adminthe publication of classified state department data. The release last weekend of a cable that exposed US Foreign Secretary Hilary Clinton for ordering US diplomats to engage in espionage in the United
Nations, in an embarrassing violation of international covenants to which the US is a signatory, has added shock and trauma.
Now even Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, is calling on Clinton to resign. Assange told journalists in London on Monday that WikiLeaks itself faces imminent collapse due to financial problems. His is a result of US action through a “financial blockade” that has tightened financial screws on the whistleblower with MasterCard Inc, Visa Europe Ltd, Bank Of America Corp, Western Union Co and
EBay Inc’s Pay Pal all stopping the processing of donations to WikiLeaks, affecting 95 percent of revenue according to Assange. Assange and friends have termed it ‘‘corporate censorship”.
What is shaking the world, Zimbabwe included, is the far-reaching impact the WikiLeaks disclosures have had, are having and may still have on modern day statecraft, the conduct of diplomacy, and the protection of issues of confidentiality, freedom of communication, and of the internet in particular. Hilary Clinton is caught between championing internet freedom, urging other governments to allow more internet freedom and access to their citizens while she attempts to muzzle WikiLeaks. The good lady is now pursuing Assange with all of America’s might and power.
Hilary Clinton may be hoist by her own petard. It may also be about her pudicity? Or was it perhaps that the state department was too lax in protecting its own classified diplomatic files from hackers? Who is to say what information is open to the public domain?
How about the case of Zimbabwe? Are we only to await the release of more startling, stunning even, disclosures of maladroit political intrigue, deception and backbiting? What are the implications on the national body politic? What are the fundamental issues at play? What, if any, are the intended, or would be the desired outcomes in all this? Or is it old dirty politics, all over again? Have some people broken the laws of the land or not? Are there any clear-cut cases of treason? What are the issues?
There are many variables as there are several permutations. Hillary Clinton and her colleagues in the Obama administration are stuck between denial and vindictiveness. A US grand jury investigation into the WikiLeaks disclosures is looming and may claim scalps. The perspective is different for Zimbabwe. There are deeper questions to be asked of people in our national leadership, to do with their patriotism, nationalistic commitment and loyalty to Zimbabwe. Is it ever proper, whatever the expedient causes, for people in positions of national political leadership to pander to the caprices and whims of foreign powers and other elements, even if this may be under the guise of conducting diplomacy?
WikiLeaks disclosures on Zimbabwe have dealt a body blow to the Zimbabwean body politic. Some of our most vocal and outspoken politicians now appear muted. Trust and confidentiality is the hallmark of leadership, and the basis for diplomatic conversations. Where the threat to confidentiality looms large, meaningful political and diplomatic discourse is diluted, affecting outcomes that may be targeted or desired.
Now that tails are wagging in between the legs, it is proper that things be put into perspective. What is clear from the WikiLeaks disclosures is that we are not nearly as safe from the imperialist hegemonic threat to manipulate our political system and to dominate and direct our national political and economic agenda and discourse. The intention of the US administration since the passing of Zidera was never in doubt. It is regime change, period. The paradox is that change means different things to different people. Former US Ambassador Dell was as clear that this regime change must constitute reform. In one leaked cable Dell expresses “willingness to talk to anyone as long as it’s clear that reform is a predicate to any meaningful re-engagement” with the Zanu-PF leadership.
It is undisputed that this turned out to be the content of most, if not all the conversations the US embassy officials held with Zimbabwe’s politicians, journalists, activists and others of influence. The underlying theme in all the discussions is how to find a way to oust President Mugabe from power. How that becomes an American prerogative and preoccupation is obviously spelt imperialism.
The US agenda is immutably a neo-colonial agenda whose machinations, impact and implications for Zimbabwe must receive appropriate diagnosis and response. This writer is carrying out extensive interviews with those named in the leaked dispatches that are willing to own up and talk about their conversations. Senator Aguy Georgias, who is also Deputy Minister of Public Works, featured in last week’s releases on Zimbabwe is not in denial over the disclosures. For reasons one can understand, I found out he is more than willing to talk about his conversations with the US embassy officials.
As he is quick to point out, his purpose was never to undermine President Mugabe or to betray the people of Zimbabwe.
Says Georgias: “My conscience is clear as my motive was always noble and to my mind in the best interests of Zimbabwe. For the record, I reported to the relevant authorities including Foreign Affairs on the meetings where I repeatedly urged US embassy officials to open dialogue with President Mugabe. My premise was that their approach, through Zidera was rather belligerent and bellicose and would result in a zero-sum game. They needed to take into consideration the historical ties in political and economic terms with Zimbabwe. I reasoned that any approach to the Zimbabwean issue that sought to exclude and marginalise President Mugabe was ill-advised and not likely to succeed.”
Senator Georgias has fought a lone but costly battle against the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the US and the European Union. Apart from the high-profile litigation against the British government and the EU, Georgias has also written letters, in his personal capacity, to US congressional leaders, including those of the black caucus asking them to review Zidera for its negative social and economic impact on Zimbabwe.
He has also written to the British parliament, to the House of Lords and the House of Commons asking them to review their stance on Zimbabwe in favour of a less confrontational and vindictive approach that defers to diplomatic initiative.
The letters were addressed to former British premier Tony Blair, the Lord Chancellor Falconer of Thornton, the president of the Council of the European Union Joseph Borrell Fontells, Dennis Hastert speaker of the US Congress, Pearl Alice Marsh of the House International Relations Committee and Hillary Clinton then a senator. They were copied to the Speaker of the House of Commons, the chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Majority leader William Frist and Senator Richard Lugar, chairman Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Georgias states that he was able to discern in the US embassy officials, a need to open dialogue with the Zimbabwe government then (2006), albeit it in “strict confidentiality” as they said because it was no longer proper with Zidera in place to have open dialogue.
Adds Georgias: “It was expedient, in their words, to pull a Cambodia approach, where the US normalised relations with the country now called Kampuchea through secret contacts with the regime they had been at war with. One of the officials even expressed anxiety that I arrange something quickly, a secret meeting with Zimbabwe government officials in strict confidentiality, to give
Ambassador Dell something to report on as he was nearing the end of his tour of duty. Unfortunately this was not to be. I was not a minister then. I had only been appointed Senator.”
“But as you can see from Dell’s leaked dispatch, the embassy officials were not amenable then to my proposal for dialogue with President Mugabe, let alone an end to Zidera and normalisation of relations. I therefore would not be a useful messenger but I think I was right as events now point to that direction. I notice the present ambassador has called on the President. That is as it should be.”
We have not seen the end of WikiLeaks disclosures on Zimbabxwe. As Assange promised on Monday he is releasing more secret documents, this time to deal with banking. Is there anyone still scared?
Is there a clear and present danger looming for some political and business careers?
Online Reporter