(STICKY) (HERALD) Business speaks out against sanctions

Business speaks out against sanctions
Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:56
By Tendai Mugabe and Tichaona Zindoga

ILLEGAL Western sanctions are hurting the economy with many local firms unable to market their products in the United States of America and Europe, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Mr Joseph Kanyekanye has said.

In a solidarity message before signing the Anti-Sanctions Petition in Harare yesterday, Mr Kanyekanye said the embargo had nothi-ng to do with human rights abuses as clai-med by the West.

He cited examples of such Western firms as Tesco that had refused to buy farm produce from Zimbabwe.

The sanctions, he said, denied Zimbabwean companies access to lines of credit from multi-lateral lending institutions.

"I have come voluntarily to say no to sanctions. It is part of our 2010 resolutions where more than 300 business people said sanctions are not appropriate for Zimbabwe.

"We believe that sanctions have nothing to do with the human rights situation obtaining in the country. We have a situation where we have ZDERA, which we are having problems with as the business community.

"This law empowers the US Secretary for the Treasury to direct any US executive director sitting on international financial institutions to vote against extension of loans to Zimbabwe and cancellation or reduction of indebtedness owed by Zimbabwe," he said.

Mr Kanyekanye urged the political leadership to stop politicking and denounce the embargo.

"As Zimbabweans, we must fight the san-ctions and as CZI we had already taken a position a year ago because they have cau-sed unnecessary disunity in the country," he said.

The CZI president said the sanctions are illegal at international law because the Uni-ted Nations did not ratify them.

Vice President John Nkomo expressed dismay over the absence of the two MDC formations, which are signatories to the Glo-bal Political Agreement, at the launch say-ing: "Some GPA signatories did not come. This means they are pro-sanctions.
"During the struggle for independence we had such characters, but that did not derail the liberation struggle."

He said justice was on Zimbabwe's side as the country was being punished for expressing dominion over its God-given resources.

"We shall prosper and all we want is to control our resources. We refuse to be glorified messengers, but owners of our resou-rces."

VP Nkomo said political freedom, which Zimbabwe attained in 1980, needed to be consolidated by economic independence.

He said the anti-sanctions campaign was the first step towards busting the illegal embargo.

The campaign's success, he pointed out, rested on national unity.

Visiting Namibian Minister of Regional and Local Development, Mr Jerry Ekandjo, said Zimbabwe was being punished for re-possessing its land.

"We add our voice to unconditional lifting of the sanctions and we are going to launch the Anti-Sanctions Campaign in Namibia in solidarity with our comrades in Zimbabwe," he said.

Chiefs Council president chief Fortune Charumbira added: "Everyone across the political divide is suffering from these illegal sanctions. And as traditional chiefs we are saying they must go in their totality."

Bishop Trevor Manhanga threw the church's weight behind the campaign.

"We are here to repudiate the myth that sanctions are targeted on selected members of our country.

"Whatever punitive measures on one of us are sanctions against us all.

"Sanctions on (General Constantine) Chiwenga are sanctions on us all because he is our general."

African Apostolic Church Archbishop Paul Mwazha's contribution was: "Sanctions are anti-human and if the whites really love us they would not have imposed sanctions on us. I say Africa forward and backwards never."

Founder of United Fellowship International Pastor Emmanuel Makandiwa said no God-fearing person would support sanctions since they affect God's children and his Chu-rch all of which operate and reside in the country.

Zimbabwe Farmers' Union president Mr Silas Hungwe said sanctions hurt agriculture and must be "removed unconditionally because they are hindering our farming operations".

In his closing remarks, Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya said: "Indeed these sanctions are not targeted on the leadership, they are comprehensive and affect all Zimbabweans.

"They are evil, racist . . . they are a crime against the grain of all civilised conduct - they must go.

"Those who have boycotted this milestone launch, obviously per instruction of their masters, have seriously exposed themselves as men and women of no consequence."