Stand up Zim, speak out against illegal sanctions

Munyaradzi Tseriwa Correspondent

After a successful land reform programme in 2001 the Western society was enraged by the re-distribution of land back to its rightful owners, then coupled by opportunistic individuals, sanctions were called upon our land through the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) of 2001 and numerous executive orders under the guise of being targeted on certain individuals.

After years of enduring these illegal and unjustified sanctions it became evident that the sanctions are not ring-fenced and targeted on individuals per se, but were targeting Zimbabwe as a nation and its crucial sectors, to cripple the economy and to also effect regime change by blaming the crippling of the economy on the Zimbabwean Government as seen that these punitive measures have hampered the Government efforts to implement its development agenda.

The cumulative effects of these illegal sanctions is devastating in every sector of our economy thus from tourism, agriculture, mining, energy, transportation, impact on international financial transactions, diaspora remittances, investment and growth, agricultural sector, industry, manufacturing sector and trade.

Zimbabwe has been forced to virtually operate from hand-to-mouth and there is a significant build-up of external debt arrears.

This unfavourable development has worsened the country’s credit worthiness as the country’s international financial risk profile escalated.

Entirely, Zimbabwe lost over US$100 billion in revenue over the past 18 years.

Furthermore, sanctions limited Zimbabwe’s capacity to respond to Covid-19 had it not been for assistance from other revolutionary states and stringent protective measures introduced by Government, we would have experienced catastrophic death rates as experienced in countries.

Sanctions are a blunt cohesive instrument with far reaching implications on the ordinary people especially women, children and most importantly the youth who account up to 67,7 percent of the total population.

The Zimbabwean youth has fallen victim to this indiscriminate weapon of mass destruction which is being deceitfully presented as targeted.

Sanctions are without doubt a form of aggression against Zimbabwe and a tool of regime change.

Backed up by ignorant vicious social media attacks established on gross falsehoods and non-existent narratives of the nation and hostile unpatriotic propaganda calculated to divide Zimbabwe, sanctions undermine our peace, unity and economic prosperity.

October 25 is remembered as the Anti-Sanctions Day and it is on this day that SADC states collectively call for the unconditional removal of illegal and incapacitating sanctions imposed on our country Zimbabwe.

This bold decision and a show of solidarity is a reflection of the principled revolutionary character of the regional body which has consistently opposed injustices and oppression.

This gesture is to be appreciated and further shows the negativity of sanctions upon Zimbabwe.

Many voices and all SADC states have called for the unconditional removal of these illegal sanctions and fight foreign aggression and all forms of neo-imperialism.

More than 20 nations which include Russia, China, Iran, and Central African Republic have been placed under these demonic sanctions by the US and its allies.

Any nation that extend a hand in assisting sanctioned countries or enter trade is bullied by having sanctions imposed on its self.

A valid example is when Turkey purchased Russian made S-400 Air Defence System. The US placed sanctions on the Turkey Ministry of Defence and Presidency of Defence Industries.

To this day, this is the reason why Zimbabwe has had good, beneficial and diplomatic relations with fellow sanctioned nations such as Russia and China who are consistently assisting with technical and financial assistance in our economy from the construction of the New Parliament building, the Kariba South Power Station extension, dualisation and extension of roads and Robert Mugabe International Airport expansion project among many others.

It is the duty of every Zimbabwean youth to voice the removal of sanctions as they directly impact on us due to lack of capital for business, funding for education and securing employment.

As a gesture to fight sanctions and also backup Government efforts we as Central Organisation for Patriotic Youths (COPY) assist the Zimbabwean citizens aged 18 to 35 with access to youth business loans, local and international scholarships, employment opportunities and subsidised company registrations all in effort to bring life to our youths despite the economic pressures imposed on us.

Given all this the United States needs to swallow a humble pie and stop rubbing Zimbabwe’s nose in the dust. Rather, it is time to explore other ways of supporting Zimbabwe’s democracy.

The highest level of being unpatriotic is entering into foreign diplomacy as an ordinary citizen and calling upon sanctions in one’s country, ignoring the impacts of these measures and taking an opposing stand point towards their removal.

In that respect Government should enact a law that criminalises citizens that de-campaign, de-market and enter into foreign negotiations with hostile nations (The Patriotic Act).

Such a bill has already been tabled and now requires urgency as its absence will further propel individuals into harming Zimbabwe and promote lawlessness.

Article 41 of the United Nations charter states that sanctions can only be decided by the UN Security Council.

Any unilateral measures taken by individual state without the authorisation of the council resolution are illegal.

This is so because they infringe upon states’ rights to economic and social development, hence the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the global head boy (US) are illegal in every way.

We voice against them as the Zimbabwean Youth and People of Zimbabwe. #25OctoberAntiSanctionsDay.

Munyaradzi Tseriwa is the director for Central Organisation for Patriotic Youths.