Zimbabweans, unite
By Editor
Friday August 17, 2007 [04:00]
THE unity of the Zimbabwean people and the unity of that country's various political forces is the basic guarantee for overcoming its problems. It is only through the unity of the whole Zimbabwean nation that the problems and challenges facing that country can be resolved or addressed. It is imperative to overcome anything that impairs this unity.
And in this regard the people of Zimbabwe and their political leaders should heed the advice of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairman, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, over the need to maintain unity and safeguard their hard-won independence.
Zimbabwe's independence has to be defended by all our people in this region because they have contributed greatly to it.
There is no doubt Zimbabwe's independence and sovereignty are under threat and need to be defended. When one looks at things in this way, it is not difficult to understand why almost all Zimbabweans and others in our region who played an active role in the liberation of that country are refusing or resisting imperialist machinations to have it sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. There is no doubt the people of Zimbabwe are facing enormous economic difficulties and challenges. But this has not cowed them into submission to the dictates of imperialism. Daily, they are creatively, and under very difficult circumstances, trying to defend their independence, sovereignty and indeed dignity.
No one can deny that the political leaders of that country made serious mistakes in their engagement with the Western world and its interests after independence in 1980. They adopted economic policies that in many respects, despite appearing to be good for the country, were actually entrenching imperialists' interests in Zimbabwe. And when these interests became threatened, imperialism reacted with a devastating blow. Here, we are talking about the land issue and other interests.
But we also know that no meaningful national unity could be developed and maintained on the basis or foundation of the neo-liberal economic policies that the Zimbabwean government in its engagement with the International Monetary Fund was pursuing. In no time, these economic policies started to affect the workers and all sorts of social inequalities crept in.
This created a fissure which imperialism manipulated to its own advantage - it got closer to labour and isolated it from the political leadership that helped to liberate that country. We are not trying to analyse anything but to merely acknowledge things as they stand and the need for unity. Now we have in Zimbabwe the effects of policies of social confrontation imposed by imperialism and its international finance mechanisms.
These make the situation of the people in Zimbabwe much harder and more terrible. Those policies of social confrontation are resulting in a crisis for the government and the democratic opening. Zimbabwe is retrogressing. Inexonarably, the process of democratic opening will be led into a crisis. Very clear, eloquent signs of a crisis already exist, resulting from this situation of retrogression.
The heart of the confrontation is the determination by the main political leaders in that country and the Zimbabwean people in general to reiterate their national liberation and to demand respect for their independence and sovereignty. All of this is now under attack by all sorts of opportunists who we have no doubt are bound to fail. We say this with confidence because, above all, it was the Zimbabwean people - patriotic, courageous, revolutionary people who fought hard to throw off Ian Smith's rule, to begin a revolutionary process, to keep struggling in disadvantageous conditions and to recover from setbacks.
No revolution ever comes to an end and all revolutionaries have a duty to keep its idea, principles and goals alive. Even if the current political leaders of Zimbabwe were to try to close off prospects for future progress, they wouldn't be able to do so. Nobody controls the future.
But besides national unity in Zimbabwe, there is the issue of regional unity. The independence and sovereignty of Zimbabwe would be better protected by the region through meaningful integration. After all, the region played a very big role in the liberation of that country. Southern Africa has no worthy, honourable, independent alternative to economic integration - if it doesn't achieve this, it will have no place in the world of the future.
Our politicians and other leaders should become aware of this and see the problem clearly. Once our countries won their political independence, which should have been completed with the unity proposed by Kwame Nkrumah, they fell into the bottomless pit of balkanisation. Their structural weaknesses, political upheavals, continual interference by imperialism, and the lawless, excessive greed combined to enslave us in backwardness and extreme poverty.
In the last few years, attempts have been made at regional cooperation integration in the vague hope of industrialisation. A slow start to integrating our economies - but it is something worth improving upon.
The SADC chairman’s call to safeguard Zimbabwe's independence will be an exercise in futility if this country is not urgently helped to overcome its serious economic and financial situation. It's good that the SADC secretariat has come to a clear conclusion that the economy of Zimbabwe is under sanctions and that without this blockade, the economy of this country is viable. This conclusion is important for two reasons. First, it gives our leaders in the region the opportunity to focus on the main cause of the Zimbabwean crisis.
Second, it gives everyone hope of the high possibility of a quick reversal of fortunes if these sanctions are removed. It is surprising that those who called for the economic blockade of this country are the first ones to deny that it is under sanctions. It is stupid for one to deny that a country which has lost almost all its usual credit lines - as a result of political decisions taken by the United States, Britain and their close allies - is under sanctions.
Not even Smith's Rhodesia was subjected to such sanctions from them. This probably explains why the USA and Britain have had great difficulties convincing the heroes of our region's liberation struggle like Thabo Mbeki to follow their line.
The removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe is the greatest challenge before the leadership of SADC today. They are back to the days of the liberation struggle, days of international mobilisation, now not against Zimbabwe but for Zimbabwe. And no one should accuse us or anyone else of being indifferent to the political practices of the Mugabe government and the violations of human rights. Our region has lived through the worst colonial and imperialist violations of human rights and no one can school us on these issues.
Our region has always been at the forefront of fighting for the things that really define the dignity of any human being when those who are today going around pretending to be the greatest champions of human rights in our region were either on the side of those perpetrating injustices or were violators of human rights themselves.
Here we are talking about things that, in our opinion, constitute true humanitarianism, the policy of promoting the dignity of human beings and their wellbeing. It is no wonder that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe receives the greatest applause wherever he steps on this continent despite being labelled the worst dictator and violator of human rights on our continent.
Why? Probably the masses and the people of our continent are obeying their instincts and are refusing to be swayed by the volume and intensity of that campaign the imperialists are waging against Zimbabwe. How else can one explain this contradiction?
It is clear that the SADC leadership has a good understanding of the problems and challenges before it and we have no doubt that with the support of progressive people all over the world, the difficulties in Zimbabwe will soon be overcome and our region will be marching with very long strides towards regional integration and development.
Labels: EDITORIAL, SADC, ZIMBABWE
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Africa must be free from bondage - Levy
By Bivan Saluseki and Brighton Phiri
Saturday August 18, 2007 [04:00]
PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa yesterday said Africa and its people must be free from any form of bondage and servitude. And President Mwanawasa has said the scourge of conflicts in Africa constituted a major impediment to the socio-economic development of the continent. During the launch of the Southern Africa Development Community Brigade (SADCBRIG), which is a regional standby force, at Lusaka's City Airport, President Mwanawasa expressed worry at the increase in the number of internal conflicts in some African countries.
"It is thus imperative for all of us to spearhead the promotion of peace, security and stability as a necessary pre-requisite for Africa's social and economic development and integration," he said.
President Mwanawasa said Africa had doubled its efforts and achieved progress towards the formalisation of relationships between the United Nations and the African Union, specifically to enhance conflict management.
"At the same time, the deterioration of peace and security in Africa, especially the rise in the number and intensity of internal conflicts led to a re-opening of the debate on the need for a continental security agenda," he said.
He said the force would consist of standby multidisciplinary contingents, with civilian and military components located in their countries of origin and ready for rapid deployment anywhere in Africa at appropriate notice.
President Mwanawasa said the SADC brigade would serve in peace-building efforts including post-conflict disarmament and de-mobilisation and humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of civilian populations in conflict areas and also support efforts of major natural disasters.
He said the SADC brigade would have the planning elements at the SADC secretariat as its only permanent structure.
President Mwanawasa said the brigade would operate on a daily basis as a tool of the SADC organ on politics, defence and security cooperation, and would receive its guidance from the SADC committee of chiefs of defence staff and the committee of SADC police chiefs.
"The SADC brigade, like all other regional brigades, will be part and parcel of the African standby force," he said.
He said the brigade would remain domiciled within their countries of origin on an on-call level of alert for the duration of the assignment.
"In short, this is in fact a permanent standby arrangement," he said.
President Mwanawasa said training of the brigade at all levels would remain a key priority for SADC nations in order to provide a sound legal basis for their co-operation in the establishment and maintenance of the brigade.
On Thursday evening, the heads of state and government met to deliberate over several issues affecting the region.
After the meeting, South African foreign minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said she could not state if she was optimistic a solution had been found for Zimbabwe.
Dr Zuma said the heads of state and government would handle the matter.
SADC executive secretary Tomaz Salomao on Wednesday said the regional group would consider options including a "hard line", "quiet diplomacy" or a "different" method.
And speaking during the state banquet, which he hosted in honour of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) heads of state and government, President Mwanawasa said since attaining independence, Zambia had preserved and maintained the vision that the continent of Africa and its people should be free of any form of bondage.
"It was against this background that on attaining independence, Zambia and its people decided to support the liberation struggles in Southern Africa," President Mwanawasa said.
He said the support Zambians rendered to their brothers and sisters in the region, who were still under the yoke of colonial oppression, minority rule and apartheid, was possible because of cordial and brotherly relationship they maintained with other free and progressive states in the world.
"This history of hospitality renders us ever more willing to accept any responsibility that make us renew our commitment to the southern African region," he said.
President Mwanawasa asked the SADC leaders to use the summit to remind themselves of their common mission and pay homage to the founding fathers of the region, who conceived the vision to which they had dedicated their energy and resources.
"We, therefore, once again, feel greatly honoured to host the 27th ordinary SADC summit of heads of state and government and to assume the chairmanship of SADC. We consider it a fulfilment of our historic mission of promoting African unity and c-operation," he said.
Labels: SADC, ZIMBABWE
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Dominican envoy calls for closer ties with Zambia
By Webster Malido
Saturday August 18, 2007 [04:00]
DOMINICAN Republic special envoy to Africa, Hans Dannenberg Castellanos, has called for closer ties between Zambia and his country. And Ambassador Castellanos, who is also that country's Ambassador to India, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, is today expected to present a special message to President Levy Mwanawasa from Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez.
Part of Ambassador Castellanos' task is to deliver a copy of the protocol to finalise diplomatic relations between Zambia and his country.
In an interview on Thursday evening, Ambassador Castellanos stressed the importance of ties between the regions of Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia in order to accelerate development.
He said since his country was part of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations, it already had some informal ties with Zambia.
Ambassador Castellanos said it was President Fernandez's priority to ensure that the Dominican Republic became an active member of the Non-Aligned Movement of countries, especially to strengthen relations with Africa.
He pointed out that the close connection between Africa and his country could not be overemphasised, especially that 80 per cent of the Dominican Republic's population was of African descent.
Ambassador Castellanos explained that due his country's membership in regional bodies such as the Caribbean Community of Countries (CARICOM) and the Economic Free Trade Zone of Central America, African countries such as Zambia stood to benefit in terms of business opportunities and market access.
"We want to promote our country to African countries because by establishing yourselves in our country, you have access to two markets; the Caribbean and Central America," Ambassador Castellanos said.
"In addition, we have also just signed a Free Trade Agreement with the US. So you will also have access to the US market from our country."
He said the Dominican Republic believed it could also have cooperation with Africa in other areas such as tourism.
Ambassador Castellanos disclosed that at the moment, his country was recording at least four million tourists per year while its hotel room capacity stood at over 70,000 throughout the country.
He said the Dominican Republic's recent desire to get closer to Africa was part of President Fernandez's foreign policy.
Ambassador Castellanos revealed that in line with that, the Dominican Republic's foreign affairs minister had travelled to Africa, to work on the establishment of diplomatic missions in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.
"And we have announced the opening of an embassy in Pretoria very soon. Our closeness to Cuba both historically as well as geographically gives us a great amount of access to diplomats in Havana that can serve our country from their diplomatic posts in Cuba," he said.
"We also want for every African delegation that goes to Cuba to also visit the Dominican Republic, which is just one and half hours away from Cuba, so that we can slowly strengthen bilateral relations with every nation of Africa."
He said the desire for his country to forge strong ties with Africa was exemplified by its participation at the African Union summit in Accra, Ghana and the Lusaka Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state summit where he was among the delegates.
On the international stage, Ambassador Castellanos disclosed that his country was presently campaigning for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as the seat would be due in 2008.
He said it was time that the Dominican Republic represented the Caribbean region, especially that the other aspirant, Costa Rica, had previously occupied the seat which is presently held by Panama.
And Ambassador Castellanos said he would be extending a special invitation to President Mwanawasa to visit the Dominican Republic in his next visit to either the United States or Cuba so that he could personally feel the warmth of the people of that country.
"I wish to take this opportunity to give a special message from my President and congratulate all of the people of Zambia for having developed such a very peaceful nation which is developing at an impressive rate," Ambassador Castellanos said.
"On a personal note, I want to say that Zambia has great potential for tourism development because the biggest asset Zambia has is the same we have; it's the warmth and kind nature of the people of Zambia. Like Dominicans, the people of Zambia are spontaneously nice to those who come to visit and this is the biggest asset a nation can have to develop tourism.
"I have found out that the people of Zambia are very nice people, warm and caring people.
Labels: AMBASSADOR, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
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Lawyers in Nyirongo’s case resolve Inambao’s status
By Laura Mushaukwa
Saturday August 18, 2007 [04:00]
LAWYERS in the case of former Lands minister Reverend Gladys Nyirongo have agreed to resolve the issue of lawyer Nathaniel Inambao being both state witness and defence lawyer. Magistrate Sharon Newa will make a ruling on the issue, if the lawyers fail to resolve it.
The state wanted Inambao who is Nyirongo’s lawyer to be a state witness but he refused to testify, saying he had been receiving instructions from Nyirongo in his capacity as lawyer.
This is in a case where Rev Nyirongo is charged with two counts of abuse of authority of office contrary to section 99(1) of the Penal Code CAP 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that Nyirongo on a date unknown but between January 12, 2006 and February 22 this year in Lusaka, being a person employed in the public service as Minister of Lands directed Daisy Mulenga M’soka, a lands officer at the Ministry of Lands to generate offer letters of land in Foxdale area.
The letters of offer were given to Walinase Nyirongo, Janet Isaac Nyirongo, Peter Kapolya, Peter Ngulube, Precious Ndhlovu, Doris Mulenga, Mubanga Muyunji, Mickey Mukubu, Mwelwa Kamfwa, Bruce Chipasha and Dingwall Hayden in contravention of land alienation procedures, an act prejudicial to the interests of the Government of the Republic of Zambia.
On the second count, Rev Nyirongo on unknown dates but between October 2006 and April 24, 2007 in Lusaka abused her position by directing Christopher Chewe, a junior technical officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, to subdivide Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Farm F/309a in property No.L/19634/M for her and that she obtained property for herself.
The case was scheduled for ruling but it did not take off.
The matter comes up for mention on September 14, 2007 and trial on September 21 to 24, 2007.
Labels: COURTS, GLADYS NYIRONGO, MINISTRY OF LANDS
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Staunch Kafue UNIPist advises Panji to resign
August 17, 2007
A staunch UNIP member in Kafue has appealed to party president Tilyenji Kaunda to resign and concentrate on his personal businesses if the party is to survive.
Former Kafue UNIP Constituency Chairman, Boniface Mhango, told ZANIS in Kafue today
that Mr. Tilyenji Kaunda has failed to run the party because he is always in
Zimbabwe doing personal business instead of concentrating on building the party.
He said there is no way UNIP will regain its former glory when he is always
traveling out.
Mr. Mhango pointed out that a lot of loyal party members were resigning from UNIP to
join other political parties because of frustrations being caused by Tilyenji’s
advisors who are misleading him.
He said Tilyenji should be blamed for the downfall of UNIP as he has no interest to
run the party but wants to use it for his personal gain.
He wondered how Tilyenji could run the party effectively when he does not know what
problems the party was going through.
Mr Mhango added that even calling for a convention in October this year is just too
far as members in the lower organs are not happy with him.
He charged that Colonel Panji Kaunda, his brother, was right when he accused him of
running UNIP from his bedroom because he does not want to get advice from wise
people but from crooks who have no heart for the party.
Mr. Mhango said that the party in Kafue has started identifying a leader who will
take over from Tilyenji as he has become unpopular and is not fit to be President of
Zambia.
Labels: TILYENJI KAUNDA, UNIP
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Mutambara faction raps Tsvangirai camp’s decision
By Caesar Zvayi
THE Professor Arthur Mutambara-led MDC faction has added its voice to the growing condemnation of the rival Tsvangirai faction’s decision to send a demonisation delegation to the ongoing Sadc Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, describing their conduct as undiplomatic and tantamount to contempt for African processes.
The Tsvangirai faction sent a big delegation, led by its vice president Ms Thokozani Khupe and comprising representatives of a number of civic organisations, to Lusaka in an attempt to demonise Zimbabwe, and influence Sadc opinion against the country.
The delegation was reportedly carrying dossiers of alleged human rights abuses they hoped to circulate at the summit.
Spokesman for the Mutambara faction Mr Gabriel Chaibva said he had received inquiries from the diplomatic community, the media and the general public on whether they would be sending a delegation to Lusaka, and had indicated that they had already made their submissions to South African President Thabo Mbeki and did not see the need to disrespect him through side-shows.
‘‘At the summit, President Thabo Mbeki, in his capacity as the Sadc mediator on the Zimbabwe crisis, appointed by the Sadc Heads of State and Government on March 29 2007, to facilitate dialogue between the Government of Zimbabwe and the opposition, will present his report on the state of that dialogue.
‘‘Naturally, whatever input we as a party would have wanted to go into that report has been communicated to the mediator through the normal channels,’’ said Mr Chaibva.
Mr Tsvangirai has insulted almost all Sadc leaders, accusing them of siding with Zimbabwe, and in one of his diatribes he claimed his faction had cut ties with South Africa as he described Mr Mbeki as a dishonest broker.
Mr Chaibva said in light of the Sadc initiative, it would not make any sense for his faction to send a delegation to the summit to lobby the same leadership when there exists a formal means of communicating with the Sadc leadership established by the same Sadc leadership.
‘‘As a party, we reiterate our support and endorsement of the Sadc initiative and commit ourselves to participation in the process to its conclusion. As long as that process is in existence, we will not seek to communicate with the Sadc leadership outside the framework of that process.
‘‘It is our firm belief that the Sadc dialogue process should be given the necessary support by all parties, Government and the opposition. Key to the success of the process will be the level of confidence shown by the parties, not just to the process but also in the person of the Sadc-appointed mediator.
‘‘In this regard, we, as a party and participant in the Sadc-initiated dialogue, will refrain from engaging in conduct that questions a process that has not yet been concluded and that we are currently engaged in. Such conduct on our part would not only be undiplomatic, but also amount to a demonstration of lack of confidence in African processes in general and in particular on the ability of Sadc to deal with the Zimbabwean crisis.’’
Mr Chaibva said it was for that reason that his faction did not send a delegation to the Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly that was held in Accra, Ghana, during the last week of June and first week of July.
Ms Khupe and her delegation were in Accra ahead of the 9th Ordinary Session of the AU Summit at the end of June as they hoped to present a draft resolution to the General Assembly condemning the Government for alleged human rights abuses.
However, ordinary Ghanaians, university students and the media gave the MDC-led delegation a torrid time, forcing them to leave the country before the summit opened.
The Khupe-led delegation also found no joy in Lusaka where the Press conference they called was snubbed by the media, as they also came under fire from Zambia’s main opposition leader Mr Michael Sata, who described them as a "harem of Western agents that has descended on Lusaka to earn breadcrumbs by selling out their birthright".
People who spoke to The Herald also had no kind words for the Tsvangirai faction, which they said was exposing its lackey-nature and desperation by trying to grandstand for the Western media they knew had descended on Lusaka.
The Tsvangirai faction has made it a habit to picket almost every summit in the hope of mobilising opinion against Zimbabwe, but has invariably come unstuck every time, as summits, by their nature, are for elected governments, not aspiring ones.
Labels: ARTHUR MUTAMBARA, MDC, SADC, THE HERALD
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Zimbabwe: Mutambara Blasts Britain, U.S.
The Herald (Harare)
16 August 2007
Posted to the web 16 August 2007
Harare
IN the clearest sign yet that relations between the two MDC factions have irretrievably broken down, MDC faction leader Professor Arthur Mutambara came out with guns blazing against the party's Western backers - the U.S. and Britain - in his Heroes Day message. The two countries appear to have gone with the Morgan Tsvangirai-led faction in the wake of the MDC split.
Prof Mutambara blasted Britain for reneging on the Lancaster House Agreement that bound it to fund the land reform programme and the U.S. for wrongfully supporting Britain over the Zimbabwean land question in a rare broadside against countries he once dubbed "strategic partners and allies."
"In Zimbabwe, we believe there was a case to redress the grave historical injustices in the distribution of land. One of the reasons for the liberation war was access to land by the African majority. Hence, there was a clear case for a land revolution in Zimbabwe.
"The fact that at Lancaster House the terms of reference, processes and funding (including UK and U.S. assistance) for agrarian reform were verbal and not written means that this fundamental issue was not taken seriously. The British and their U.S. colleagues acted in bad faith," Prof Mutambara said.
He said the West was responsible for providing compensation for the land repossessed by the Government and allocated to the landless black majority.
"As regards the question of compensation for farmers whose land or properties were expropriated, we believe that the international community must contribute funds for this purpose, in particular the UK and USA.
"There will be no such money from the Zimbabwean fiscus," said Prof Mutambara.
He said assessment of the quantum of compensation should be based on a number of factors such as the history of the ownership, use and occupation of the land and the price paid for the land when it was last acquired.
Other factors, he said, are the cost or value of improvements on the land; the current use to which the land is put; investment which the State or the acquiring authority may have made which improved or enhanced the value of the land. "We stand opposed to any forms of imperialism. We condemn Western double standards, duplicity and hypocrisy. For example, while we appreciate Western pronouncements on the democratic deficits in Zimbabwe, we condemn the democratic exemption they extend to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait," said Prof Mutambara.
"There is need for consistency if the West is to be effective in its support for democratic and progressive movements. We note that when we were in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa were fighting for our freedom.
"We received no arms of war from Britain and the USA."
He questions why the Western countries failed to provide logistical support to liberation movements in Southern Africa when insurgents erupted in their countries.
"Why did they not provide weapons to the Frelimo, Zipra and Zanla, and APLA freedom fighters and yet they found it appropriate to arm and support Mobutu Sese Seko, Jonas Savimbi, Saddam Hussein (in his war against Iran) and Osama Bin Laden (in his skirmishes with the Soviets in Afghanistan)? This begs the question what really informs Western foreign policy?" asked the opposition leader.
He accused the West of practising double standards.
Labels: ARTHUR MUTAMBARA, THE HERALD, ZIMBABWE
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Mugabe is our best foot forward, says Chinamasa
By Nomusa Michelo
Friday August 17, 2007 [04:00]
MUGABE is our best foot forward, Zimbabwean justice minister Patrick Chinamasa has said. During a breakfast meeting organised by the Press Freedom Committee (PFC) of The Post at Mulungushi Village Complex, Chinamasa said no other leader could have withstood the demonisation and manipulation by the West.
“At the moment, the biggest challenge facing the country is all this demonisation that you are always seeing, it’s neo-colonialism propagated. So blatant in its form and manifestations that we believe Mugabe is our best foot forward,” Chinamasa said.
“He is the only one who can fight imperialism because we have been in this struggle, in the trenches for this long. Anybody else may not understand the manipulations and machinations of imperialism.”
Chinamasa said Zimbabwe has been able to survive the sanctions imposed on it since 2000 because of Mugabe’s leadership.
“We have been able to survive from 2000 because he has been giving us that kind of strong leadership. When you think about the demonisation that they have been throwing at him, which African leader would have survived? They would have thrown in the towel,” he said. “He has been able to withstand that pressure and we love him for that.”
On the land reform programme, Chinamasa said the Zimbabwean government has only wanted two million hectares of land from the white Zimbabwean farmers and the programme was to be implemented over 30 years.
“We only wanted two million hectares when we started the programme because we knew that is what we could plan it,” he said.
“But in the beginning we had resistance and so it happened that what we intended to achieve in 30 or 40 years we achieved in five years.”
He said the land was going to be a destabilising issue in the government’s polices if it had not been resolved.
“We have now resolved it. We have laid a proper foundation for our economic take over,” Chinamasa said.
“What now remains is taking our farmers and providing them with inputs and equipment for them to become productive on the land.”
Chinamasa said the Zimbabwean government had so far acquired eleven million hectares out of the 15 million hectares of farmland.
He accused the British government of exhibiting double standards on the land reform programme in Zimbabwe.
“There has been some double standards on the part of the British. We compare our situation to Kenya. In Kenya after Mau Mau, the British paid to the Kenyan government to pay to the British farmers in excess of 550 million British Pounds.
Because of that compensation, it meant the repossession in Kenya was a smoother one except for the Mau Mau,” he said. “In our case, for the period 1980 to 2000, the British paid forty million pounds only. And when the British realised that the land was a very emotive issue, they then decided that we could not appeal to their own people for our side of the story.”
Chinamasa said despite Britain calling itself a democratic society, which advocates freedom of speech, it did not allow the Zimbabwean government to speak.
“I am aware that their own people have been lied to in the same way that (former British Prime Minister Tony) Blair lied to them about the Iraq situation,” he said. “He has been lying about the Zimbabwe situation, and because he has been lying, he will not allow Zimbabwean people to be in London and prove to the British people our side of the story. That is the common threat on the issue of land.”
And Chinamasa said the issue raised in the international media about human rights abuses in Zimbabwe was a mere smokescreen to hide British and US opposition to the land reform programme.
“The US Congress enacted the so-called Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act in 2001 which prohibited the granting of credit by international institution in which the UN is represented,” he said. “And of course there is no international institution in which the UN is not represented, even our own African Development Bank. And because of the UN representation they will not grant credit to an African country even though they call themselves an African bank.”
Chinamasa said Zimbabwe has for the past ten years been running as a cash economy.
“So you have a situation where for the past ten years Zimbabwe has been managing without any external balance of payment support. We have basically been running our government on a cash basis,” he said. “They were not even satisfied with that, they have even imposed travel bans on all business people and government leaders.”
And Chinamasa said to be politically correct in Zimbabwean politics, one has to be very close to the issue of the land.
“The person who will win the day at the end of the day is the fight of the land,” he said. “If you are to be correct in Zimbabwean politics, all you have to be very close to the issue of land and its redistribution to the people and when you do that is what history is going to be.”
And Chinamasa has said the Zimbabwean government will look into the issue of Zambian nationals being mistreated in Zimbabwe.
He has already informed the relevant ministers about the issues raised about the mistreatment of Zambians in Zimbabwe.
“The complaint about Zambians being ill-treated I’ve taken it on board because it came to me when I was giving interviews,” he said. “It is something that I have already raised with the relevant ministers. But I would also want that on your side you raise them with your government.”
And Chinamasa said some western detractors don’t want a strong, stable and independent region.
“They will not want us to have a mind of our own as a region,” he said. “Our interest can never be the same as those of Europe. We have different levels of development. When we meet at WTO (World Trade Organisation) and at different forums, our interests are different.”
And Chinamasa urged civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to look after the interests of their home countries.
“Some of the NGOs are formed to undermine our position. What we would like to see is NGOs and civil society that is home grown, that looks after our interest, that take position to defend out position regionally without any shame. That is what we need,” said Chinamasa.
Labels: MUGABE, NEOCOLONIALISM, PATRICK CHINAMASA
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Maintain unity, Levy urges Zim
By Bivan Saluseki and Brighton Phiri
Friday August 17, 2007 [04:00]
PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa has urges Zimbabweans to maintain unity and safeguard their hard-won independence. And SADC secretary general Dr Tomaz Augusto Salomão has disclosed that the regional body has a recovery plan for Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, former presidents Dr Kaunda and Frederick Chiluba attended the summit together.
In his welcome address to the summit yesterday, President Mwanawasa said most countries in the region had in the past gone through trying times with food shortages, lack of basic commodities and high inflation but that did not result in violence.
"I should appeal to all Zimbabweans to maintain unity and safeguard their hard-won independence. Most countries in the region, with the exception of a few like South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia, have in the past come through very trying times with shortages of basic commodities and high inflation. Most of these countries did not resort to violence and upheavals in spite of difficulties," he said.
"My strong advice to the brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe is that maintain peace and stability because the opposite will just push you further backwards. In the meantime, SADC has been there for you."
President Mwanawasa said SADC was always there to assist where it could.
He said the SADC spirit had returned to its birthplace since its genesis was in Lusaka.
"As SADC reconvenes, it's difficult for one not to take stock of what has happened," he said.
President Mwanawasa said the liberation of South Africa was the last.
“I wish to thank the old folks for an excellent job,” he said.
President Mwanawasa said there were many things which were being done together as SADC such as easing of cross border travel and harmonising of banking practices.
“The region is undergoing positive economic transformation not seen in many years,” he noted.
President Mwanawasa said the challenge was to maintain the growth rate and reduce poverty among the people.
President Mwanawasa said Zambia was one of the countries contributing to the region’s growth.
“Inflation rate is now firmly under control and below single digit limits. Zambia expects even a stronger growth in the next few years,” he said.
President Mwanawasa said mining had increased and the country envisages one million tonnes in the next five years.
He said such development was because of good policies that had been put in place for a stable and strong investment.
President Mwanawasa said the challenge was to push the SADC agenda forward so that when the next summit is held, those coming would reflect with a sense of satisfaction.
And in his acceptance statement as the new Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairman, President Mwanawasa said after the DOHA Round initiative in Qatar in 2001, where Africa and other developing countries’ development challenges were recognised and that efforts would be made through the multilateral process to address them, it was disheartening that almost six years down the line, very little progress had been achieved.
“The agreed principles on the application of special and differential treatment in order to afford the developing countries some policy space, the inclusion of the aid for trade package and the decision to enhance the least developed countries’ integrated framework to address the supply side constraints raised our expectation,” President Mwanawasa said.
“We expected that the challenges we face in the global trading system would effectively be addressed to accord our countries real and tangible benefits. However, the pace and lack of progress in the negotiations has left us all wondering as to whether we should have had such high expectations.”
President Mwanawasa said the stronger members of the global community continued to debate whilst African countries continued to deteriorate and experience high poverty levels.
President Mwanawasa said it was his desire as SADC chairman to engage his colleagues in the region to see how best the situation could be addressed.
He said a prolonged breakdown of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) would not be in the interest of Africa.
“I am aware of the enormous challenge of guiding the overall implementation of the SADC common agenda and the priorities outlined in the regional indicative strategic development plan,” he said. “As a region, we, therefore, need to continue pressing upon our trading partners to decisively address the real concerns that have hindered our effective participation in global trade for this Round to truly deemed as a development Round.”
He cited infrastructure development as one of the priorities outlined in the regional indicative strategic plan.
“In order to achieve this goal, road, rail, air transport, telecommunications and energy development are going to be the main catalysts of our integration process,” he said.
President Mwanawasa reminded SADC leaders that during the Maseru summit last year, they made a co-operative undertaking to scale up the execution of the region’s integration agenda.
“I am counting on all of you to ensure that we concretise the Maseru Declaration in the implementation of the SADC programmes in the coming year,” he told SADC leaders.
“In the coming year, we must continue to work together by leveraging our capabilities and use the vehicle of regional integration to develop our region. Together, we must ensure that all the SADC institutions fully exploit existing opportunities and explore new ones in order to promote and accelerate regional integration in a dynamic manner.”
He said SADC would consolidate its position and influence in African and international affairs if it achieved higher levels of sustainable economic growth and socio-economic development.
President Mwanawasa urged the SADC leaders to simultaneously mobilise resources and develop capacity effectively.
He said the establishment of the SADC development fund, as agreed at the extra-ordinary summit held in Midrand, South Africa last year would facilitate the mobilisation of resources for the development of infrastructure in the region.
President Mwanawasa called for the expedition of the establishment of the SADC development fund.
He urged the SADC leaders to focus on the infrastructure programmes and projects that facilitated quick and efficient linkages in their communication systems.
“This requires prioritising the development of the regional trunk road network, strategic air transport facilities and the most effective telecommunication network that will enhance intra-regional travel and communication,” he said.
President Mwanawasa reminded SADC member states that they were in one way or the other engaged in a multitude of sub-regional, regional, inter-regional and multilateral trade negotiations which were likely to have significant implications for their region’s development prospects.
He urged the SADC leaders to ensure that all the various instruments were contributing towards promoting the region and Africa’s trade and development interests.
“The underpinning principles of our economic agenda must continue to be driven by our regional indicative strategic development programme which is premised on poverty alleviation, sustainable development and equitable distribution of wealth amongst the members of SADC,” he said.
He said it was a fact that SADC countries continued to face a lot of challenges.
President Mwanawasa observed that the consolidation of Free Trade Area had remained elusive due to the inherent production structures, which had remained unfavourable, and continued existence of intra- regional trade barriers amongst the SADC member states.
He said the situation was compounded by the existence of a number of overlapping and conflicting regional integration programmes.
President Mwanawasa expressed his happiness that the joint ministerial task force of ministers of trade and finance had made some recommendations on the possible options on the regional developments.
He said his priorities would include ensuring the full operationalisation of a full trade area in which SADC member states fully implemented their commitment towards tariff liberalisation and elimination of non-tariff barriers.
President Mwanawasa said he would ensure that the institutional framework for the pending Customs Union was in place, accompanied by the necessary industrial and competition policies.
He said making choices on membership to the various regional institutions should not be an option, but work towards building the African Union, starting with the consolidation of the free trade area.
“Once this is achieved, it will also set a good basis for the implementation of a sustainable SADC customs union,” he said.
President Mwanawasa urged the SADC member states to continue strengthening regional frameworks that promoted democracy and good governance.
He further urged the SADC member states to consolidate their institutions that combat vices such as corruption, which threatened to reverse the region’s development efforts.
“In this regard, the proposal to establish a Southern African Anti-corruption Commission as reflected in the Protocol on Corruption is welcome,” he said.
President Mwanawasa observed that the climatic change was a threat to food security in the region.
He called for strengthening of capacities in early warning and drought mitigation strategies in order to respond to the climatic uncertainties that had confronted the region.
President Mwanawasa said global warming was now considered one of the most serious threats towards sustainable development.
“It adversely impacts on the environment, human life, food security, natural resources, infrastructure and almost all economic activities,” he said. “It includes floods, droughts, rising sea levels, declining agricultural productivity, food shortages to mention but a few.”
And Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili urged the SADC leaders to review the region’s energy crisis as energy shortfalls could derail their countries’ economic growth.
“We need to adopt a clear strategy to address this matter as an integral part of the regional integration framework,” he said.
Prime Minister Mosisili said the challenges of overlapping membership and configurations on the regions’ Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations with the European Union, continued to haunt SADC countries.
“We will, therefore, need to carefully strategise at national level in order to make our integration agenda a reality,” he said.
He called for the implementation of the Dar es Salaam declaration on agriculture, which he said could assist the region to attain food security and reduce its dependence on handouts from outside the region.
Prime Minister Mosisili urged the SADC member states to assist Angola to move with deliberate haste towards its general elections.
He urged the SADC leaders to fight for a SADC wide enabling investment climate, complementary and supportive investment,
“The current one is characterised by skewed market access, double standards on subsidies and other non-reciprocal trade measures,” he said. “Our first step is to promote and increase trade amongst ourselves by focusing, more then ever on market integration and all efforts that add value to the regional integration.”
He asked the SADC leaders to focus on effective operationalisation of their corridor whose impact on land-locked countries had a telling effect on the landing costs of both their imports and exports.
And President Joseph Kabila of the Democractic Republic of Congo and Angola’s Eduardo dos Santos joined their colleagues yesterday.
And electricity supply to the conference was disrupted for a few minutes during the summit, sending personnel into panic.
The stand by generator could not produce enough power to light up the hall.
During introductions, President Mugabe received the loudest and longest applause from the audience.
President Mugabe responded with a smile before President Mbeki shook his hand.
SADC executive secretary Dr Tomaz Salomao said the summit had made a historical comeback after 27 years.
He said 27 years ago, the former leaders began a long march to emancipate the future.
Dr Salomao said the journey was not without hurdles.
He said despite the region progressing economically, 50 per cent of the people still live beyond the poverty datum line.
Dr Salomao said unemployment was still high.
He said inspite of some quarters of instability in the DRC, peace in that country was irreversible.
Dr Salomao said the imbalances of the past had been replaced equitable distribution of resources because of peace and stability.
He said with global challenges, SADC must search for domestic alternatives.
And answering questions from journalists over the adopted report of the SADC council of ministers on Wednesday evening, Dr Salomão said his mission to Zimbabwe had indicated three things.
“Number one is that Zimbabwe is a viable economy,” he said.
Dr Salomão said the second was that Zimbabwe was a country operating under sanctions.
“The economy of Zimbabwe is under sanctions,” he said.
Dr Salomão said from his mission to Zimbabwe and findings, he had interactions with 100 stakeholders.
“In Zimbabwe, it is difficult to separate politics from the economy or the economy from politics. They are inter-connected,” he said.
“There is a recovery plan but I can’t share it with you.”
However, Dr Salomão admitted there were problems in Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabwe is a problem and we want to assist and we want to help Zimbabwe overcome the problems,” he said.
He said the role of the council was to adopt the agenda.
He said the meeting was very good with frank discussions and the ministerial community of the organ which is Tanzania, Namibia and Angola met at 20:00 hours.
The troika met to deal with issues on the political situation in the region and to approve the report of the chairperson of the organ on politics, defence and security to the summit.
The troika also tried to agree on the way forward.
This follows the summit in Dar-es-Salaam where South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki was assigned with the mission to mediate the dialogue between government and the ruling party in Zimbabwe and the opposition.
He was tasked to assess the economic situation in Zimbabwe and to submit the report to summit.
President Mbeki and Dr Salomão are expected to submit their reports to the summit.
On Wednesday evening, both submitted their reports to the summit of their troika of the organ.
The main agenda item to the council was first the assessment of the political situation in the region.
Labels: MUGABE, MWANAWASA, ZIMBABWE
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Mobilise for regional integration
By Editor
Thursday August 16, 2007 [04:01]
If the Europeans can unite and achieve such a high level of integration, why shouldn't we? We Africans, especially from our region - the southern African region, have more things in common than the Europeans. For centuries until not long ago, they were warring against each other. There was one war that they called the Hundred Years' War, and wars of every kind - religious, national, ethnic wars. Those who know a bit of history know this only too well.
The Europeans have transcended all that because they have become aware of the importance of unity. It must be said, really, that the Europeans - their politicians in general - became conscious of the need to unite and integrate, and for over 50 years they have been working to that end. We have hardly even started.
We do appreciate that the United Nations Charter and the principles of sovereignty are absolutely indispensable and crucial for the vast majority of peoples in the world, especially for the smallest and weakest who are still not integrated into any strong supra-national grouping in the current stage of extraordinarily uneven political, economic and social development of the human community.
When we are all integrated in a Southern African community, our concept of sovereignty will be different. We will have to give up a lot of those principles to obey the laws and the administration or the decisions of a supra-national state.
Advocating regional integration may make one appear to be not nationalistic or unpatriotic. Of course, we are not nationalistic - nationalism is not our basic idea, although we deeply love our country. We consider ourselves internationalists and internationalism is not at odds with the love of one's homeland, of the land where a human being is born. Neither is the love of the land where one was born incompatible with a united region, continent or indeed world.
Regional integration is inevitable, is a must; it is part of economics. Today, economists must understand the importance of regional integration. And to understand this better, they must be political economists; and politicians must be politicians with - if it is possible - a maximum of knowledge. Today that is really the basis on which the fate of our people depends, the basis on which our struggles will be waged. And the politicians who do not understand, or do not want to understand, or who do not strive to understand these things, are not worthy exercising their duty.
New ideas to prepare the people for the future are needed and we must start struggling right now. Beginning today, we must start building awareness - a new awareness, we would say. Such a new and complex era as this one requires principles more than ever. It requires a lot more awareness, and that awareness will be built, by adding together, we might say, the awareness of what is happening and the awareness of what is going to happen. It has to be built by adding together more than just one revolutionary thought and the best of ethical and humane ideas and of more than one religion, of all authentic religions, the sum total of all the preaching of many political thinkers, of many schools and of many religions.
What worries us about our SADC approach to regional integration is that it appears to be more of just political leaders meeting and hammering out deals. We don't think it can be done this way. Even the Europeans didn't do it this way; they had to involve their people at every stage. There was a lot of explaining to be done and in some cases the people had to directly decide through a vote.
We don't believe that one or two political leaders on their own, no matter how intelligent or meritorious they may be can integrate and develop a region that doesn't seem to be ready for such an undertaking or that doesn't seem to be prepared to struggle for such a cause. A spirit of regional integration and the willingness to work or struggle for it must be created among our people; people willing to work for regional integration and development must be found with Diogenes' lamp and the patience of Job.
There is a tendency to think this regional integration is purely an economic matter with very little to do with politics.
And as such economists prepare documents for ratification by political leaders and in that way it is believed regional integration will come. This regional integration is a political undertaking, and, like all other political engagements requires serious political mobilisation and engagement of all our people in the region. Moreover, the regional integration we are seeking will not be built by our political leaders with a small band of economists but by the participation of all our people. Our regional integration will be the work of our people and their leaders. It cannot and can never be the work of a single individual or a small band of politicians and economists.
We therefore urge our political leaders meeting in Lusaka this week to critically examine the way they have been working and how isolated they have been in their regional work from their people and consider ways of bringing their people at the centre of all this.
It may be thought that we are suffering from the terrible disease of unwarranted pessimism. All that we are trying to do is get to the bottom of the situation and not present utopian images of our region that have nothing to do with reality. And let's not deceive ourselves that our dream of regional integration will come to fruition just like that, so simply and without any sweat. That will be a miracle.
And we know that in today's world there are few miracles. The region that we will get at the end of the day will only be that which the people of this region are able to create, are able to forge for themselves. It is therefore imperative that the southern African regional integration is not just for the heads of state to decide at summits.
We are not saying our leaders shouldn't meet. It is very important for them to meet and provide leadership to this regional integration. But things shouldn't end there because nothing will move without the involvement of all our people. Our leaders should not only talk about regional integration amongst themselves but they should also engage all our people and talk to them about this very important and necessary integration.
Labels: REGIONALISM, SADC
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Japan following integration SADC is pushing - Abe
By Bivan Saluseki
Friday August 17, 2007 [04:00]
JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday said Japan was following with keen interest the regional integration which SADC is pushing. Prime Minister Abe congratulated Zambia for hosting the 27th Summit of SADC. He said Japan highly valued SADC's consistent contribution over the past quarter century which included the consolidation of peace and stability in the Southern African region through the promotion of democracy and political freedom.
"I understand that SADC plans to establish a free trade area by 2008 and a customs union by 2010 in order to enhance economic integration in the region, and that as a result of the 26th SADC Summit, a task force consisting of ministers of finance, investment, economic development, trade and industry was established and the SADC protocol on finance and investment was signed," he said in a message to President Mwanawasa yesterday.
"Japan, too, attaches importance to the role of regional economic communities in the pursuit of growth and integration in Africa, and we are following the deepening of regional integration through SADC with keen interest."
Prime Minister Abe said cooperative relations between Japan and SADC had been enhanced in recent years.
He said in order to reinforce these ties, Japan was interested in holding a second meeting of high-level policy dialogue for useful exchange of views on development in Southern Africa.
Labels: JAPAN, SADC
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Chissano advises govts on economic policies
By Kabanda Chulu and Mutale Kapekele in Livingstone
Tuesday August 14, 2007 [15:42]
FORMER Mozambican President Joachim Chissano has urged African countries to devise good policies that will translate economic indicators into real development. And Vice-President Rupiah Banda said that despite the strong macroeconomic performance, African countries still faced a huge challenge of economic shocks as a result of globalisation.
Speaking during the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Southern Africa conference held in Livingstone last week, Chissano also observed that globalisation has had negative impacts on developing countries that have continued to remain at its periphery because of the inequality that comes with it.
However, Chissano said that developing countries should not sit idle and blame globalisation for being in a state of backwardness and failures to move forward.
He further noted that economic growth was not equal to economic development.
“For regional business to prosper we need to create and sustain a robust indigenous business community because our countries are challenged today, more than ever before, to adopt and implement bold policies aimed at developing a domestic private sector in each of our nations through the facilitation of access to the relevant knowledge, capital and technologies,” Chissano said.
“And in most cases we are succeeding especially with the positive macroeconomic indicators obtaining on the ground but we should not continue deceiving ourselves that economic growth is economic development. It is just a tool to indicate the level of progress and in the absence of good policies the indicators will not translate into meaningful development for our people.”
He noted that peace, stability and security were fundamental to the requirements for the growth of regional economies.
“But they are not sufficient and they need to be supported by a sound macroeconomic environment that is conducive to business and this implies a functioning transport and communications infrastructure, a stable and predictable economic framework, an enabling regulatory environment and a well managed and effective public administration and service delivery, particularly in health and education,” Chissano said.
He observed that globalisation has brought growing inequality across and within nations.
Chissano said that majority of developing countries had continued to remain at the periphery of globalisation.
“Globalisation brings to developing countries risks, challenges but also opportunities such as greater access to developed countries’ markets and technology transfer but it also brings growing inequality across and within nations and another negative aspect of globalisation is that the majority of developing countries remain at its periphery and they therefore failing to reap benefits while feeling the brunt of this powerful force,” Chissano said.
He said that in the globalisation process, Africa had suffered severely from the flight of human capital, commonly referred to as brain drain, in poor countries and brain circulation in developed countries.
“Clearly the impact of globalisation is more felt on business and it is more visible in Southern Africa where the rather weak economic base featured by its countries makes them more dependent on extra-regional economies and thus more vulnerable to global shocks,” Chissano said. “And our inability to generate domestic savings forces our economies to rely on foreign capital flows for investment and our obsolete and less competitive technologies compel our countries to look for their pertinent replacement outside the region and our knowledge and business practices remain inadequate to the high speed the global economy is moving through.”
Nevertheless, Chissano said that African economies could not move forward if they failed to take advantage of the opportunities offered by globalisation.
“I believe we can do it and we can put globalisation to the benefit of regional business and we can do it better under the following pre-conditions such as peace, stability and appropriate macro economic policies that simultaneously fulfill the role of promoting indigenous business and attract foreign investment,” said Chissano.
“But this must be compounded with strong political will to cooperate with one another and all of us must develop and defend a common agenda for development which goes beyond a mere economic growth.”
And Vice-President Banda said that African countries have the huge challenge of remaining economically vigilant in the light of volatile oil prices and unpredictable weather.
“The main challenges we face are sustaining broad-based economic growth and making further inroads in alleviating poverty reduction strategies,” Vice-President Banda said.
He said the economy of the continent could only improve by boosting macroeconomic activities and reducing the cost of doing business.
“This will entail persevering with macroeconomic stabilisation efforts, reducing the cost of doing business and continuing to address governance issues directly, including enhancing the legal framework and strengthening the transparency of natural resource management,” said Vice-President Banda.
And CIMA Zambia president Emmanuel Mbambiko observed that the current economic situation in the country has created an appetite for people to attain greater heights in businesses.
“The economy is moving in the right direction and this position has created an appetite for competitiveness hence businesses are looking forward to attain greater heights,” said Mbambiko.
Labels: JOACHIM CHISANO
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Chinese ambassador defends his nationals
By Patson Chilemba
Friday August 17, 2007 [04:00]
CHINESE Ambassador to Zambia Li Qiangmin has said some politicians' attacks against Chinese investors were unjustified. And Ambassador Li has said Zambia was currently among the main beneficiaries of Chinese investment.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Li said the urge by the West for African countries to be careful in their dealings with China was because the Africa-China co-operation had posed a challenge to the unfair and unjust international economic and political order. He said China's relations with African countries were very open and aimed at pursuing mutual benefits.
In an interview, Ambassador Li said the allegations against the Chinese investors were not true. Ambassador Li said China was a fast developing country and a very important country to the world and that no one could neglect its friendship.
"The Zambian government and most Zambian people are friendly to China, and that only few politicians tried to do something to attract public attention, win the support of the people and pursue their own personal interests," Ambassador Li said. "I want to use this opportunity to tell our Zambian friends that don't be misled. Any irresponsible remarks against China are short sighted."
Ambassador Li said most Zambians appreciated Chinese investment except for a few.
And Ambassador Qiangmin said Chinese investors have brought a lot of benefits to Zambia.
"So far, China's direct investment to Zambia is more than US$500 million. We employ more than 20,000 Zambians. Also we have a lot of exchange programmes in the cultural, public health, educational and military fields," Ambassador Li said.
"There are companies, for example, that deal in the manufacture of tractors, a very successful example is ZTE and Huawei Technology. Those are telecom companies. Most of the telephone equipment you use are from these companies."
Asked on the allegations that Chinese were handling jobs, which Zambians could handle, Ambassador Li said most products the Chinese produced could not be produced by Zambians.
"Frankly speaking, many consumables needed by the Zambian people cannot be produced by the Zambian people. You need to import," Ambassador Qiangmin said. "Probably you will just spend one-tenth, one-fifth or at most half the price to import similar products from China."
Ambassador Li said China produced cheap but good quality products. He said Chinese goods coming into Zambia were those that were needed for the Zambian market.
However, Ambassador Li said the Chinese government was encouraging their nationals to get more into technology transfer than just trade.
Ambassador Li also said the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Line and the government building and setting up of Mulungushi Textiles had brought a lot of benefits to Zambia.
Asked on the situation in Zimbabwe, Ambassador Li said the problems facing Zimbabwe should be resolved by the Zimbabwean people and believed that the people in southern Africa were able to work together and find a solution that was acceptable to the region.
"Sanctions and the pressure were not the way out. Dialogue and consultation would provide the best solution," he said.
Labels: AMBASSADOR, CHINESE
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World bank team jets in
By NANCY MWAPE
A World Bank team from Washington DC is in the country to review Zambia’s performance in the energy sector. Speaking in Lusaka in an interview, outgoing World Bank country manager, Ohene Nyanin said among the issues the team would look at is to reach an understand with Government when Zesco’s commercialization programme could be finalised. Dr Nyanin said the World Bank team had finalised its work on Zesco’s commercialization but the final discussion with Government had not yet taken place.
He said when Government embarked on privatization exercise, it was agreed that Zesco be privatized through having private sector participation in the utility firm. He added that the objective were to enable Zesco improve its performance by seeking private sector participation. Dr Nyanin said in 2003, Government approached the Bank with a road map on commercialization programme that the two agreed to be implemented in three phases.
The commercialisation exercise started with entry point in 2003, followed by an interim evaluation that had to be completed this year.
“If we had continued with privatization programme, we would have created a bigger monopoly in Southern Africa, if Eskom come in to buy Zesco,’’ he said.
Dr Nyanin added that Government had met much of the benchmarks agreed with the Bank like payments of electricity bills and governance issues concerning the Zesco board.
Other benchmarks included amending the electricity Act, Energy Regulation Board (ERB) Act and strengthening the boards for Zesco and ERB.
Last month Zesco managing director, Rodnie Sisala confidently said commercialisation results to be presented to Government would be positive considering the various projects the utility firm had undertaken.
During the last quarter of 2006, a World Bank team was in the country and made some assessment on Zesco that would make its findings known to Government during this visit.
Mr Sisala described the commercialization exercise as being successful, although it is an on going journey.
He added that with the on going power rehabilitation exercise, management had revamped Zesco’s infrastructure and upgraded the generators to meet increasing power demand.
Labels: PRIVATISATION, World Bank, ZESCO
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SMEs need more tax incentives
By Business Reporter
THERE is need to devise special regulations and tax incentives for Small and Medium enterprise (SMEs) to help them develop and prosper, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) head of small business affairs at the headquarters in London, Robin Jarvis, has said. Professor Jarvis said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that SMEs should not be subjected to regulations and taxation that were applied to large companies that were fairly financial strong.
He said that there was need to come up with a specific regulation targeted for SMEs unlike the current scenario in most economies where SMEs were subjected to the same regulations with large companies.
“We need to come up with particular regulations for SMEs as well as other regulations for large enterprises. For instance, we shouldn’t subject SMEs to the high taxation system,” he said.
Professor Jarvis cited France where the Government in that country reduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) for some industries from 19.5 to about five per cent as one of the significant measures aimed at supporting SMEs. He explained that the French the Government was still able to raise revenue despite the reductions in VAT
Professor Jarvis also reiterated the importance of stable on macroeconomic factors
to support growth among the Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs). He was in Zambia recently to participate as the main speaker at the ACCA regional conference for SMEs whose theme was BETTER ZAMBIA 2007.
Among the topics that were discussed at the conference included taxation, bank finance and finance skills, skills for Zambian SMEs, Government policy towards SMEs, future of enterprise in Zambia, how to start and grow a business, financial reporting, cash flow management, production of bankable business plans and succession planning.
Labels: SMEs, TAXATION
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Oasis Forum calls for Kunda's resignation
By Noel Sichalwe
Thursday August 16, 2007 [04:00]
THE Oasis Forum has called for the resignation of justice minister George Kunda for allegedly failing to advise President Mwanawasa adequately on the constitution-making process. The Oasis Forum has also demanded the withdrawal of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) Bill from Parliament in order to allow further consultations before it is passed into law.
Addressing the press yesterday, Oasis Forum convener Reverend Suzanne Matale said should Kunda refuse to resign, President Mwanawasa should relieve him of his duties immediately. Rev Matale said the current constitutional tension Zambia was experiencing was enough evidence that Kunda had failed to advise President Mwanawasa adequately on the matter.
"We therefore demand for the immediate resignation of honourable George Kunda," Rev Matale said.
"Honourable Kunda has in fact been a major stumbling block in the process of constitution-making. Our hope is that his removal will precipitate a breath of fresh air in this constitution making process. We therefore call upon all Zambians to demand the resignation of the Minister of Justice and to call him to account for his conduct in this process."
"Should we not receive favourable response from the President to our demands then we will be compelled to reconsider our position in the constitution making process with a view to withdrawing from further engagement with the government in this process and shall consider commencing a parallel process of interfacing with the people at grass roots level."
Rev Matale further said from the way the government was bull dozing the NCC bill, it was apparent that it would be passed into law before the current session of Parliament adjourns sine die.
She said the NCC bill which has been formulated on the basis of the Zambia Centre for Inter-party Dialogue (ZCID) road map, advocated piece meal amendments of the constitution and reserved the right of Parliament to debate and amend the recommendations of the constitution conference.
Rev Matale said the NCC Bill was retrogressive by limiting the entire constitution conference to merely making recommendations to the Minister of Justice.
"We want to put it on record today that we oppose the National Constitutional Conference bill and if no major adjustments to it are made, we demand that this Bill be withdrawn from Parliament immediately," Rev Matale said. "We cannot surely have such an important process being left to the whim of the Minister of Justice and the President to the extent that the bill grants the President carte blanche powers to dissolve the constitutional conference."
She said the constitution should be adopted through a broadly representative body followed by a referendum with enactment by Parliament. She called on all Zambians to continue campaigning for a constitution that would stand the test of time. Rev Matale said the composition of the constitutional conference was highly slanted towards government or those sympathising with its position on the constitution.
She also noted that the NGO bill, which has been deferred, was highly undemocratic and tyrannical because it was introduced in Parliament without much consultation. Rev Matale said the NGO bill had the capacity to trigger a mass pull out of progressive NGOs and as a potent weapon for government to check those speaking strongly on governance issues.
She further said it was sad that SADC did not have a platform for non-state actors to air their grievances. She said this was retrogressive and had the capacity to encourage impunity of the leaders of member states. Rev Matale said SADC should discuss obstacles being faced in Zambia's constitution-making process and encourage President Mwanawasa to show leadership and humility.
She hoped that President Mwanawasa would reconsider his position on the constitution now that he was taking the chairmanship of SADC.
Rev Matale further condemned the worsening human rights situation in Zimbabwe and opposed the repression of the church, media and opposition politicians.
"We have decided to very clearly state our position on the Zimbabwean question because we know that repression in Zimbabwe today is potential repression in Zambia tomorrow," said Rev Matale.
Labels: GEORGE KUNDA, OASIS FORUM
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KK asks SADC leaders to deal with land issues
By Brighton Phiri
Thursday August 16, 2007 [04:01]
DR Kenneth Kaunda has asked the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) leaders meeting in Lusaka today to conclusively deal with the land issues in the region. In his message to heads of state attending the summit, Dr Kaunda said land issues were among the sources of conflict and differences in the region.
"Let us examine how other countries, where land is not a problem, are dealing with the issue because it is where land is not a problem where we can look for solutions," he said.
Dr Kaunda also said he expected nothing short of success during the SADC summit.
"As a committed retiree, I am saying to all my heads of state that you are welcome to Zambia. We pray that they will continue to labour and make SADC truly a body of service to all the people of Africa...a body of service to help Africa move quickly into one continent or country just like Europe and the US," Dr Kaunda said.
"I expect success from the summit on all the pertinent issues affecting the region."
Dr Kaunda asked the SADC leaders to turn the regional grouping into a body of service to humanity. He said SADC had a great role to play in the integration process of the continent.
Dr Kaunda further asked the SADC leaders to deal with poverty and HIV/AIDS, which he said continued to haunt the region. He said HIV/AIDS was on an increase in the region because of high prevalence of poverty.
"We pray that our leaders will deal with all these issues conclusively," he said.
"As the HIV/AIDS symbol is my combat attire, I expect our leaders to address the issues of poverty because our people are dying from AIDS due to lack of good nutrition."
Dr Kaunda confirmed that he would attend both the official opening and closing sessions of the SADC summit.
Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA, LAND REFORM, SADC
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Mobilise for regional integration
By Editor
Thursday August 16, 2007 [04:01]
If the Europeans can unite and achieve such a high level of integration, why shouldn't we?
We Africans, especially from our region - the southern African region, have more things in common than the Europeans. For centuries until not long ago, they were warring against each other. There was one war that they called the Hundred Years' War, and wars of every kind - religious, national, ethnic wars. Those who know a bit of history know this only too well.
The Europeans have transcended all that because they have become aware of the importance of unity. It must be said, really, that the Europeans - their politicians in general - became conscious of the need to unite and integrate, and for over 50 years they have been working to that end. We have hardly even started.
We do appreciate that the United Nations Charter and the principles of sovereignty are absolutely indispensable and crucial for the vast majority of peoples in the world, especially for the smallest and weakest who are still not integrated into any strong supra-national grouping in the current stage of extraordinarily uneven political, economic and social development of the human community.
When we are all integrated in a Southern African community, our concept of sovereignty will be different. We will have to give up a lot of those principles to obey the laws and the administration or the decisions of a supra-national state.
Advocating regional integration may make one appear to be not nationalistic or unpatriotic. Of course, we are not nationalistic - nationalism is not our basic idea, although we deeply love our country. We consider ourselves internationalists and internationalism is not at odds with the love of one's homeland, of the land where a human being is born. Neither is the love of the land where one was born incompatible with a united region, continent or indeed world.
Regional integration is inevitable, is a must; it is part of economics. Today, economists must understand the importance of regional integration. And to understand this better, they must be political economists; and politicians must be politicians with - if it is possible - a maximum of knowledge. Today that is really the basis on which the fate of our people depends, the basis on which our struggles will be waged. And the politicians who do not understand, or do not want to understand, or who do not strive to understand these things, are not worthy exercising their duty.
New ideas to prepare the people for the future are needed and we must start struggling right now. Beginning today, we must start building awareness - a new awareness, we would say. Such a new and complex era as this one requires principles more than ever. It requires a lot more awareness, and that awareness will be built, by adding together, we might say, the awareness of what is happening and the awareness of what is going to happen. It has to be built by adding together more than just one revolutionary thought and the best of ethical and humane ideas and of more than one religion, of all authentic religions, the sum total of all the preaching of many political thinkers, of many schools and of many religions.
What worries us about our SADC approach to regional integration is that it appears to be more of just political leaders meeting and hammering out deals. We don't think it can be done this way. Even the Europeans didn't do it this way; they had to involve their people at every stage. There was a lot of explaining to be done and in some cases the people had to directly decide through a vote.
We don't believe that one or two political leaders on their own, no matter how intelligent or meritorious they may be can integrate and develop a region that doesn't seem to be ready for such an undertaking or that doesn't seem to be prepared to struggle for such a cause. A spirit of regional integration and the willingness to work or struggle for it must be created among our people; people willing to work for regional integration and development must be found with Diogenes' lamp and the patience of Job.
There is a tendency to think this regional integration is purely an economic matter with very little to do with politics.
And as such economists prepare documents for ratification by political leaders and in that way it is believed regional integration will come. This regional integration is a political undertaking, and, like all other political engagements requires serious political mobilisation and engagement of all our people in the region. Moreover, the regional integration we are seeking will not be built by our political leaders with a small band of economists but by the participation of all our people. Our regional integration will be the work of our people and their leaders. It cannot and can never be the work of a single individual or a small band of politicians and economists.
We therefore urge our political leaders meeting in Lusaka this week to critically examine the way they have been working and how isolated they have been in their regional work from their people and consider ways of bringing their people at the centre of all this.
It may be thought that we are suffering from the terrible disease of unwarranted pessimism. All that we are trying to do is get to the bottom of the situation and not present utopian images of our region that have nothing to do with reality. And let's not deceive ourselves that our dream of regional integration will come to fruition just like that, so simply and without any sweat. That will be a miracle.
And we know that in today's world there are few miracles. The region that we will get at the end of the day will only be that which the people of this region are able to create, are able to forge for themselves. It is therefore imperative that the southern African regional integration is not just for the heads of state to decide at summits.
We are not saying our leaders shouldn't meet. It is very important for them to meet and provide leadership to this regional integration. But things shouldn't end there because nothing will move without the involvement of all our people. Our leaders should not only talk about regional integration amongst themselves but they should also engage all our people and talk to them about this very important and necessary integration.
Labels: EDITORIAL, region, SADC
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No hurdle is difficult to surmount - Levy
By Bivan Saluseki
Thursday August 16, 2007 [04:01]
THERE is no hurdle that is too difficult to surmount, President Mwanawasa has declared. In his welcome message to the heads of state and government who arrived in the country yesterday for the SADC summit which opens today, President Mwanawasa said with the active co-operation of all other member states, hurdles could be tackled. President Mwanawasa said Zambia's challenge to drive the SADC's common agenda was enormous.
"It is with a deep sense of humility and responsibility that Zambia takes up the challenge of the SADC chairmanship for the first time since 1980 when our leaders met in Lusaka to form the Southern African Development Co-ordinating Conference," he said.
"This is, therefore, a moment of pride to all Zambians and more so to those who have followed Zambia's contribution to the liberation of the Southern African region whose participation in the emancipation of Southern Africa dates back to the days of the Frontline States grouping."
President Mwanawasa said the holding of the summit in Lusaka was of great significance to Zambians because the venue where the summit was being held was the birthplace of the Southern African Development Co-ordinating Conference (SADCC), the forerunner to the Community.
"This occasion provides Zambian business people an opportunity to show the region what Zambia is capable of contributing to the development of our region and our resolve to be part of the integration of this region. This, of course, can only be possible with the commitment of both leaders and our people to the SADC vision of 'A Common Future'," he said.
President Mwanawasa said SADC countries, to a great extent, shared a common history.
"This is a history of struggle to free one's brothers and sisters; a history of fighting for self-determination; a history of sacrifice for one another and indeed a history of singleness of purpose," said President Mwanawasa.
“If we are united, SADC nations can turn our weaknesses into opportunities.
“Let us fulfil the collective undertaking we made at the 26th Maseru summit to boost the implementation of the integration agenda, guided by our Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP)."
President Mwanawasa said the RISDP continued to be SADC's beacon for deeper regional economic integration.
"In our quest to consolidate this unity through infrastructure development, we must exploit all opportunities and seek new ones. The road networks, air transport facilities and the telecommunication networks should all be developed further to enhance development," he said.
President Mwanawasa said SADC should also collectively ensure that people had enough food, adequate shelter and were healthy.
"In particular, the region must vigorously fight HIV and AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis," said President Mwanawasa.
Labels: SADC, ZAMBIA
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Zimbabwe: BBC lies exposed
Posted: Monday, August 13, 2007
EDITOR – The article by Stephen T. Maimbodei (The Herald, August 8 2007) made interesting reading particularly as we celebrate our Heroes Holiday. As Zimbabweans we should not fail to sleep over the programme because there are so many of them these days from CNN, BBC and other radio and TV stations. Zimbabwe is a great country that is why we had to fight for it to liberate ourselves.
Ian Smith rebelled against Her Majesty, the Queen of England, and nothing happened and just like what happened in the film "Hotel Rwanda" they said: "We have been sent to collect whites only", the British government did not act against their kith and kin. Our greatest "sin" was to take land from their kith and kin and they will not forgive us for that. Ko vanombodei muZimbabwe?
There are a lot of countries where things are happening and the world is doing nothing and in our beloved Zimbabwe sanctions have been the source of our challenges. The playing field is not even and is openly and deliberately violated by those sponsoring regime change.
The BBC programme is nothing but racist bigotry bent on trivialising the war of liberation and the living liberation war heroes. For decades the history of a black person has been that of subservience, abused and humiliation. He has been denied his rightful place. He must always say baas to "superhuman" beings.
Maybe the BBC should do a special programme on how they toppled Kwame Nkrumah, and how they threw Patrice Lumumba into sulphuric acid.
Did Tom Mboya of Kenya have to be assassinated if the British are so democratic as they claim to be?
What about the fraud they committed against King Lobengula?
The BBC and their government wanted the black man to have remained confined to the "mukwenyashuro" type of soil in Chivi, Mberengwa, Gutu and other rural areas. This is why economic rights have been relegated to the dustbin by the white man. The black man is made to believe that civil and political rights are more important than economic rights and the end result is perpetuation of poverty.
What the programme is meant to achieve will certainly not perturb us. We know we are under sanctions and we know they imposed them on our country and our sin was taking what rightly belongs to us.
God gave us Zimbabwe to enjoy its fruits not to be treated like second-class citizens. The kith and kin of the British owe it to President Mugabe for his generous commitment to reconciliation.
When Father Zimbabwe, Dr Joshua Nkomo said: "Nxa ufuna imali pendulela ivala elithi lima uzayithola imali", he simply meant that money comes from the soil.
To my brothers and sisters the fastest way to get rich is to work hard in the fields.
Just like the Israelis and Palestinians have the right to their land, Zimbabweans are no exception. The late Stanlake Samkange wrote the book "On Trial for My Country", indeed our President is on trial for giving land to his people.
The BBC lies have been exposed and they will continue to be exposed. The Bible says the truth shall set you free.
C. Zhou.
Gweru.
Labels: BBC, THE HERALD, TRINICENTER
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‘Govt to prioritise agriculture’
Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT will this year finance a minimum two million hectares of maize, sorghum and millet, as part of efforts to boost agricultural production. In his National Heroes Day address at the national shrine, President Mugabe underscored the importance of maximising land use to boost agricultural productivity to ensure the country achieves food security and self-sufficiency.
Government would also finance a planned minimum of two million hectares of maize, sorghum and millet through Agribank and Operation Food Security, while individual farmers, corporates and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Agricultural Sector Productivity Enhancement Facility would finance the remaining 600 000 hectares.
"Government is very clear about its programmes and continues to prioritise agriculture as the mainstay of the economy.
"Accordingly, we are committed to ensuring land use is maximised in order to boost agricultural productivity and achieve the important goal of food security for the nation.
"In this respect we are already benefiting from a special agreement for the supply of agricultural machinery, which we entered into with the China National Machinery and Equipment Company," he said.
The country has already received some agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, tractors and other chemicals under the arrangement.
Early this year Government through RBZ in conjunction with the Ministry of Agricultural Engineering and Mechanisation also launched an agricultural mechanisation programme, whose thrust is to boost the agricultural sector through manufacturing of equipment such as tractors, fertilizer spreaders, planters, boom sprayers, disc harrows, ox-drawn ploughs and scotchcarts.
President Mugabe said: "The objective of the programme is to sufficiently and efficiently equip farmers with various implements in tandem with other logistical and back-up support.
"The expanded programme will continue to empower all farmers, including special interest groups such as war veterans, women, communal and A1 farmers."
To this end Government has also embarked on training beneficiaries of the programme on appropriate and efficient use of the equipment, while tertiary institutions have also commenced complementary training to produce skilled personnel who can repair and maintain the implements.
The programme has also benefited other sectors of the economy such as the manufacturing sector, as it entails that local companies manufacture and assemble some of the farm equipment.
Agro-dealers’ capacity levels, which had hit a record low of below 25 percent, had since improved with the advent of the programme.
Local companies participating in the programme were drawn from the Agricultural Dealers and Manufactures Association for standardisation and quality control purposes. These include Zimplow (Private) Limited, Bain New Holland, Radar Castings, Hastt Zimbabwe, Dunlop Zimbabwe Limited and Agricair (Private) Limited, among others.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, MUGABE, THE HERALD
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Western media and the ‘politics of genocide’
By Stephen Gowans
WHEN African scholar Mahmoud Mandani looks at the slaughter and displacement of civilians in Darfur he notices something odd.
The mass death of civilians in Darfur has been called genocide, but slaughters of civilians of similar magnitude in Iraq and on a larger scale in Congo have not. According to the World Food Programme, about 200 000 civilians have died in Darfur, 80 percent from starvation and disease, and 20 percent from violence. Close to 700 000 have been displaced.
This, the US government, calls genocide. But 600 000 Iraqis have died since 2003 as a result of violence related to the Anglo-American invasion of Iraq and 3,7 million have either fled to neighbouring countries or are internally displaced.
"I read about all sorts of violence against civilians," says Mamdani, "and there are two places that I read about — one is Iraq, and one is Darfur . . . And I’m struck by the fact that the largest political movement against mass violence on US campuses is on Darfur and not on Iraq."
If Darfur is modest in comparison to Iraq, both are pip-squeaks compared to Congo. There, some four million civilians have been slaughtered over several years, largely as a result of intervention by US proxies, Uganda and Rwanda. In Somalia, 460 000 civilians have been displaced by fighting sparked by a US-backed and assisted invasion by Ethiopia.
That invasion was aimed at ousting the popularly-backed Islamic Courts Union, which had brought a measure of stability to Somalia.
"In the six months the Islamic courts (governed Somalia), less than 20 people lost their lives through violence. Now, that many die in 10 minutes," observes Hussein Adow, a Mogadishu businessman.
Why is there a Save Darfur Campaign, but no Save Congo Campaign and no Save Somalia Campaign? Mamdani says that people in the West don’t react to the mass slaughter of civilians but to the labels their governments and media attach to them.
"Genocide is being instrumentalised by . . . the United States," he explains. "It is being instrumentalised in a way that mass slaughters which implicate its adversaries are being named as genocide and those which implicate its friends or its proxies are not being named as genocide."
Mandani calls this "the politics of naming".
The politics of naming isn’t limited to the question of which slaughters are named genocide and which aren’t. It applies too to the question of which regimes are called dictatorial, repressive and brutal (and so must be changed), and which are not (and so should be left in peace.)
Take the case of Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Tons of printer’s ink have been consumed by Western newspapers denouncing Zimbabwe’s President, Robert Mugabe. According to the Western narrative, he is as a dictator who steals elections, represses the opposition and cracks heads to stay in power.
But Mugabe’s Government, in view of concerted efforts from outside and within to overthrow it, is remarkably restrained.
Archbishop Pius Ncube, one of the Government’s most vociferous critics, recently called on Zimbabwe’s former colonial master, Britain, to remove Mugabe through military means.
"We should do it ourselves," he added, "but there’s too much fear. I’m ready to lead the people, guns blazing, but the people are not ready."
(Imagine Noam Chomsky calling for a coalition of Russia, China, Venezuela, Iran and North Korea to invade the US to force Washington to end its occupation of Iraq. "I’m ready to lead the people, guns blazing," he might say, "but the people are not ready." How long would it be before Chomsky was hustled off to jail?)
Ncube isn’t the first Government opponent to threaten a campaign of violence to oust Mugabe. And yet Ncube and others remain at liberty to call for sanctions, outside military intervention and insurrection to depose the government.
Ethiopia, on the other hand, is a cipher. It receives little coverage from the Western media, and even less attention from people who routinely denounce the Sudanese and Zimbabwean governments from the left. That’s odd, for the Ethiopian government has all the flaws the Zimbabwean Government is said to have that arouse so much moral indignation. Ethiopia "jails it citizens without reason or trial, tortures many of them, and habitually violates its own laws.
"The government was . . . severely criticised for a 2005 crackdown in which tens of thousands of opposition members were jailed and nearly 200 people killed after elections in which the opposition made major gains.
"Ethiopian officials . . . have expelled many foreign journalists and representatives of human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch." Disputed elections, crackdowns on the opposition, expulsion of journalists: this resembles the charge sheet against Mugabe.
So why isn’t Zenawi as thoroughly excoriated as Mugabe is? A July 9 Reuters’ report says, "Ethiopian prosecutors demanded the death penalty for 38 opposition officials convicted of trying to overthrow the government, treason and inciting violence.
The officials were convicted last month of charges relating to violent protests over disputed elections in 2005 that the opposition says were rigged.
"Nearly 200 people were killed in clashes between protestors and security forces over the vote. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said he regretted the post-poll violence, but blamed it on opportunistic rioters and an opposition conspiracy to topple him by force."
I read the Reuters’ article to a friend, but replaced Ethiopia with Zimbabwe and Zenawi with Mugabe. There seemed nothing out of the ordinary to her. And indeed, it’s likely that most people in the West would not have detected the deception. It meshes with the Western narrative on Zimbabwe.
If you’ve been reading Western Press accounts, you would expect Mugabe to round up the opposition (whose leaders have long threatened the violent overthrow of the Government), charge them with treason, and seek their execution.
But he hasn’t.
Had he, a storm of indignation would have swept the Western world. Yet Zenawi does the same, and no politician works himself up into high moral dudgeon, no calls are made for sanctions or Western military intervention, and no emergency meeting of the UN Security Council is convoked.
Just a solitary Reuters’ dispatch.
Why?
The answer is that Ethiopia is fully within Washington’s orbit, acting as a reliable proxy enforcing US geopolitical interests in the resource-rich Horn of Africa.
Zimbabwe, by contrast, pursues the opposite tact, implementing policies that seek to free itself from Western domination and to frustrate US imperial designs on the continent.
Zimbabwe indigenises its agriculture and economy; Ethiopia intervenes militarily in Somalia at the behest of Washington, to restore a US-puppet government.
Weeks before Ethiopia invaded Somalia, US General John P. Abizaid flew to Addis Ababa to arrange for Zenawi to unleash the US-trained Ethiopian military on Somalia. Washington even went so far as to shelter Ethiopia, whose military relies on equipment made in North Korea, from penalty for violating UN-sanctions against North Korean arms sales.
Ethiopia needed to import replacement parts from North Korea if the invasion was to go ahead without a hitch. Washington, which championed the sanctions, said "go ahead".
Numberless people are being manipulated by Western governments and media, their outrage harnessed to achieve geopolitical goals that have nothing whatever to do with human rights and democracy, and everything to do with the question of who gets to control the oil spigot, mining concessions and vast tracts of fertile land.
Mamdani calls those caught up in the Save Darfur Campaign innocents. The same could be said of those caught up in the dump Mugabe campaign. — raceandhistory.com
l Stephen Gowans is a Canadian writer and political activist based in Ottawa.
Labels: STEPHEN GOWANS, THE HERALD, ZIMBABWE
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