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(STICKY) (HERALD) MDC-T split over sanctions

MDC-T split over sanctions
Herald Reporter

MDC-T is reportedly divided on how to tackle the issue of illegal economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe ahead of crucial inter-party meetings to be held before the weekend.

Sources within MDC-T said this week that party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti were on a collision course, differing on the centrality of sanctions to the survival of the inclusive Government.

The economic sanctions issue are the major outstanding issue in the Global Political Agreement and Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations had agreed they should be removed.

The sources said Mr Tsvangirai was reluctant to lobby for the removal of the illegal sanctions, while Mr Biti — who is the Minister of Finance — believed the illegal embargo was retarding economic growth.

"The (MDC-T) president does not recognise that there are sanctions on the country, but the secretary-general is acknowledging that sanctions are there and they are causing unwarranted suffering to the people.

"He says they are making his job as Finance Minister much harder and he would like them (sanctions) to go as soon as possible," said one source.

"The disagreements between the two (Tsvangirai and Biti) started after the Maputo meeting (of the Sadc Troika) where they were urged to work with other parties in the inclusive Government to resolve all outstanding issues arising from the GPA within 15 days."

The Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, which met in Mozambique last week, resolved that the parties in the inclusive Government should engage in dialogue to implement all outstanding issues attendant to the GPA and the January 27, 2009, Sadc Communiqué within 15 days.

Zanu PF, MDC-T and MDC are expected to meet before the weekend to discuss the outstanding issues including the contentious illegal economic sanctions.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Mr James Maridadi, took his boss’ line and denied the existence of sanctions.

He said he had only heard about sanctions in The Herald.

This is despite the fact that his superior agreed in the GPA that sanctions were real and he would work to have them lifted.

"Which sanctions? I am not aware of them, I only read about them in your newspaper," Mr Maridadi said.

Asked on the nature of the relationship between Mr Tsvangirai and Minister Mr Biti, Mr Maridadi could neither deny nor confirm that the relations between the two had strained, adding that he did not want to comment on the issue.

Minister Biti could not be reached for comment yesterday.

His secretary said he was in a meeting and repeated attempts thereafter to get a comment were met with the response: "Leave your details and we will get back to you."

In August Minister Biti tabled a document before Cabinet acknowledging the existence of sanctions and the need to have them lifted.

The document titled "Debts and Arrears Clearance Strategy" said his national economic plan would only work if sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted.

He, however, said such personalities as former Zambian president Dr Kenneth Kaunda, ex-US leader Jimmy Carter and former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan could be engaged to have the embargo lifted.

According to the GPA, MDC-T should play a central role in lobbying for the lifting of the illegal and widely discredited sanctions regime.

Mr Tsvangirai, whose party lobbied for the sanctions, has largely shied from admitting to the reality of the embargo, preferring to call them "restrictive measures" even when the US has in the past said itself that it has sanctions on Zimbabwe.

Last month, senior MDC-T official Mr Giles Mutsekwa, who is a co-Minister of Home Affairs, said sanctions were negatively affecting the operations and the welfare of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and its personnel.

Addressing fellow Home Affairs ministers at an Interpol conference in Singapore, Minister Mutsekwa admitted that sanctions were real and harmful.

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, SANCTIONS, TENDAI BITI, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 9:17 AM