorted facts and prejudge a noble effort to uplift otherwise trampled souls, muddling the whole exercise. Even at the height of the man-made crisis, not even one multinational company left Zimbabwe, meaning their great love for the country. What we call for now is the love for Zimbabweans, not only the country. Giving fifty one percent shareholding to locals will do great in transferring skills and a sense of responsibility.
By virtue of being local, Zimbabweans qualify for the shares with their citizenry acting as equity.
Mugabe’s grandstanding and posturing on elections has thrown the whole country into a quandary.
The country is not ready for any kind of poll, and the uncertainty hovering on the political landscape is unbearable. Tsvangirai is isolated and powerless to do anything while Mugabe is so unpopular he can’t win an election that is free and fair.
The scenario painting itself in Zimbabwe right now leads to anarchy and mayhem. While the country is struggling to stand on its feet, all sorts of diversionary setbacks are created to add to the woes. The country needs at least two more years of uninterrupted progress to solidify the fewer gains that had been made so far by the unity government in stabilizing the economy.
Mugabe and Tsvangirai are both drunk by political office that they don’t realize the folly of creating unnecessary divisions through elections. The two antagonists really need to be both retired from actively participating in the political future of the country to aid healing, re-orientation and unity of purpose for their people. Elections have always brought the worst out of any nation and Zimbabwe won’t be spared the effects of anarchy that will reign.
While Europe feels the continuation of sanctions is to their advantage, facts point otherwise.
Mugabe thrives on chaos and sanctions are part of his game plan. Imagine what he will say should all restrictions on him and his inner circle are removed. The country will move forward and trust will grow again. There is no win-lose in diplomacy and Mugabe has learnt his lesson. He needs now to be left alone to do the right thing on his terms without undue pressure and influence from people he fought against for so long.
That is tantamount to having a player doubling as a referee in a game he is playing. Removal of sanctions and unfreezing of his assets will signal a new start for Zimbabwe.
One has to compare the influence of ANC in South Africa’s business environment and that of ZANU(PF) in Zimbabwe. If ANC rubs Europe the way Mugabe did and are prescribed “targeted” sanctions would they be really targeted or will be blanket sanctions affecting all other businesses that are inter-related with ANC’s?
That fact is ignored in Zimbabwe. All the businesses that were affected laid off workers who were not ZANU, failed to honour obligations to debtors and creditors, who were not ZANU, eroded the tax base to the country, which was not ZANU, and contributed to the economic disaster that brought hunger and famine, poverty and lack, death and disease to citizens who were not even ZANU. What then can people say about ‘targeted’ sanctions? It is a misnomer that has to be unmasked and exposed for the evil that it is. No country should sanction another in a bid to have their way against a sovereign state. It is evil and works as a blueprint for anarchy whenever and wherever they are prescribed.
