Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai wants sanctions lifted

Tsvangirai wants sanctions lifted
by
13/10/2009 00:00:00

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has called on western countries to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe to reward progress made under a power sharing government formed with rival, President Robert Mugabe, in February.

Tsvangirai also wants western countries to resume budgetary support for the country which is coming out of a decade-long political and economic crisis.

Speaking to journalists at his Strathaven home in Harare after acknowledging receipt of two international awards he won last week, Tsvangirai said the only way Zimbabwe would move forward was for donor countries to provide balance of payment support and to do away with sanctions, which he referred to as “restrictive measures.”

Tsvangirai said: “The thing is that people must recognise and reward progress. I think there’s no dispute in everyone’s assessment that there is progress being made by the inclusive government in Zimbabwe, therefore it must be rewarded.

“How do we reward it? We have to reward by moving away from just humanitarian aid. We need to move towards economic growth, development aid and to ensure to it that any restriction that is there is removed.

“Not that I’m going to dictate to anyone, but just to say this is how you can reward progress. Remove any obstacle towards the progress we are making.”

Donor countries have withheld developmental aid to Zimbabwe, insisting on more “political reforms” and restoration of order on commercial farms where the few remaining white farmers say they are under siege from Mugabe's supporters. Zimbabwe has set a target of US$10 billion to restore social services, boost industry and kick-start economic recovery.

Most western countries have committed humanitarian aid to the country, while maintaining sanctions which President Robert Mugabe says scare away potential investors and prevent the country from accessing international lines of credit. Mugabe says claims by those countries that the sanctions are “targeted” are a smokescreen.

In a related development, one of Zimbabwe’s two Home Affairs Ministers Giles Mutsekwa – a senior member of Tsvangirai’s MDC – described the sanctions on Zimbabwe as “illegal” in an address to the 78th General Assembly of the International Criminal Police Organisation in Singapore on Monday.

Mutsekwa said the Zimbabwe Republic Police had “steadfastly maintained its integrity in the ferocity of machinations of the detractors determined to collapse the country”, and commended the force for “demonstrating the necessary operational acumen and strength to navigate the choppy waters of policing in an environment where the illegal sanctions have decimated the organisation’s capacity to fulfill its constitutional obligation of maintaining law and order."

Tsvangirai won a human rights award and a lifetime achievement award in Spain last Thursday.

The International Bar Association awarded him with their human rights award in recognition of his efforts to advance the cause of human rights in Zimbabwe, while the Spanish Foundation Cristobal Gabarron awarded him with the International Lifetime Achievement Award 2009 for his fight for peace and democracy.

“This is the recognition of the struggle of the Zimbabwean people for those democratic ideals that every human being would fight for. To me the rightful recipients are the people of Zimbabwe for their continued struggle,” Tsvangirai said.

Tsvangirai had also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which was won by US President Barack Obama.

Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 7:30 AM