Think outside the box on sanctions: Analysts

Hebert Zharare Political Editor
THE West’s refusal to lift the illegal sanctions it imposed on Zimbabwe bids the incoming Zanu-PF Government to adopt sanctions-busting measures, including reorienting the economy from the West to win-win partnerships with all-weather friends in the East to whom the Westerners are also turning.
Synergies with the West, analysts said, were accidents of history and legacies of colonialism, while links with the East were voluntary and had always been beneficial from the days of the liberation struggle.

Miffed by their failure to unseat President Mugabe and Zanu-PF for the third time since launching the MDC at the turn of the millennium, Western countries have refused to accept the results of harmonised elections they did not observe, saying the sanctions will remain as the “elections were not free and fair”.

This is despite the massive endorsement of the polls by observer missions drawn from the African Union, Sadc, Comesa, ACP countries and other state observer missions.

The Western sanctions are estimated to have cost the country over US$42 billion in lost revenue with outgoing Finance Minister Tendai Biti saying the embargoes shrunk the economy by a factor of over 40 percent over the past 13 years.

Jobs and livelihoods were destroyed, with pensions and savings wiped out when the Zimbabwe dollar collapsed due to sanctions-induced hyperinflation in 2008 with hundreds of people dying from preventable diseases like cholera as Government’s capacity to provide potable water was curtailed.

Over two million Zimbabweans condemned the sanctions during the National Anti-Sanctions petition campaign in March 2011, with the AU, Sadc, Comesa, the Non-Aligned Movement, African Caribbean and Pacific countries adding their voices, but the West turned a deaf ear in the same manner it went against these bodies over the harmonised elections that were widely hailed as free, fair and credible.

In a statement released at the end of its 392nd meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Tuesday, the AU Peace and Security Council called for the immediate and unconditional lifting of the West’s illegal economic sanctions against Zimbabwe to foster socio-economic recovery.
And in a communiqué released at the end of the 33rd Summit of Heads of State and Government in Lilongwe, Malawi, Sadc also called for the lifting of the sanctions regimes that have also been condemned by Comesa, ACP countries and the Non-Aligned Movement, to mention just a few.

In its election manifesto that culminated in its resounding victory dubbed “Taking back the Economy: Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment,” Zanu-PF equated the illegal sanctions to a declaration of war.

Zimbabwe lost donor support amounting to US$36 million annually since 2001, US$79 million in loans from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and African Development Bank, commercial loans of US$431 million and Gross Domestic Product reduction of US$3,4 billion.

Addressing thousands mourners at the burial of national hero Retired Air Commodore Mike Tichafa Karakadzai at the National Heroes Acre in Harare last Sunday, President Mugabe declared that Zimbabwe was fed up with the ill-treatment by Western nations and will soon hit back by placing restrictions on Western companies operating in the country.

Political and social commentators concurred, saying the new Government was supposed to ensure that economic revival programmes in all sectors of the economy be spearhead by thousands of highly skilled Zimbabweans.

Midlands State University lecturer Dr Nhamo Mhiripiri said it was time Government devised a strategy to divide the West.
He said during the 1960s and 70s, Europe was divided over whether to support Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle against the Rhodesian illegal Government or not, with some countries calling the freedom fighters terrorists.

“The Scandinavian countries (that are also former) colonies assisted us. Here we are talking of countries such as Sweden, Norway among others. These are likely to understand us as they are familiar with the anti-colonial discourse.

“As a way of bursting the sanctions, those that were friendly to us during the liberation should come here and assess that the elections were free and fair.

“They supported us when we were being called terrorists and I am sure their stance on Zanu-PF is still the same.
“So the question is how can Zimbabwe divide Europe so that it becomes less formidable. We should look at those that do not support the (EU) bloc’s position on Zimbabwe and work with them,” he said.

He said Botswana was among countries in the Sadc region that were against President Mugabe’s victory, but its position shifted after realising that the region was unanimous that the elections were free, fair and credible and were held in accordance with the region’s principles and guidelines governing the conduct of democratic elections.

“We can burst sanctions by targeting these countries so that they dialogue with their colleagues. We have a longer relationship with them. They supported our liberation struggle and they do not believe we are a rogue state because we have never been one. They supported us when we were being called terrorists and all sort of names.

“Countries such as Japan have been trading with us and I do not think they want to see us collapsing. We should also promote and support South-South cooperation, create linkages so that we can trade easily. We can go beyond the uni-visa and promote trade,” he said.
Dr Mhiripiri said there was need for a conference on Zimbabwe with friendly countries.

‘’ We should tell them that our elections were free, fair and there were no mortalities and it was self funded. Like any other elections, disputes are there and that should not be used to collapse all the systems in the country. We are not a failed state and we have never been one,” he said.

He said although China was Zimbabwe’s all weather friend it was, however, critical that the country cast its net wider for more friendly countries.

“There are dangers in over relying on one country. If they realise our desperation, they will end up exploiting the situation,” he said.
Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe, Trevor Manhanga, yesterday said if the West continued with their sanctions on Zimbabwe, then President Mugabe’s call for a tit for tat approach was the best way to deal with some of these Western countries.
However, Bishop Manhanga said the critical issue was for all Zimbabweans to remain united and shun the West’s divide and rule tactics.
“By saying this, the President (Mugabe) was not being antagonistic. Just because we are a small country does not mean we have to suffer. The Government should put some restrictions to companies that want to come here.

“But the most critical thing to burst the sanctions is unity. Zimbabweans have to stand together. Some people should not Nicodemously go and dine with the West. The truth is if the West does not want us as a country, they should not like all of us. We should refuse to be divided. Zimbabweans should be like the Rhodesians who were united in defense of their interests in Zimbabwe,” he said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Mr Raymond Majongwe, yesterday said the continued existence of the illegal sanction was strengthening Zanu – PF because the party would continue playing victim.

He said for that reason, the revolutionary party would be justified to bust sanctions by substituting British companies with those from China, Russia and Iran among others.

“The British and Americans should listen to what the people of Zimbabwe are saying. These sanctions will have a boomerang effect on Zimbabweans, the reverse will happen. Zanu – PF will stay in office for ever because it will be playing victim. They will invite the Iranians, Russians and the Chinese among other countries to take over the industries. These sanctions are like a death warrant for the opposition parties in Zimbabwe. As long they are there, Zanu-PF will rule forever,” he said.

National University of Science and Technology lecturer Dr Lawton Hikwa, yesterday said Zimbabwe needed home grown solutions to bust the sanctions.

“We need domestic solutions to this. Industries have closed, people lost livelihoods. What is needed is the pursuance of regional, continental and international integration but on a scale that cannot be compromised in terms of what the West describe as a criteria for acceptance.
“We need a diplomatic onslaught to persuade the West to accept what the people have said through this election and what regional and continental endorsements means,” he said.