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(TALKZIMBABWE) US-based Zimbabweans queue to condemn sanctions

US-based Zimbabweans queue to condemn sanctions
Posted by By Our reporter at 31 May, at 07 : 53 AM
By a Special Correspondent

CINCINATTI, OHIO: Scores of Zimbabweans attending the biggest annual gathering of Zimbabweans living in the United States, yesterday queued up to sign the anti-sanctions petition in Cincinnati, Ohio as the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) took the call against the dreadful economic measures right onto President Barack Obama’s door-step.

Over 500 Zimbabweans in the United States at the weekend attended Zimexpo – a three-day extravaganza for Zimbabweans taking place in Cincinnati.

The Affirmative Action Group, which is attending the expo – told the Zimbabweans that their country’s economy was being hamstrung by the economic measures introduced by the western countries including the United States.

“I have signed this petition against the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe as the sanctions are not benefiting anyone and they are a hindrance to our economic recovery.

“I want them removed today because as far as I know, no one in the inclusive government is supporting them,” said Mabel Kashora, a marketing expert attending Zimexpo, soon after signing the petition.

Her sentiments were echoed by contestants to the Miss Zimbabwe USA who all signed the petition.

In an unprecedented display of beauty with patriotism, all the beauties to the pageant appended their signatures to the anti-sanctions petition joining President Robert Mugabe and more than two million other Zimbabweans who have already done so across the country.

“These sanctions should go because we want our country’s economy to recover. They are making ordinary people suffer and its not right,” said University student and Miss Zimbabwe USA contestant – Elizabeth.

“Although they say the sanctions are targeted, it’s very clear to us that they are affecting all our relatives back in Zimbabwe and we know for sure that those relatives are not in government or anywhere near President Mugabe’s family,” added another Miss Zimbabwe USA hopeful, Simmo.

AAG president Supa Mandiwanzira had told the gathering of Zimbabweans attending a business networking conference during Zimexpo that sanctions were choking economic recovery and were giving an unfair advantage to foreign direct investors who faced no real competition from locals in the purchase of Zimbabwean assets.

“I have had the privilege of attending many international business conferences and one thing that is very clear is that the world is focusing its investment attention on Zimbabwe. The main reason they highlight is that assets are cheap in Zimbabwe.

“Therefore if assets are very cheap in Zimbabwe, it follows that Zimbabweans can’t buy their cheap assets because they have no access to foreign lines of credit which have mostly been frozen because of the western sanctions against our country.

“Even under the current process of indigenization and economic empowerment where the locals should be buying 51 percent shareholding in foreign owned firms – their capacity is hindered by these sanctions because they cannot borrow offshore.

“If they borrow in Zimbabwe the interest rates are punitive – over 25 percent in some cases – whereas the foreign investor borrows from their home country some even at less than one percent to come and literary loot our business assets because they don’t have the burden of sanctions,” Mandiwanzira told the business meeting.

Another AAG executive, treasurer general Mr Elifasi Mashaba, also told the same meeting that sanctions were not hurting the so called targeted individuals but rather the majority of ordinary Zimbabweans.

“The whole rhetoric that these are targeted sanctions only meant to affect President Mugabe and his ministers is a tired propaganda line that every Zimbabwean back home has now been able to see through.

“I don’t know anyone on that list of the so-called targeted individuals who is unable to board a plane and seek medical attention outside Zimbabwe. But your ordinary friends and relatives are the ones who are seeing fire because of these measures.

“They have no drugs in rural clinics simply because the support due to Zimbabwe’s health sector is being stifled as a result of the sanctions. These sanctions are evil comrades,” he said.

The United States has imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA) penalizes American companies that invest in Zimbabwe.

It also instructs US representatives to key financial institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the African Development Bank to vote against any loans or grants to Zimbabwe.

Speaking after signing the anti-sanctions petition, a Zimbabwean based in Louisvile Kentucky Mr John Chakauya said the issue of sanctions against Zimbabwe was an emotional matter for him.

“I am not just ending with the signing of this petition, I am going to meet the Governor of Kentucky and my Congressman to tell them about these sanctions and ask them to have them removed,” he said.

Mrs Florence Tela, another Zimbabwean said it was clear to her that the sanctions were in response to Zimbabwe’s desire to re-distribute its wealth to its own people.

“Every country in the world has a right to determine how it wants to handle its own resources and Zimbabwe is no different.

“The United States must allow Zimbabwe to make its own progress without external interference. If it’s democracy we are lacking – surely the American dream has taken more than 200 years to establish. We are only 31 years old as a country and I think we are being judged harshly,” she said.

Labels: AAG, SANCTIONS, SUPA MANDIWANZIRA, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 9:11 PM