COMMENT - We're way beyond 'calling on Glencore to pay it's fair share of taxes'. Glencore is guilt of massive tax evasion. That is theft from the Zambian state, the Zambian people and the Zambian economy. And thieves must to go to prison.
Explain tax avoidance reports, ActionAid tells Glencore
By Gift Chanda and Kabanda Chulu
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 13:58 CAT
ACTIONAID Zambia has challenged Glencore to "clear the air" on tax avoidance allegations in Zambia before embracing the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). Country representative Pamela Chisanga said Glencore, the owners of Mopani Copper Mine, should not sidetrack from clearing its name on the tax avoidance issues her institution raised last year.
Last week, there were assertions that commodities trader, Glencore, would own up support for a global standard on transparency in natural resources by declaring its support to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), an initiative which promotes principles of ethical behaviour at natural resources companies.
Glencore has been notable by its absence from a list of EITI backers that reads like a Who's Who of natural resource giants. The list includes Anglo American, BHP Billiton, BP, Shell and fellow commodities trader Noble Energy.
"Much as we appreciate Glencore's position to support various initiatives, like EITI, we would still want Glencore not to use this to sidetrack from the real issues that we have been calling on in terms of how they should be paying their fair share of tax to Zambia," Chisanga said.
"We are a little bit concerned that these measures are being used to cover up the wrongdoing of Glencore."
Chisanga said the time Glencore has decided to raise its support is wrong considering the issues surrounding the institution. The Swiss-based company's transformation into a public company has been littered with embarrassing accusations over corporate governance including allegations - denied by the company - that it avoided tax in Zambia.
The controversy emerged after the leaking of a report into internal controls at Mopani, which was carried out in 2009 by accountants Grant Thornton at the request of the government.
The dossier stated there had been an "unexplainable" increase in Mopani's costs between 2006 and 2008 that allowed it to minimise its stated profits and lower its tax bill.
"We are yet to see how events unfold but we will not relent from calling upon Glencore to pay its fair share of taxes," Chisanga said.
She said time had come for heightened transparency levels in the extractive industry. Chisanga said multinational companies need to be more transparent if the country is to benefit from its resources.
"And to achieve this, we have always called upon the multinational corporations, the private sector to collaborate and work with civil society even in terms of providing information regularly for us to get an understanding of what is happening within these industries," Chisanga said.
And during the ongoing Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Plan (CAADP) consultative meeting for non-state actors (civil society and others) in Lusaka yesterday, Chisanga said there was need to use agriculture as an avenue to attain economic development.
She said Zambia should urgently implement practical and inclusive policies that will result in the maize bumper harvest to significantly reduce hunger and food insecurity.
"We need partnerships that will bring the missing voices to influence the agriculture policies, for instance, Zambia has recorded a number of milestones in the last two farming seasons and yet the sector has had huge challenges in ensuring food security and reducing hunger so how do we ensure that agriculture is managed to bring desired results?" Chisanga asked.
"Women are underrepresented yet they produce most of the foods that we eat. What are we doing to ensure that their voices are heard and we have a bumper harvest but what policies do we have to ensure that hunger is reduced and what measures are we putting in place to make agriculture as a base for sustainable development and economic growth?"
Chisanga, however, said the challenges of the agriculture sector cannot be left to government and cooperating partners alone.
"This calls for a significant shift in broadening the space to accommodate the voices of non state actors in all important decisions because CAADP is government led but not government owned or controlled. As such, it provides a nexus through which to structure and coordinate non state actor participation," said Chisanga.
Labels: ACTIONAID, EITI, GLENCORE INTERNATIONAL AG, MOPANI, TAX EVASION
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Stand up for what is right
By Editor
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 13:00 CAT
Standing up for truth, for what is right, for what is just and fair can be very costly. Why should this be so? Our own and only explanation is that genuine goodness is always threatening to those at the opposite end of the moral spectrum.
And Fr Gabriel Msipu, the treasurer general of the Chipata Catholic Diocese, is very right when he says Christians should be prepared to bear the consequences of siding with the voiceless in society. Christ's entire doctrine was devoted to the humble, the poor; his doctrine was devoted to fighting against abuse, injustice and the degradation of human beings. And for this, he laid down his life. He was killed by the forces of evil. And what Christ teaches us by this is that there is need to "stand up for what is right, even if it costs you your life; the Lord God will be fighting on your side".
There are people who take cruel advantage of the poor and the needy; that is the way they make their living. But we are all commanded: "Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless. Speak for them and be a righteous judge. Protect the rights of the poor and the needy" (Proverbs 31:8-9).
We are also told that "the righteous hate the wicked, and the wicked hate the righteous" (Proverbs 29:27) and that "bloodthirsty people hate anyone who is honest, but righteous people will protect the life of such a person" (Proverbs 29:10).
This is the world we live in, a world dominated by ill practices. And as Fr Msipu has correctly observed, there are so many ill practices that are taking place during campaigns for this month's elections. People are being attacked, injured and their property destroyed without any provocation. Their only crime is that they belong to a different political party, they are supporting a different candidate.
But what is wrong with this in a country that is constitutionally a multi-party democracy? Do they want a multi-party state with only one political party to which everyone belongs and one candidate who everyone supports? There isn't much effort on the part of the state apparatus to protect this constitutional right, the right to belong to a political party of one's choice and support candidates one finds suitable to hold public office and indeed to hold opinions, political or otherwise, different from those help by others or the dominant political parties or groupings. It is sad that those who should be upholding, promoting and defending this constitutional right are the ones in the forefront of violating it, undermining it.
Rupiah Banda, as president of the Republic and head of state, is doing nothing to protect this constitutional right of every Zambian. Rupiah is in the forefront of threatening, of harassing, of humiliating all those who are strongly opposed to his hold on power as if ours was a one party state. People are being intimidated, in all sorts of ways to vote for Rupiah and the MMD.
If Rupiah has failed to defend the constitutional rights of our people, then our people have no choice but to individually and collectively directly take up that responsibility for themselves.
Rupiah and the MMD should not be allowed to behave as if this country belongs to them and them alone. They need to be reminded that this country will not be a good place for them, for any of us to live in unless it's a good place for all of us to live in.
What Rupiah and his friends are doing amounts to taking away from our people their right to remove without bloodshed the people who govern them. The important thing about democracy is that citizens can remove without bloodshed the people who govern them. They should be able to get rid of a Rupiah by the ballot if they deem so. But that cannot be done under the political atmosphere of violence, intimidation, threats, blackmail that Rupiah has introduced in our country and is today planting in our hearts.
It is impossible for people to hold free and fair elections under this atmosphere of violence, threats, blackmail and intimidation. With this atmosphere, all our people's struggles to get control of the ballot box were a waste of time. If this continues, we shall be run by a dictatorship, a tyrannical regime.
Rupiah must ask himself what will happen when people realise what he has done to keep himself in power.
If people lose the power to sack an unwanted president, government, one of the several things happens. First, people may just slope off. Apathy could destroy our young democracy. When the turn out drops below 50 per cent, we should know we are in trouble, we are in danger. We are in trouble or in danger not because there will be no one to take up government offices. The lingering danger of voter apathy is not that public office will go unfilled, but that office holders will be elected by smaller and smaller percentages of eligible voters. And without the lifeblood of citizen participation, action, our democracy will begin to weaken and eventually disappear.
Peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections are very vital to the functioning of a democracy. We say this because in a democracy, the authority of the government derives solely from the consent of the governed. And the principal mechanism for translating that consent into governmental authority is the holding of peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections.
The elections we are holding in two weeks time are therefore very important for the future of our country. And this being the case, everything that stands in the way of peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections should be challenged without fear or favour. And the questions Fr Msipu is asking are very important when he asks: "Are we ready to challenge these ill-practices in society today? Are we ready to stand for the truth? Are we ready to suffer? Are we ready to bear the consequences that go by standing by the voiceless and less fortunate in society today?"
We should all join Fr Msipu in praying "that the good lord may give us the courage that we need. As people set apart but also as believers in Christ, as Christians we see so many things, but sometimes we are filled with fear. May God remove this fear, may he direct us by the Holy Spirit to remain firm and steadfast in our faith, defend it in the difficult moments of our life".
We see that Jesus' spirituality was life in the spirit, within the historical conflict, in a communion of love with the Father and the people. This spirituality was the result of his opening to the Father's gift and of his liberating commitment to the life aspirations of the oppressed. For Jesus, the world wasn't divided between the pure and the impure, as the Pharisees wished; it was divided between those who favoured life and those who supported death. Everything that generates more life - from a gesture of love to social revolution - is in line with God's scheme of things, in line with the construction of the kingdom, for life is the greatest gift given to us by God.
And in that communion with the Father, Jesus found strength for struggling for the scheme of life, challenging the forces of death, represented particularly by the Pharisees, against whom the Gospels present two violent manifestos (Mathew 23 and Luke 11:37-57).
Therefore, there is no contradiction between the struggle for justice and the fulfillment of God's will. One demands the other. All who work along that line of God's scheme for life are considered Jesus' brothers and sisters (Mark 3:31-35). This is the best way to follow Jesus, especially in Zambia's present situation. We prefer to say that Jesus had a spirituality of the conflict - that is, a vigour in his commitment to the poor and to the Father who granted him immense internal peace. That faith gave Jesus the necessary will for carrying out the scheme of life, even by sacrificing his own life in confrontation with the forces of death, such as oppression, injustice and religion made sclerotic by rules and rites.
Let us stand up for what is right, whatever the consequences!
Labels: GABRIEL MSIPU, RUPIAH BANDA
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Rupiah explains his corruption stance
By Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 13:59 CAT
UNITED STATES embassy in Lusaka confidential cables released by Wikileaks have revealed why President Rupiah Banda has taken a soft stance on corruption. According to the cables, President Banda told World Bank vice-president that he could not take robust anti-corruption stance because he has multiple constituencies to satisfy.
And the cables revealed that immediate-past World Bank country manager Kapil Kapoor said President Banda's "friendship" with the late Frederick Chiluba could be because the former president had incriminating information on the incumbent or he was funding President Banda's 2011 re-election campaign.
Meanwhile, the cables revealed that the US government regarded Vice-President George Kunda as an obstacle to progress in fighting corruption.
Accoridng to cables prepared by Michael Koplovsky, then US embassy charge d'affaires, dated October 5, 2009, President Banda told the World Bank vice-president that he was committed to fight corruption but he was being "pulled in different directions".
"During a late September meeting on the margins of UNGA United Nations General Assembly in New York, IBRD Africa vice president told the Zambian leader, his trade minister Felix Mutati and State House economic advisor Richard Chembe that Banda needs to deal with the perception that he is soft on corruption," the cables read.
"Banda said it would be easier for him to tackle Zambia's corruption problems and the associated perception when and if he is re-elected to a full five-year term in 2011. Banda insisted that he did not fire Taskforce on Corruption leader Max Nkole; he simply decided not to renew his contract. When pressed for the reasons why, Banda responded that he 'needed people who are loyal' to him."
The cables revealed that Banda said he appreciated the private engagement he had with the donors' troika - the Netherlands, World Bank and United States - heads of mission and wished to keep that channel open. The cables revealed that Kapoor recounted the New York conversation during a well-attended donors' meeting in Lusaka on October 1, 2009 despite leaks of sensitive information, ostensibly from somebody within that group.
"Kapoor noted that Banda usually ultra-sensitive to criticism in the media did not raise recent leaks to the Zambian press. Kapoor speculated on the political pressures to which Banda alluded and concluded that Banda's new 'friendship' with the recently acquitted former president Chiluba is because Chiluba has incriminating information on Banda, has funding for Banda's re-election campaign, can deliver the remote swing Luapula Province in the 2011 elections, or a combination of the three."
In another cable prepared by Koplovsky dated May 28, 2009, the diplomat revealed that Sweden and the Netherlands's freezing of their development assitance to Zambia's health sector reflected mounting donor anxiety, not so much at corruption itself but the Banda-government's seemingly tepid response to it.
Koplovsky stated that seized with the idea that other donors would slash their funding, President Banda summoned numerous heads of diplomatic missions to State House on May 26, 2009 to reassure them of government's on-going commitment to fighting corruption.
Koplovsky stated that during the meeting, the diplomatic and donor community called for decisive government action to improve transparency of public procurement and financial management. He stated that these developments presented an opportunity to the diplomatic community, which had the government's full attention and which may be better poised to secure long-awaited government buy-in on several anti-corruption priorities, including anti-money laundering.
He stated that the Swedish charge d'affares and European Commission representative scolded Banda and his ministers on sector-specific policies and processes related to their development aid.
Koplovsky stated that the head of the UK's Department for International Development (DFiD) and the Dutch ambassador appealed to President Banda to demonstrate his commitment to fight corruption and establish the government's bonafides as a responsible and responsive government.
He said the Dutch ambassador sought to convey that Zambia's attractiveness as a partner and aid recipient was contingent upon its commitment to upholding corruption.
Koplovsky stated that President Banda agreed on the importance of introducing legislative and instutitutional reforms that would strengthen government's ability to prevent and prosecute corruption.
Koplovsky stated that President Banda said he hoped cooperating partners would be satisfied and would resume their aid, adding that "even if cooperating partners do not resume aid flows Zambia would still hold all to account".
"President Banda referred to justice minister and vice-president George Kunda as the coordinator of GRZ's anti-corruption efforts (despite Kunda's reputation as an obstacle to progress in fighting corruption). Kunda noted that the implementation of the newly passed anti-corruption policy is a governmen priority," Koplovsky stated.
"With regard to the Taskforce on Corruption which former president Levy Mwanawasa established to prosecute high-level corruption committed during the Chiluba presidency, Kunda suggested that it has concluded most of its cases (comment: this is not entirely true, given that most cases are in the appeal stage before the High Court) and the GRZ should now build the capacity of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and ACC Anti Corruption Commission rather than fund the Taskforce in perpetuity."
Koplovsky stated that corruption had weakened public confidence in government but the Banda-administration had made significant progress in its anti-corruption campaign.
He stated that The Post reporters had played an important role in bringing new cases to light and placing pressure on the government for action and guiding the public towards zero tolerance of corruption.
"Although there is much cause for concern, Zambia has made significant strides in its anti-corruption campaign, which today features relatively independent judges, capable prosecutors, vigilant journalists and vocal civil society organisations," Koplovsky wrote.
He stated that numerous developments over the past six months had set government watchdog organisations ablaze with allegations that President Banda was at best not committed to and at worst interfering with the government's fight against corruption.
"They claim he is taking the country 'back to the Chiluba era' renown for the scale of national plunder and depredation of government assets that took place during the presidency of Frederick Chiluba (1991-2001)," Koplovsky wrote.
Among corruption scandals mentioned in the cables include the Dora Siliya-Zamtel-RP Capital saga, single sourced government's US $53 million mobile hospital deal with China, President Banda's friendship with Chiluba and Regina, Henry Kapoko -Ministry of Health saga, former ministry of finance permanent secretary and current ambassador to Japan Wamundila Mbikusita Lewanika's personal interest in a contracted public financial management project. Koplovsky wrote that on May 26, the executive director of the Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) told embassy officials that these corruption incidents were "but the tip of the iceberg".
The cables stated that President Banda's sons were rumoured to be involved in extremely diverse business deals including the RP Capital sole source contract. Koplovsky stated that, at present, many donors remained skeptical that the Zambian government would follow through its pledges.
"This tension points to a growing distrust between the donor missions and a country that may have grown too complacemnt as a 'donor darling' and recipient of huge amounts of foreign assitance," Koplovsky wrote.
"Although these strains may not break apart European-Zambia partnership, it does not bode well for Zambia's ability to draw in development assistance at the same proportions, let alone foreign investment. At every available opportunity, including during foreign minister Kabinga Pande's June meetings in Washington, it is worth noting that Zambian progress on anti-corruption is essential to the effectiveness of official development assistance and Zambia's own economic prosperity and poverty alleviation objectives."
Koplovsky stated that now that the diplomatic community had the government's attention, it was imperative to send a clear message on what type of specific reforms would best improve government accountability.
"Certainly, some of these reforms should focus on the transparency and efficiency of public procurement and financial management. However, broader legislative and institutional reforms, including whistleblower protection, asset disclosure and asset forfeiture laws and enhanced and well-funded, independent watchdog agencies, as well as robust and independent media are also vital," wrote Koplovsky.
In another cable dated November 30, 2009, then US ambassador to Zambia Donald Booth stated that on November 24, 2009, President Banda met and told him, representatives of the Dutch and World Bank that the donor community would "be sorry" if one of his political rivals wins the presidency in 2011 and would realise what a democrat he Banda was after he is gone.
"He intimated that his political rivals lacked his democratic credentials and cautioned that the donor community 'would be sorry' if they got into power," the envoy wrote. Ambassador Booth said President Banda blamed the lack of progress in many areas on inertia and that it was difficult to get his ministers to embrace "new ideas".
Ambassador Booth said the donor troika chief of missions told President Banda that it was critical that Zambia's 2011 elections be seen as credible and true expression of people's will.
"Banda agreed on the need to prevent violence," the cable reads in part. Ambassador Booth wrote that during the same meeting, President Banda took the opportunity to defend himself against recent allegations of impropriety and his government's perceived backsliding on democratic ideals.
"President Banda seemed very relaxed and engaged throughout the one-hour meeting. He often referred to the difficulty he has had winning Cabinet support for what he considers necessary reforms and shared how minister of home affairs Lameck Mangani and police chiefs had defended restrictive tactics based on outdated national security arguments," Ambassador Booth revealed.
"Banda's inability to rally his Cabinet behind him is telling, as he has never had the full support of the MMD leadership following former president Mwanawasa's death and his by-election win."
In a December 9, 2009 cable, Ambassador Booth stated that President Banda sacked then Attorney General Mumba Malila over the Dora Siliya saga and Dr Rodger Chongwe's US $5.9 million compensation claim. "Comment: President Banda committed a tactical error by doing a favour for a friend but blamed the blunder on his AG after news of Banda's intervention in the Chongwe case leaked to the press," wrote Ambassador Booth.
Labels: CORRUPTION, DONALD BOOTH, DONORS, KAPIL KAPOOR, RUPIAH BANDA, WIKILEAKS
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Nalubamba defends Nkomenshya
By Kombe Chimpinde
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 14:00 CAT
President Rupiah Banda's threat to dethrone chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II is an invitation for more people in Chongwe to vote against him on September 20, according to senior chief Bright Nalubamba.
In an interview, chief Nalubamba of the Ila people in Southern Province, said President Banda's unwarranted threats against chieftainess Nkomeshya had not hurt the people of Chongwe alone but many other traditional leaders in Zambia.
Addressing a rally in Chongwe on Saturday, President Banda accused chieftainess Nkomeshya of intimidating sub-chiefs and village headmen, and threatened to retire her if he wins the September 20 presidential election.
"That threat alone may cost him votes (in Chongwe) because many people would rather vote to protect her. There will definitely be a protest vote to defend their chief," chief Nalubamba said, adding that President Banda had hurt more people than he thought.
Chief Nalubamba said President Banda's misdirected threats were an expression of his disregard for the entire traditional leadership.
"His attack on the chieftainess indicates the beginning of the destruction of traditional leadership in the country," he said.
"It sets a bad precedence for future leaders and that is a big challenge for us. It's a threat to shut us up so that we don't raise concerns against the party in power. To me that is not the way to run or govern a country, where you feel that because you are in power, you do not want to listen to any voice with divergent views."
Chief Nalubamba backed chieftainess Nkomeshya for remaining firm in advocating development in her area, which government had shunned.
Labels: BRIGHT NALUBAMBA, CHIEF NALUBAMBA, CHIEFTIANESS NKOMESHYA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Nurses condemn violence
By Agness Changala
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 13:56 CAT
ZAMBIA Union of Nurses Organisation has condemned the recent violence that has left several cadres from different political parties injured and hospitalised.
Commenting on the violence that has charcaterised the political campaigns for this year's elections, Zambia Union of Nurses (ZUNO) president Thom Yungana said violence would prove to be costly to the already inadequate and overstretched healthcare system in the country.
He said more surgical and medical equipment would have to be acquired to treat the victims.
Yungana urged political parties to restrain their cadres from engaging in violence.
"Violence is costly in the management of the healthcare system as we will need a lot of surgical and medical supplies to adequately tend to the victims of the political violence," said Yungana.
Labels: NURSES, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Inonge blames Chongwe violence on MMD leadership
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 13:57 CAT
INONGE Wina says the MMD's behaviour in Chongwe last Saturday is a reflection of the quality of leadership of the ruling party.
Commenting on the beating of PF supporters and sympathisers in Chongwe on Saturday by Lusaka Province MMD chairman William Banda and his cadres, Wina, the Patriotic Front Nalolo candidate, said the Commissioner of Police should take full responsibility of the outcome of this month's elections.
"We have seen it in Chongwe, where the cadres of William Banda were literally physically beating up people and the police were there and they are not taking action. The Commissioner of Police should take full responsibility for any violent outcome that may come out of this election because the police service is there to serve the people and to be non-partisan and not (being) discriminatory in their approach to wrongdoers," said Wina, who is also PF national chairperson.
She said it was clear that the police were not there to protect ordinary Zambians, including PF officials and members.
Wina said President Rupiah Banda should take full responsibility of the actions of his police.
"If it is Mr. Banda who has sanctioned these actions by these cadres and authorised the police not to take action against MMD, then the country should be told what the truth is. This country created a police service in order to protect its citizens and all of us as citizens pay tax to government, that in turn takes care of our public workers including the police," she said.
On Saturday, William Banda and his MMD cadres physically attacked villagers in Chongwe for supporting PF. With the aim of pleasing President Banda, who was scheduled to address a rally in the district, William Banda smashed windows of two Land Cruiser vehicles belonging to Sylvia Masebo and severely beat up and injured helpless men and women in full view of police.
Wina further said the MMD's intimidation of people in rural areas was threatening the real outcome of this year's election.
She said the buying of National Registration Cards and voters' cards by the MMD was rampant, particularly in Senanga West.
"We are counteracting this by informing our people to always be vigilant and not to sell their birthright, which is their NRC and the voters' card to the MMD money-mongers," she said.
Wina said although cases had been reported to the district conflict management committee and also to the local police, nothing was being done.
Labels: INONGE WINA, PF, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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De Urquiza calls for elimination of campaign violence
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 13:58 CAT
THE European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) to Zambia chief Observer Maria Muniz De Urquiza, says any form of violence during the campaigns should be eliminated.
And EU EOM deputy chief observer, David Ward who on Saturday last week was quoted by the state owned and government controlled Daily Mail as saying it was possible for Zambia to hold free and fair elections on September 20 because planning has been good and because Zambia has held peaceful polls before, said he was misquoted.
In an interview yesterday, De Urquiza said the EOM firmly rejected any violence in the campaign.
"We feel violence cannot take part in this campaign and we condemn it. We feel that violent incidents must be eliminated of the campaign and we are happy with the agreement reached by the political parties in a communique in which the parties rejected electoral violence," said De Urquiza, who is a member of the European Parliament.
On the biased coverage of the public media, De Urquiza said the media was polarised but that the EOM was closely monitoring the coverage of the different candidates and the political parties and would make their recommendations at the end of the process.
"On the use of the state resources, we will have the information from the different stakeholders and also we will make our recommendations but we can only work on facts and not on allegations or rumours and then when we analyse the facts, we will make our recommendations. We will be in the country even after the day of elections in order to analyse every aspect and the complaints," said De Urquiza.
And addressing the press earlier, De Urquiza said during their observation
mission, they would particularly look at the legal framework, the election administration, the role of state institutions and civil society, the media, voting, counting and announcement of results and the overall environment in which the elections would take place.
She said the right to a free vote was a fundamental right which reflected the right to freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, freedom of movement and free choice. She said those were the values which lay at the heart of the EU and its member states.
De Urquiza said the observer mission would also look at the freedom of assembly by political parties to express their views, the level of impartiality shown by the election administration, the way in which the state resources have been used, the franchise given to voters, the performance of the media and the fairness they displays to all candidates and political parties and the conduct of polling, counting and tabulation.
And Ward said the EOM always refrained from making comments on the electoral process in the countries they operated from and that they did not use terminologies such as "free and fair elections".
"I am afraid I was misquoted, I did not say there will be free and fair elections at all. I did a radio interview on one of the radio stations here and I was asked a question, ‘do you think there will be free and fair elections' and replied very clearly and you can look at the recording. We don't use terminologies such as free and fair elections," he said.
Ward said it was too early for the EOM to make judgments because there were a number of issues that had to be looked at before a conclusion was made.
"It's unfortunate I was misquoted. I know that happens sometimes but I think it is an unfortunate event," said Ward.
Labels: EU, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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William Banda accepts responsibility
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 13:58 CAT
LUSAKA Province MMD chairman William Banda says President Rupiah Banda is at the centre of violence in the country. In an interview with Radio Phoenix yesterday William further admitted his involvement in the MMD orchestrated violence that has rocked Lusaka.
Banda and a group of MMD cadres physically attacked and injured PF supporters in Chongwe's Waterfalls area last Saturday over their party candidates' campaign posters stuck on some of their buildings.
William told them that they could not have such posters when President Rupiah Banda who was scheduled to address a rally in the district the same day was going to pass through that road.
When asked if he was at the centre of the violence by a Radio Phoenix reporter, William said: "Yes I'm at the centre, President Rupiah Banda is on the centre of everything, whether you are not there, whether… You see these things you also people you must vary them which friend, which paper which person is talking against Radio Phoenix. For example if I talk about Radio Phoenix which I know I always hate, whatever Radio Phoenix do I'll never say you have done the right thing. So, I'll exaggerate issues, I'll create issues in order to impress others; so it depends which people are talking. I want to avoid talking to you people on the phone because I know what tricks is going on now, people are phoning they are saying I'm from Radio Phoenix tomorrow you hear a different thing."
Earlier when contacted by The Post, Banda said, "You The Post newspaper, you are just calling me for nonsense," and hang up.
Labels: MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, RUPIAH BANDA, WILLIAM BANDA
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Agriculture sector leads economic growth
Posted by By Our reporter at 6 September, at 15 : 19 PM
THE agricultural sector has preserved its position in the contribution to Zimbabwe’s economic growth as seen by its appreciable contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), President Mugabe has said.
In his address at the official opening of the Fourth Session of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe last week, President Robert Mugabe noted that the agricultural sector has made a convincing contribution to the national fiscus which was disturbed by unreliable rainfall patterns which hit some parts of the country in the last season.
In that regard, President Mugabe said research has shown that the country should apply mechanisation and efficient inputs in order to increase productivity per unit area.
He said despite the limited resources at disposal, Government was making firm development in the rehabilitation and development of irrigation projects under the 2011 Public Sector Investment Programme.
“The agricultural sector has maintained pole position in terms of its contribution to the economy’s growth, having contributed 33, 9 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2010,” the President said.
He added: “However the rising frequency of erratic rainfall patterns afflicting our region demands that there be greater emphasis on irrigation.
“Further, through research, mechanisation and efficient application of inputs, the country should aspire to increased productivity per unit area and to this end, and in spite of the limited resources at its disposal; Government is making steady progress in the rehabilitation and development of irrigation projects under the 2011 Public Sector Investment Programme.”
President Mugabe said Government has completed eight projects which costed US$494 thousand while thirty more projects were being done around the country.
He said there were various mechanisation programmes which were being pursed with the help of friendly countries.
The mid-season dry spell which the country experienced in some provinces left several households lying face down to starvation, a move which made Government to move maize with speed to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots in affected areas, he added.
President Mugabe reiterated that government had carried out a widespread land policy review exercise in order to consolidate the agrarian land redistribution act, adding that the review addressed several issues of resettlement operational modalities and land planning among others.
“To further consolidate the Land Reform Programme, a comprehensive land policy review exercise was carried out and this addressed issues of resettlement operational modalities, land planning and resettlement on timber, tea and coffee plantations,” he said.
He made it clear that the 99 year leases were being reviewed with a view to give them guarantee value, and this, the President added, was supposed to enable the A2 farmers to secure endowment for their operations using the lease document.
There was also a similar process underway with regard to the A1 land resettlement permit and that the draft implementation framework and terms of reference for the National Land Audit Commission were already crafted and will be subjected to further refinement and approval processes and the land audit will begin.
“Furthermore, the 99 year leases are being reviewed with a view to according them collateral value.
“This should enable A2 farmers to secure funding for their operations using the lease document and a similar process is also underway with regard to the A1 land resettlement permit.
“The draft implementation framework and terms of reference for the National Audit Commission already crafted will be subjected to further refinement and necessary approval processes, following which the Audit shall commence.”
The manufacturing sector and downstream industries have new life breathed on them as the former giant steel maker, Zisco Steel, now New Zimsteel, has been revived.
The veteran president added that the One-Stop-Shop Investment Centre launched last year which was given legal effect by the Zimbabwe Investment Authority Bill was going to be tabled before the august House during this session.
“The recent re-opening of the dormant ZISCOSTEEL as the New ZIMSTEEL is a pleasing development, which will no doubt give further impetus to the recovery of our manufacturing sector and other downstream industries.
“The Zimbabwe Investment Authority Bill, which gives legal effect to the One-Stop Shop Investment Centre launched in December last year shall be brought to this august House during this Session,” said President Mugabe.
He also assured the investors in the country that their investment remains safe and urged them to maintain compliance with the country’s laws, most likely the Indegenisation Law.
President Mugabe also told the house that the country must take advantage of its geographical location in the region and must take the advantage to be the region’s transport and communication focal point.
He said it was imperative, however for the country to take solid steps to position the country to effectively play the role and give the growing momentum towards the region.
“Zimbabwe’s central geographical location in the region presents opportunities for the country to transform into a regional transport and communication hub.
“There is therefore need for the concrete steps to position the country to effectively play this role, more so, given the growing momentum towards regional integration,” said President Mugabe.
President Mugabe said the growth of the Small to Medium Enterprises sector continues to be hampered by the lack of appropriate infrastructure and reliance on inappropriate technologies and that Government approved the policy framework for Infrastructure Provision for Micro, Small and Medium enterprises to facilitate the development and provision of relevant infrastructure.
He said Government undertook a payroll audit exercise to evaluate staff levels and effectiveness of the civil service.
He added that government entered into a joint venture project with local authorities to address issues of housing and that 20 per cent quota was reserved for the civil service.
Meanwhile, President Mugabe said Government was saddened by the grounding of the national airline, Air Zimbabwe, and said Government was working on short term measures to ease the problem.
He made it open that Government was going to search for a strategic partner as a medium to long term solution to the ailing national airliner.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, IRRIGATION, ROBERT MUGABE
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Govt to cancel Zimplats’ licence
Posted by By Our reporter at 7 September, at 00 : 50 AM
THE inclusive Government of Zimbabwe is set to cancel Zimplats’ operating licence owing to its failure to comply with the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act. The Act requires that foreign-owned companies with an annual turnover of $500,000 dollars cede 51 percent of their stake to indigenous Zimbabweans.
51 other mining firms are also facing trouble after having failed to submit their indigenisation proposals.
Zimplat’s business is production of platinum group metals from the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe. It is a member of the Impala Group of Companies. Impala held 87% of Zimplats shares by June 2009.
The company holds approximately two thirds of the Hartley Complex which is the largest of the platinum hosting centres of the Great Dyke. This asset positions Zimplats as an important developing supplier of platinum.
The decision to cancel Zimplats’ operating licence was reached after several attempts by the government to engage the platinum mining giant under the indigenisation programme failed to yield positive results.
Addressing a news conference in Harare this Tuesday, the Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, Saviour Kasukuwere said the platinum mining firm has shown arrogance towards the country’s laws, leaving the government with no option but to enforce the laws of the country.
Kasukuwere further highlighted that submissions from the financial service sector are not satisfying but expressed optimism that an agreement will be reached in the near future as discussions are currently underway.
Besides Zimplats, Mimosa mining firm is yet to comply with the indigenisation laws. However, Mimosa is engaged in negotiations with government.
Kasukuwere also indicated that Old Mutual has been given one week to comply with their proposed plan through implementation.
Zimplats has refused to comply with the Indigenisation Act citing that the government owes the firm US$151 million, which translate to 30% stake, but the government has indicated willingness to pay for anything that the company wants to offload.
New Ziana/TZG
Labels: INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), SAVIOUR KASUKUWERE, ZIMPLATS
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Tsvangirai dumps Sadc, focusses on NATO and Ecowas
Posted by By Our reporter at 5 September, at 15 : 57 PM
AS I write, the MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, is out of the country. He sneaked out of the country to go to Rwanda, then Nigeria, and then to Ivory Coast.
I don’t know what these three countries have in common, but it helps to recall that a month or two ago, the MDC-T leader was in Gabon, again on an undisclosed mission which had nothing to do with him as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. I mean undisclosed to you and me as average Zimbabweans.
I am sure the authorities are in the loop, whether from Tsvangirai himself, or through other mechanisms which are always many.
Profile of hosts
Nigeria is in the Security Council, and was in the Ecowas chair when the Ivory Coast debacle played itself out, all to an African denouement, with the UN-assisted Sarkozy emerging the sole winner. Well, at least for now. Far more than a member of Ecowas, Ivory Coast was a French backyard and that status seemed decisive to the final outcome. Ivory Coast’s membership to Ecowas did not save it, would not save it.
Rather, it became the seminal theatre for Europe’s militant, neo-liberal experiments in armed intervention for regime change in post-colonial Africa. The Ivory Coast episode in that experiment appears to have succeeded, again at least for now. Like Nigeria, Gabon is in the Security Council and, alongside Nigeria and South Africa, supported UN Security Council Resolution 1973 which authorised a Nato invasion of Libya, all against an AU decision and roadmap on Libya.
Own quartermaster
Tsvangirai has gone on this unexplained trip soon after the fall of Tripoli to NATO forces. I take it that the timing was part of the message. Equally, I take it that against such overwhelming evidence, it is now axiomatic that the war in Libya was a NATO war against one Muammar Gaddafi, never an insurrection, let alone a revolution, against one Gaddafi and the values he represented.
To this day, Africa puzzles at what Gaddafi represented, which is why a defence of what he symbolised for Libya and Africa, should never be confused with an apology of his misrule of Libya, much worse, his misplacement of Libyan and African resources and assets. For all we know, Gaddafi may very well have been his own quartermaster in a war against himself and his people.
I fail to be convinced that Europe and America bought munitions for their war against Libya. They didn’t. They couldn’t, what with their comatose economies. They simply converted Gaddafi’s offshore investments into a fund for financing the war against him, which is probably why the over US$96 billion belonging to Libya, will never come back, thanks to legal niceties embedded in each of the asset freezing countries. Much of it was used up against Brother Gaddafi himself. His investment policies armed his enemies.
That side of Gaddafi is especially repugnant, so repugnant to a point of giving a satisfying ring of poetic justice to the fate that awaited him personally, a fate sure to blight his own people and country, undeservedly. However, to abhor all this and his misrule should never stand in the way of his symbolism as a face of erring, sovereign Africa whose boundaries should forever remain inviolate. That is my point.
Rebels who know no war
But all these failings of Gaddafi hardly make the so-called rebels virtuous, or a solution for Libya. They do not make the rebels even fallible in the understandable sense of generic man congenitally fated to inherit frailties from Adam and Eve, after delightfully munching the green, rotund and nubial apple. The so-called rebels fought no war, know no war.
They were excited and excitable spectators to some war which they telescopically forgot was taking place in their very home, claiming the lives of their own people. Their role was well calibrated by NATO and it was not even auxiliary; it was firmly ornamental. They were made to advance under the wings of NATO – literally!
All was a boyish game so full of thrill, made thriller by occasional fatalities from sparse ambushes, sparser artillery fire. Otherwise our thrilled one-day-old revolutionaries from Benghazi were only too happy to shoot wildly for cameras, shoot even at the Almighty, all to suggest close, man-to-man, corner-to-corner, mortal combat that never was, indeed all to prove formidable fire-power, all of it borrowed or loaned by the invading NATO, against their very own.
True, a few of them died, true, a few of them were involved in skirmishes they could not avoid. Nil surprises. Libya had to die a little to make the lie stick. The rebels were meant to die a little, to get hurt a little more. Both Libyan blood and Libyan show of battle courage, however symbolic, however inconsequential to the overall outcome, were part of the cast. Like the martial Coriolanus, Libya has to bear scars for exhibition by NATO. Otherwise how was imperialism going to sell that whole invasion to the world?
The first and last casualty
As in all hard-to-sell wars, newsrooms become fulcrums to this frenetic sales effort. Expectedly, truth became the first casualty. If we are not careful, truth shall again become the last casualty, especially if we do not remember that today we have seen the product, tested its efficacy against real life.
This was a televised war, most televised war even. We all saw it, one-sided though the coverage was. Except so was the war itself, what with the UN, the Arab League, the AU, NATO, the US and divided Libya on the one side! That is not my point. My real point is, need we remain victims of a salesman’s hyperboles, in respect of a war we all witnessed to be foreign, anti-Libyan, anti-African? So, let us put it straight and bold: Libya was invaded by a NATO sanctified by the UN, permitted by the Arab League, tolerated by the AU.
Contracts feeding frenzy
Libya is today an occupied country, thanks to the impotence of the General Assembly, the AU and the Arab League. What greater proof of occupation does one need in the face of a TNC which pleads with European and American exchequers for the release of Libyan money, Libyan currency (printed in Britain), Libyan assets, all of which in combination mean Libyan futures?
What greater proof of occupation does one need beyond the ignominy of a TNC whose first assignment even before stabilising Libya, or relocating to, and establishing itself in, the Libyan capital – itself the citadel of the Libyan State – is to pawn oil and reconstruction contracts to France, Britain, America and other European powers, to the same powers who rained so much destruction on the well-built Libya?
The legitimacy deficit
The TNC is not yet the Libyan Government. The TNC has not yet addressed the Libyan people, let alone secured from them the right and authority – no matter how tenuous – to dispose of Libyan assets, Libyan interests. It has not yet gone for elections, something we can all understand. In fact, no one in Libya – including the rebels themselves – know what the TNC is, has been, will be. But
every State, no matter how failed, has instruments for legitimating emergency executive decisions taken in the interim, ways of legitimating executive decisions ahead of proper ascension to power. There must be some form of Cabinet, however makeshift.
There must be some resolution, however threadbare.
Above all, there must be clear, iron-clad provisos, all to indicate that whatever commitments this succeeding NATO-junta (that is what the TNC is, really) is making, all to deal with exigencies of post-conflict Libya, would need condonation, regularisation or ratification.
Now before the Libyan people are addressed, let alone consulted, the junta is already in Paris to pawn Libya’s buffeted future, a conference which is only Libyan by media proclamation, but one fundamentally Anglo-French, chaired by Sarkozy, and Cameron, both of them triumphant and feeling more accomplished than both Bush and Obama in Iraq and Afghanistan!
Whose future? Whose Libya? Africa is nowhere near, except of course its renegade presidents, renegade governments. The Arab League is nowhere near. Only some robbed emir of Qatar, itself a false fugleman of the whole war! These are the hard facts which perforate the sales language. We need not be humbugged. Let us, as conscious Africans, put our firm hand on the handle.
A man no monkey
So, the MDC-T leader has embarked on his journey against such a sorry backdrop. By the way, he missed this week’s Cabinet. His minions would not even wait for T&S they were entitled to, never mind that this whole itinerary has nothing to do with the Government of Zimbabwe. The MDC-T leader does not need peanuts from Government; he is no monkey! One can only deduce that this trip was key, so important that Cabinet paled into insignificance. What was it?
The link with Sadc
Hardly two weeks ago, Zimbabwe joined the whole of Sadc in Luanda for the sub-regional group’s last scheduled meeting for the year. Before this Summit, Sadc had convened extraordinarily in Windhoek and at Sandton, Johannesburg, to discuss the situations of Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
I am sure the reader recalls a troika meeting which had been convened much earlier in Livingstone, Zambia, which again focused on Zimbabwe. Both its information and conclusions created quite a rumpus between Zimbabwe and the troika, with Zimbabwe insisting the troika had misled itself, had made itself anaemic by feeding from the palsied palms of one side.
This misunderstanding was cleared in part in Windhoek, and more comprehensively in the pre-Sandton Summit private dinner between Presidents Zuma and Mugabe, and of course in the actual Summit. Each step saw the methodical, careful and well-sequenced trimming of Livingstone until its last limb was lopped off in Luanda. Clearly Sadc had realised it had been misled by the MDC-T leader who sought to gain ground through blatant lies and by posing as a hapless victim of Zanu-PF excesses.
Serving from on low?
Luanda made it clear Sadc had no business seconding staff to Jomic, itself a sovereign body created by parties to the GPA for the resolution of internal, national challenges related to implementation of the GPA. Logically, Sadc could never facilitate from inside participation, and from on low, as opposed to facilitating from on high as befits a true referee.
The second major decision from Luanda was to cut an impolitic and sickeningly presumptuous bureaucracy which had battened and willfully interposed itself between the facilitator who is President Zuma in his personal capacity, and the GPA parties and their principals. Led by the clumsy Ambassador Zulu, this officious and solicitous bureaucracy, often responding to interests outside Zimbabwe, South Africa and Sadc, had succeeded so exquisitely in poisoning the facilitation atmosphere. Luanda requested Cde Zuma to assume direct charge of the interface.
Renewal from T.B.J.
I have taken quite some part of your time, dear reader, in spelling out details of the Luanda Summit as these have a bearing on the behaviour of the MDC-T leader. Luanda was a major setback for the MDC-T, both at home and in the region. And the indicative marker has been Botswana which all along had tended to lean closer to the MDC-T script. Both in Windhoek and Sandton it became quite clear that our western neighbour had been disenchanted in a remarkably major way.
So was Tanzania, itself another country which had warmed up to the MDC-T and its mendacious leadership. Angola, itself the chairman, played an opaque card of good public-relations-against-unyielding-stance on principles, a tactic which the gullible MDC-T functionaries mistook for friendliness.
To all that add the Windhoek meeting of liberation movements, and you begin to appreciate what politics were at play in Luanda, leading to the outcome Luanda gave the world. It was remarkable diplomacy, all against the green MDC-T.
This major setback for the MDC-T provides clue to its leader’s whirlwind to Central and West Africa. Of course he also sought to collect more cash from his sponsors, apart from more holy waters, after the less-publicised mischief which befell the first holy bottle from T.B.J!
Chequered Nigeria
By taking his case to Nigeria, itself under Africa’s youngest and latest President, the MDC-T leader took a very foreboding misstep which he might live to rue. If the MDC-T party had a good grasp of history and contemporary politics, it would have known how Nigeria is regarded both before and after Independence. Does Tsvangirai know that in the run-up to Geneva, Nigeria played a shameful role which not only sought to shore up the Kissinger Plan, but also to divide the Patriotic Front? The foreign minister then was one Garba who sought to present Zanu with a sell-out fait accompli. That was resisted, with the PF harbouring lingering memories of an unreliable African government which they took the Nigerian Government to be from that experience.
Of course this does not condemn the great Nigerian people who are pan-African through and through. Nor does it overwrite critical, principled interventions which the successor Nigerian Government made in 1979 to bring greater pressure to bear on the British Government on the issue of Rhodesia. The President then was Obasanjo, who would stage a second coming after the military dictator, Sani Abacha at the turn of the millennium. Or even after our Independence when Nigeria trained a few of our military officers.
Recidivist Nigeria
Then came the Abuja meeting on Zimbabwe’s land question at which the Nigerian government played a singularly honourable role by telling the world that “land was at the core of the political crisis” bedeviling Zimbabwe. Regrettably this emblazonry was to be checkmated by the Abuja CHOGM at which the same Obasanjo government did its best to work with the white Commonwealth to undermine the Zimbabwe position on land and sovereignty.
Sadly, the Nigerian government had regressed in a manner reminiscent of its infamous role in the Kissinger days. The very misdemeanours which the white world was lobbying against Harare were or would manifest themselves 10-fold in Nigeria’s elections, apparently with little or mild, perfunctory remonstrance from an obliging Europe.
Zimbabwe felt traded in for Nigeria’s existing and future amity with selective Europe and America. Trust plummeted.
Serving Europe, selling Africa
Then came Ivory Coast. Again, populous Nigeria, itself a natural leader of the continent, took a baffling stance. While abundantly acknowledging the electoral misdemenours which indicted the UN, the French, Ouattara and to a limited extent, Gbagbo, Nigeria still sided with the West, thereby giving Africa a foretaste of what, alongside South Africa and Gabon, Nigeria would do again against Libya, another African country.
Interestingly, the Nigerian leader, Goodluck Jonathan, then still to be elected, acknowledged before his peers in Addis that the Ivorian ballot had been stolen. But he added a chilling caveat: “But then, where in Africa are elections not stolen?” A few weeks down the line, Nigeria would itself go to the polls, which proclaimed him as the winner!
I do not need to recall what happened to Nigeria on Libya. It is all history now. Yet the fundamental lesson from all this is that the Nigerian Government will take a position not necessarily for Africa, but for self-preservation and for the acknowledgement of the hard realities of global power and those who own and wield it.
Same oil, same weaknesses
On Libya, both Nigeria and South Africa sought to ingratiate themselves with the omnipotent West which they see as enthroning them to the Security Council as junior partners, at whatever cost to Africa, her interests and her Ezulwini plan. Needless to say this is hardly leadership, less so to a continent under a renewed siege from resurgent colonialism.
I might as well add that Wikileaks revealed that oil companies in Nigeria operate like a counter-state to the Nigerian Government, possibly explaining why this giant of Africa gave away without even a whimper, what Libya today is giving away after some fight, however un-heroic.
Wishing a NATO on Zimbabwe?
By going to accost Nigeria for some undisclosed role on the Zimbabwean question, the MDC-T leader had recalled all these unpleasant memories in Zanu-PF, its interlocutor in the GPA. By accosting a Nigeria which has embraced the flawed outcome imposed on Libya by the power of the NATO sword, Tsvangirai has implied his preference for a similar endgame and “resolution” in respect of Zimbabwe. No amount of pretended disdain of what happened in Ivory Coast on his part will take away from the fact that he has substantively aligned himself yet again to African-aided Western intrusion into the political and military affairs of the continent.
Fighting for knighthood
Much worse, Tsvangirai has undermined if not dropped Sadc mediation for an outlandish Ecowas one, led by Nigeria. Indeed, comments attributed to President Goodluck Jonathan suggest a West African president who seeks some role on the Zimbabwe question.
I am avoiding stating that President Jonathan is challenging President Zuma’s facilitation, challenging Troika mediation, challenging Sadc. We have been through this before by way of a solicitous President Wade of Senegal who mounted the same challenge to the Mbeki mediation before Zuma took over.
And because we have seen this before, we are now wise enough to know that the competition is on delivering Mugabe’s head to the West or, the obverse, restoring white interests here which stand imperiled by Zanu-PF. Such a feat brings honour and knighthood, which is why the Zimbabwean question has had many eager players, most of them for Britain, Europe and America. We hope the Nigerian President does not get carried away.
Naked hinds
As for our mole-blind Tsvangirai, well, he is behaving well in character, is he not? A neat thin slice of ham in between British and American corn, ready for a Western bite! But he has well-founded fears.
A chastised Zuma, both at home and abroad, will not want to be seen to be repeating another foreign policy misstep anywhere on the continent, much less within her Sadc neighbourhood. Much worse, events this week have shown that Zuma may not be as available on Zimbabwe as he has been in the past. He might begin to have more issues at home, apart from the stern indication that Zimbabwe will not accept his mediation unconditionally.
This is deeply bothering to Tsvangirai, as it is to the American ambassador who is showing obvious desperation. Like drowning men, both men are clutching at each occurrence elsewhere in the world, hoping its do-able here, exportable here. Tsvangirai has exposed all his flanks. They are naked and we all see his soiled hinds. Icho!
nathaniel.manheru@zimpapers.co.zw
Labels: ECOWAS, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NATO, SADC
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Botswana invited US troops over Zimbabwe attack fears
06/09/2011 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
BOTSWANA invited the United States to send troops to guard a transmission station used by the Voice of America's Studio 7 to broadcast into Zimbabwe, leaked diplomatic cables show.
Zimbabwe’s western neighbour was concerned by rising rhetoric against the radio station which is funded by the United States government and broadcasts from Washington through medium and shortwave.
Botswana’s Defence, Justice and Security Minister Ramadeluka Seretse is said to have made the extraordinary request in July 2008 over concerns that Zimbabwe would try to take out the controversial transmitters operated by the International Broadcasting Bureau, a US government agency.
Philip R. Drouin, the Chargé d'Affaires at the US embassy in Botswana at the time, said Botswana’s invitation of US troops to be stationed on its soil provided “extensive background on President (Ian) Khama's strategic thinking, decision-making style, his views of and inclinations towards the United States”.
But as the embassy warned in other dispatches following another Botswana request for arms of war in preparation for a feared invasion by Zimbabwe, it cautioned Washington against granting the request.
“Post remains unaware of any other specific threats at present, and we continue to monitor the situation closely. It is therefore the view of this Mission that while an offer such as this (i.e., the GOB's willingness to accept U.S. military forces) is appreciated by us, and indicative of the strength of U.S.-Botswana relations, deployment of U.S. military personnel to secure the VOA station here should be considered only as truly the last available option,” Drouin said in the cable leaked by whistleblower website, WikiLeaks.
Minister Seretse, who resigned in 2010, revealed that Botswana had “placed small numbers of troops at the VOA facilities to provide 24-hour security in the form of roving patrols”, but warned that “if the BDF were to become over-extended due to the Zimbabwe situation, the BDF might no longer be able to provide the troops”.
Other leaked diplomatic cables show that at around the same time, Botswana asked the United States to supply various military equipment, fearing an imminent military assault by Zimbabwe.
Major General Gobuamang Tlhokwane, then the deputy commander of the Botswana Defence Forces, is said to have approached a defence cooperation official at the US embassy in Botswana on July 14, 2008, and claimed that Zimbabwe had massed military forces on the border region.
He asked the US to help with global positioning systems, anti-tank missiles, short range air defence systems, F5 under-wing tank system and helicopter gunships to help Botswana prepare for the expected attack.
Embassy officials, however, warned that provision of the equipment could harm America's interests in the region and possibly trigger an arms race.
"This Mission is mindful of how a closer US government and (Botswana) security relationship, with possible provision of new arms and equipment, might impact our ongoing diplomacy in Southern Africa and beyond," the embassy officials said.
"We should examine ways to enhance institutional ties and other support for the government of Botswana and the Botswana Defence Force where appropriate, but also in a manner that will not harm overriding US interests in Africa."
Zimbabwe has in the past spoken strongly against Botswana's decision to continue hosting Voice of America (VOA) transmitters. It claims they are being used by the United States government to transmit propaganda against President Robert Mugabe.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa also accused Khama's government of training militias from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T party to topple Mugabe, which Botswana strenuously denied.
The United States has announced long term plans to move the headquarters of the Africa Command (AFRICOM) from Germany to an African country, and Botswana is said to be receptive to the possibility of hosting foreign troops – a major source of tension with its Southern African Development Community neighbours.
Botswana's apparent close relations with America have seen President Khama facing accusations of being a "puppet", notably from Julius Malema, the leader of the Youth League of South Africa's ruling African National Congress.
“The BDP [Botswana Democratic Party] is a foot stool of imperialism, a security threat to Africa and always under constant puppetry [sic] of the United States," Malema declared last month, although he has been admonished by the ANC for the comments.
Labels: BOTSWANA, IAN KHAMA, NEOCOLONIALISM, ZIMBABWE
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WikiLeaks: lessons for Zimbabwe's politicians
07/09/2011 00:00:00
by Takura Zhangazha
IF IT was not a demonstration of the quality of some of our political leaders, the WikiLeaks saga would make for a good script for a theatrical satire or comedy.
When political party leaders and government ministers were meeting with American diplomats and giving their mostly unmitigated opinions on our country’s politics, they must have taken themselves and their American counterparts very seriously. In fact more seriously than they would take their own party meetings, parliamentary hearings or even cabinet sessions.
Judging by the content of some of the cables, those that were meeting with the American diplomats were under the obvious illusion of secrecy, as much as they completely trusted their hosts to keep whatever was said top secret. Never in their minds did it occur to them that these discussions would see the light of day. And for that, we have WikiLeaks to thank or chastise depending on your viewpoint.
I am firmly persuaded that WikiLeaks played the role of a whistleblower in Zimbabwe’s instance and therefore has allowed us to know what we would have never known. Some of the things that have come to light are fairly funny, as in the example of MDC ministers and leaders accusing their party president of being “doing what the last person tells him to do”. Or Zanu PF ministers talking about how they would like the “young leaders” to take over their party when they have never once raised it in public or even in their own meetings.
There are also much more serious suggestions in the cables relating to President Robert Mugabe’s health or Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s capacity to grasp issues and these should obviously be of concern to all Zimbabweans. How the two leaders react to these cables is something that we will all just have to wait and see, if at all they decide to act.
One thing is certain though, these leaked diplomatic dispatches have thrown light on the murky world of diplomacy and the character of some of our political and other leaders. And this is a good development pregnant with lessons.
First, amongst the lessons to be learnt is that of political leadership residing primarily with the people you lead rather than diplomats. The assumptions of secrecy and conspiratorial discussions are indicative of a serious misunderstanding of international relations on the part of the Zimbabwean leaders. Pouring your heart out at an embassy is not politics, it’s merely a demonstration of subservience.
Whether they expected the American government to solve our problems we might never know, but the fact that they indeed went out of their way to brief them betrays a simplistic understanding of state politics and power. Proximity to the American government is not necessarily proximity to the people of Zimbabwe.
All the briefings that Zanu PF and MDC politicians gave the diplomats, in their lucidity, have never been given to the people of Zimbabwe. Instead, we have had media blackouts on what is transpiring in the unity government or in the parties that comprise it. When we are lucky, we get half-baked briefings in the run-up to some SADC summit while diplomats are spoilt for choice regularly.
It would therefore be expected that from now on, our political leaders will begin to explain themselves more to us, the citizens of Zimbabwe as much if not more than they generally prostrated themselves before diplomats.
The second lesson to be drawn from the WikiLeaks debacle is that of the necessity of negotiating on principle and with a firm grasp of politics. In the leaked cables, rarely do any of the leaders demonstrate a clear political principle. Most of the cables are about personalities, particularly their health, capacities and interactions. Rarely does one come across a cable where a leader is negotiating with a diplomat on the basis of a political principle or idea. It is either the leaders are asking for money or attacking a personality.
The alternative would have been meeting these diplomats on issues related to principle, with a clear understanding of collective party or government positions and negotiating on that premise. Even where the diplomats have better ideas, one should always seek to contextualise the idea and then compare the pros and cons of a proposed plan by a diplomat whose government is willing to assist our government.
The third lesson is that whatever we may say to diplomats of various countries and however we may want to say it, they will always interpret it in their respective country’s interests and in tandem with their country’s foreign policy position. This is regardless of whether we are having tea or coffee with them or whether we are personal friends with them. The ultimate judgment on how we brief them and of what they will have been briefed about remains theirs and that of their respective governments.
Zanu PF officials who were meeting with diplomats may have missed this point, particularly in view of the fact that their party has regularly been extremely hostile to the United States. MDC officials may have, however, been over confident in their “friendship” with the diplomats, and so too may have misunderstood the point of their diplomatic briefings.
A final lesson from the WikiLeaks debacle is that Zimbabwe is our country and where we have leadership positions in government, civil society or business, we must consistently be conscious of this. We are primarily responsible for it and no matter how many meetings we have with diplomats, SADC, AU, the EU, the Chinese, the Americans and others, the buck stops with us as to what happens here.
Indeed, we can have these “friends” but they should always be viewed as colleagues who are representing their respective government’s interests, not necessarily ours. Where the two converge, we must consistently understand, as Amilcar Cabral stated more than forty years ago, whoever our friends are, we cannot “import their revolutions”.
Labels: WIKILEAKS
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Minister threatens to cancel Zimplats licence
06/09/2011 00:00:00
by Nelson Banya I Reuters
ZIMBABWE said on Tuesday it could prosecute or cancel the mining licence of Zimplats, the local unit of Impala Platinum , for failing to agree to transfer majority ownership to local blacks, piling pressure on the firm to strike a deal.
However, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, who is
leading the drive to increase Zimbabweans' control of the economy, said Harare had reached an agreement with Rio Tinto's Murowa mine and a deal was "imminent" for Aquarius' Mimosa mine.
The deals with Rio and Acquarius put the squeeze on Zimplats' parent, the world's number two platinum producer, which risks losing its concessions to others, especially the Chinese, who are favoured by President Robert Mugabe.
"Zimplats continues to defy the laws of this land, continues to abuse the process," Kasukuwere told reporters.
"We would like Zimplats to continue mining but if they continue to disregard the laws of the country we are left with no option but to invoke the provisions of the law. Zimplats will have to live with the consequences of their actions."
Kasukuwere, from Mugabe's Zanu PF party, spoke a few hours after the veteran leader told members of parliament he expected full co-operation of foreign firms with the empowerment plan.
Kasukuwere last month gave a 14-day ultimatum to mining companies, including Zimplats, Mimosa and Murowa, to come up with plans complying with the law requiring them to surrender majority stakes to black investors.
Under the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, companies failing to comply could lose their licences or face prosecution.
On Tuesday, Kasukuwere said 45 mining companies had their local ownership plans approved or were working towards full compliance, while 51 firms had ignored the two-week deadline.
Zimplats contributes about 10 percent of Implats' output and Zimbabwe holds the second-largest reserves of platinum after South Africa.
Kasukuwere did not give details of the agreement with Rio's Murowa diamond unit and would not comment on the response of Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), which runs the Unki mine.
Implats CEO David Brown said last month his company wanted to retain full control of Zimplats, adding Zimbabwe's equity policy "does not work".
Implats may not easily abandon its Zimbabwe operations and has announced a US$500 million expansion project there, which would bring its total investment close to $1 billion, the single largest investment in the politically troubled nation.
Mining is the anchor of Zimbabwe's economy, which is recovering from a decade-long recession, but analysts say Mugabe's policies are holding back the investment needed for faster growth.
Labels: INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), RIO TINTO, SAVIOUR KASUKUWERE, ZIMPLATS
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Mugabe reassures foreign investors
06/09/2011 00:00:00
by Nelson Banya I Reuters
PRESDENT Robert Mugabe said on Tuesday he expected the full cooperation of foreign firms in a plan for local blacks to take controlling stakes in their business operations in the country.
He also said in the speech to parliament that foreign investment was safe in the southern African country, which has been shunned by investors due to the plan to force foreign companies to turn over shares, as well as suspected human rights violations.
"I wish to assure investors that their investments in the country remain safe and to urge them to maintain compliance with the country's laws," Mugabe said when opening the session of parliament.
Mugabe also highlighted what he said were successes scored by the coalition he formed in 2009 with his rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, including the setting up independent commissions and electoral reforms, and called for an end to violence.
However, as Mugabe was speaking, supporters from his Zanu PF attacked activists from Tsvangirai's MDC party outside the parliament building, according to a Reuters witness.
Mugabe signed the economic empowerment law in 2008 that forces foreign firms -- including mines and banks -- to surrender at least 51 percent shares in their operations to local blacks. It has yet to be implemented.
Analysts see the threat as a way to squeeze more funds out of the companies tying to build operations in the country with the world's second biggest platinum reserves after South Africa.
There is not enough capital in destitute Zimbabwe to buy controlling stakes in the foreign firms and not enough expertise to run them.
In March, Youth Empowerment and Indigenisation Minister Savior Kasukuwere called the foreign firms to submit plans on how they intended to dispose of majority stakes by the end of that month.
Kasukuwere, who set and lifted several other deadlines, last month gave mining firms, including platinum producer Implats' local unit Zimplats, Aquarius' Mimosa mine and Rio Tinto's Murowa diamond mine a 14 day ultimatum to submit fresh plans.
Analysts say the government is trying to force each company to negotiate on a case-by-case basis and build up funds to fight elections planned for next year.
Mugabe also said the government wanted to set up a state mineral exploration firm to determine the extent of Zimbabwe's mineral wealth.
In a separate sector, he said the government was looking for a partner for its loss-making Air Zimbabwe, which could be the second state-owned firm to be sold to foreign investors after steelmaker ZISCO was bought by a unit of India's Essar Group.
"The grounding of some Air Zimbabwe planes is a big let-down to the nation, indeed, a sad development," Mugabe said referring to the planes which were declared unfit to fly by Zimbabwe's civil aviation authority.
Labels: FDI, INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), ROBERT MUGABE, SAVIOUR KASUKUWERE
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No to illegal land deals with white farmers, President
Monday, 05 September 2011 02:00
Takunda Maodza Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT will investigate reports that some land reform beneficiaries are leasing farms to displaced white former commercial farmers, President Mugabe has said. The probe will expose the culprits whose farms will be given to those who want land.
Addressing the Zanu-PF National Consultative Assembly last week, the Head of State and Government and Commander-in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, said reports suggested that some high-ranking officials were involved.
"Tikaita audit yemapurazi atakapa vanhu unonzwa kuti iyi farm iyi inemurungu arikuseri varikurimirwa nemurungu. It has become so prevalent," President Mugabe said.
He added: "We will go over the entire resettlement areas with this information in our hands and establish the truth."
The President condemned the belief by some Zimbabweans that nothing could succeed without the involvement of whites.
He said it was disappointing to have "people who do not feel that they are adequate human beings".
"Tinoda all the time kuti tiite chinhu chine murungu mukati," President Mugabe said.
He said people should be wary of the white former commercial farmers, as they still wanted the farms back.
"Zvino isu tinobva taramba toti tineva-rungu vedu vanotirimira," President Mugabe said.
Some commercial farmers who fled at the height of land reforms, the President said, were sneaking back into the country.
"Vazere mumaflats nemumahotera. They continue to hope things will turn out in their favour in the future," he said.
The President, however, challenged farmers to start preparing for the new cropping season and pledged inputs support.
He deplored MDC formations that were reluctant to support farmers with inputs, saying Finance Minister Tendai Biti always claims that Treasury has no money.
He said there will be enough fertiliser this season, but people do not have money to buy the inputs.
"We are going to do something about it. The sooner we started looking for funds the better. But of course, you cannot expect funds from Biti," President Mugabe said.
Farmers, he said, were unable to buy inputs because they were yet to be paid for maize they delivered to the Grain Marketing Board.
Treasury is reluctant to release funds to the GMB.
"They must be paid now if they are going to buy fertiliser. We are going into season with courage and determination to double our efforts. We must be able to prepare our fields in good time," President Mugabe said.
The fertiliser industry is sitting on over 100 000 tonnes of fertiliser and raw materials enough to manufacture a similar amount of the product.
Chemplex Corporation chief executive officer Mr Misheck Kachere said: "We have over 100 000 tonnes of fertiliser. We also have raw materials that we have produced and imported stock to produce another 100 000 tonnes."
Chemplex Corporation is the holding company of Zimphos, Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company and Sable Chemicals.
Last year, the local market consumed about 320 000 tonnes of fertiliser, 20 percent of which was imported.
This contributed to a build up in stock and cash flow problems in the industry.
Last year Government, donors and the Presidential Inputs Supply Scheme assisted many resource-starved farmers with fertiliser.
Government embarked on land reform in 2000 to redress colonial imbalances.
Labels: LAND REFORM, ROBERT MUGABE, WHITE FARMERS
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WikiLeaks exposes Sikhanyiso Ndlovu
Tuesday, 06 September 2011 02:00
Herald Reporter
ZANU-PF secretary for education in the Politburo and former deputy national political commissar Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu told the US political section chief Matt Harrington in 2002 that senior party members were quietly discussing President Mugabe's exit.
According to WikiLeaks cables released last week, Cde Ndlovu told the Americans that Politburo members were considering their future after President Mugabe had stepped down.
"In an April 24 (2002) conversation with political section chief, Zanu-PF deputy political commissar Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said Politburo members are, for the first time, quietly discussing ways to ease President Mugabe out, but few are willing to confront the Zimbabwean President directly.
"According to Ndlovu, any solution must contain a "safe package" for Mugabe, which protects him from prosecution and allows him to remain in Zimbabwe," the cable revealed.
The cable indicates that Cde Ndlovu, who had held several meetings with US Embassy officials, described himself as ‘‘a voice of moderation'' in the Politburo who "regularly tries to restrain the worst excesses of party hardliners."
"He claimed that, now that the election is over, he spends much less of his time on politics, concentrating instead on running his private educational institution around the country." Cde Ndlovu was later appointed Minister of Information and Publicity.
He, however, is reported to have told Harrington that the Politburo was full of individuals aspiring to lead Zanu-PF.
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He said two options had been discussed among like-minded members.
"The first is to somehow invoke a section of the draft constitution rejected in 2000 creating the position of Prime Minister.
"Creation of such a position, giving it executive powers and making the presidency a largely ceremonial position would be one way to preserve (President) Mugabe's ego.
MORE STORIES ON WIKILEAKS
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"Ndlovu stressed several times it was important to provide (President) Mugabe with a "safe package," which protects him from prosecution and allows him to live out his remaining years in Zimbabwe."
The second option, Cde Ndlovu allegedly told the official, was to engineer the appointment of two "young, vigorous vice presidents" who are gradually able to become the primary decision-makers.
Cde Ndlovu allegedly urged the US government to consider "moderates" like himself in Zanu-PF.
He allegedly said the hardliners in the party were, however, stronger and were not willing to "stick their necks out."
The former information and publicity minister told the US embassy official that the Politburo members would not resign because they were afraid of repercussions.
"Ndlovu described (then) Speaker of Parliament and secretary for administration (Cde) Emmerson Mnangagwa as a ruling party hardliner "through and through" who has little Politburo support, due to his ruthlessness.
Labels: SIKHANYISO NDLOVU, WIKILEAKS, ZANU-PF
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Irrigated tobacco planting season begins
Monday, 05 September 2011 02:00
Agriculture Reporter
FARMERS have started planting irrigated tobacco for the 2011-12 cropping season. Irrigated tobacco is planted from September 1 onwards. Agritex principal director, Mr Joseph Gondo confirmed that tobacco planting had started in many parts of the country.
"We do not have figures yet but I can confirm that most large-scale farmers have started planting with some still concentrating on land preparation while others are still tending their seedbeds," he said. Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association president, Mr Stan Kasukuwere, however, said some farmers were facing cash challenges. "Some growers may fail to meet their targeted hectarage because of financial challenges. Prices offered at the auction floors this season were so low that some farmers made huge losses and cannot afford inputs," he said.
Labels: IRRIGATION, TOBACCO
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Sanctions: EU gets 2-week ultimatum
Tuesday, 06 September 2011 02:00
Fidelis Munyoro Assistant News Editor
GOVERNMENT has given the European Union a two-week ultimatum to furnish it with reasons for clandestinely imposing illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe or face litigation before the General Court of European Court of Justice for the annulment of the embargo.
The EU and its allies imposed sanctions on the Zanu-PF Government leadership when it implemented agrarian reforms to redress colonial land imbalances.MDC-T, which called for the sanctions, is not targetted. In a legal notice dated September 1 2011, the Government, through Attorney-General Mr Johannes Tomana, communicated its intention to the president of the council of the EU, Greece.
"Unless I hear from you in the next 14 days, I shall be taking steps as may be necessary and appropriate to protect the rights and interests of the Government of Zimbabwe and all the natural and legal persons and entities, subject to the restrictive measures in terms of your aforesaid decision," said Mr Tomana.
On February 15 this year, the EU unilaterally renewed sanctions on natural and legal persons and entities on the list to the Council of European Union Decision (Council Decision) in pursuant to Council Regulatory EC (Number 314/2004), which the Government now seeks to annul. In terms of Article 6 (2) of the Council Decision, the council is required to communicate its decision, including the grounds for listing, to the person or entity concerned either directly, if the address is known, or through the publication of a notice, providing such persons or entities with an opportunity to present their observations.
To this end, the Government of Zimbabwe is seeking a review of the procedural regularity of the process leading to the imposition of sanctions on the victims, arguing that the council decision was based on a manifest error of assessment of the evidence.
"There is a complete failure on the part of the council to discharge the burden of proof in respect of the factual conclusions therein," said Mr Tomana.
A source close to the legal action concurred with the AG, saying all what the EU did constitute a gross abuse and misuse of powers and breach of fundamental procedural requirements.
"We are also challenging the factual correctness of the evidence if any, which formed the basis of decision of the EU.
"There is no evidence on the ground of any credible process, which was initiated by EU for the purpose of collecting evidence, which informed the decision," said the source.
The source added that the EU made decisions on the basis of media reports, reports of the proxy NGOs and other sources that cannot stand judicial scrutiny.
"The absurdity, which is apparent from what are listed as grounds for imposing sanctions on the annex to the CEUD, apart from the glaring violation of their own European Community law and due process in the context of the international law, the 27 EU countries as member states of the United Nations Charter and international law in that regard cannot impose any sanctions lawfully other than through the Security Council," the sources said.
The only institution that can impose sanctions lawfully at international law on a member state of UN is the Security Council.
However, the depth of debate and intensity of calls for reforms of the Security Council raises serious moral questions on the credibility of the Security Council.
Four years ago, Public Works Deputy Minister Aguy Georgias sued EU over the illegal sanctions imposed on Harare, after he was barred entry into London.
The case was first heard in London in March 2007 at the Assylum and Immigration Tribunal with Senator Georgias challenging the legality of the embargo.
He then took his caser to the European Court of Justice but he was removed from the sanctions list last March before his case was determined.
The embargo that was imposed on Zimbabwe, a decade ago, for embarking on the land reform programme to resettle the landless black majority, has brought untold suffering on the ordinary citizens.
This also blocked local business to access lines of credit from international financiers. This year over 2, 2 million Zimbabweans countrywide signed the National Anti-Sanctions Petitions following the launch of the campaign by President Mugabe in March.
The launch drew tens of thousands of people from all walks of life, among them academics, political, business and religious leaders.
Sadc, Comesa, AU, the Non Aligned Movement and other progressive people and organisations the world over have denounced the illegal sanctions, which precipitated the economic melt down of the past decade.
Labels: EU, SANCTIONS
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‘Depict Africans as creators of their destiny’
Tuesday, 06 September 2011 02:00
Herald Reporter
PRESIDENT Mugabe has challenged African historians to write history that depicts the people of the continent as creators of their own destiny. Launching the Pedagogical History of Africa Project in Harare yesterday, President Mugabe said non-African historians have often painted a wrong picture about Africa.
"The history that must be written by our African scholars and academics here is the history that focuses on African people in struggle as creators of their own destiny rather than mere consumers of stories written about them by passive on-lookers who oftentimes happen to be non-African outsiders," President Mugabe said.
He said there was a clear distinction between history as a narration of past events and history as a lived experience of a people in struggle.
"Real history belongs to a people in struggle and not to the interpreters of history. The people themselves are the makers of history and therefore the real historians. The interpreters are mere raconteurs of history and not the actual history-makers as is often wrongly implied," President Mugabe said.
He said when writing or teaching African history, historians should reflect on "whose world view is used to represent or interpret that history".
"Only this way can we avoid history written by colonialists as ‘winners'. Our real winners are the people, whose real history or struggle the so-called winners would like to distort and suppress," President Mugabe said.
He added: "You cannot be a historian of African people if you do not share their cry or their laughter. No. The African sensibility, reflected in African culture and worldview, is the only accurate compass to guide a historian who is genuine about writing African history."
President Mugabe said slavery, colonialism, neo-colonialism and efforts by the West to re-colonise Africa had resulted in a systematic disruption and distortion of African history.
"Slavery and colonisation do not themselves constitute African history. They disrupt and falsify the trajectory of African history. They dehumanise Africans to fit into the scheme of European capital. The ideology of racism is created as a parallel process to rationalise the oppression of Africans," he said.
President Mugabe said Europeans were bent on destroying African civilisation and knowledge system.
He said the age-old lie of white supremacy should be exposed and "our children must understand that the Europeans needed to take the African out of humanity and history to ensure their socio-cultural, political and economic domination of Africa."
The President said the distortion and the unprecedented corruption of a people's history should be urgently reversed.
"I need not stress that it is imperative to edify educational systems, which embody the African and universal values so as to ensure the rooting of youth in African culture in the context of a sustainable and participatory development. This way we continue to foster the spirit of unity in Africa as embodied in the African Unity Charter," he said.
The workshop was organised by Unesco.
President Mugabe applauded Unesco for its bold decision to continue to fund the teaching of history in Africa.
Labels: HISTORY, ROBERT MUGABE
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A new constituency for imperialism
Tuesday, 06 September 2011 02:00
General enthusiasm over the prospects of imperialism, furious defence of it and painting it in the brightest colours-such are the signs of the times. These words were written 95 years ago, but in today's political environment are more apt than ever. A better description of the reaction of liberal journalists, left-wing intellectuals and former radicals to the war in Libya could not be found.
The quote is from Lenin's "Imperialism," in which the future leader of the October Revolution analysed the causes of the First World War. Lenin did not limit himself to the study of the economic background, but also dealt with the social and political changes that preceded the greatest ever massacre in the history of mankind.
Concentrated in a few hands, the domination of finance capital over all sectors of the economy and the growing conflicts between the great powers as they sought to divide the world had " . . . caused the propertied classes to go over entirely to the side of imperialism."
In Germany's petty bourgeoisie it was then considered good form to support imperialist goals. Founded in 1898, the German Navy League, which lobbied for the construction of a German navy equal to the British, counted over one million members in 1908.
All this led to the war fever that in 1914 also swept over the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and unleashed a continuing global disaster that only reached a temporary hiatus thirty years later with the end of World War II.
The hysteria and enthusiasm with which today's European and American media and politicians respond to the rape of Libya evokes the period before the First World War.
Many journalists and intellectuals who had maintained a cool head over the Afghanistan and Iraq wars have lost any critical discernment. Those who were previously moved by the drums of war have now lost all inhibitions.
The belligerent powers have done little to conceal their predatory aims. The six-month bombardment of the country by NATO, the dubious composition of the National Transitional Council, the use of Islamist fighters and foreign elite troops on the rebels' side, and the massacre of Gaddafi supporters and black Africans (about which the Western press is largely silent) are ill-suited to substantiating the official propaganda about the "protection of the civilian population" and a "democratic revolution."
The international conference on Libya last Thursday in Paris, at which the assembled great powers openly haggled over the division of the country's oil fields and billions in frozen assets, revealed the real war aims: oil, money, influence and the re-division of the entire Middle East.
But the war propagandists in the media and politics ignore everything that does not fit the image of the "liberation of Libya," desperately closing their eyes to everything that they do not want to see.
In this regard, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, leader of the Greens in the European Parliament, is unsurpassed in his obsequiousness and arrogance.
Cohn-Bendit, who came to prominence in 1968 as a spokesman for the Paris student revolt, praised the "successful military intervention," which had "enhanced the reputation of the West in the Arab world."
He denounced his Green Party friends in Germany as "clever-dicks" and "wise guys" because they had not fully supported the war effort from the beginning. He demanded they apologise publicly to NATO.
The French Socialist Party excelled itself in its praise for president Sarkozy.
It was "happy that France has taken this initiative," said party chair Martine Aubry, and praised Sarkozy for "acting at the right moment."
Jack Lang, who previously headed the education and culture ministries and is regarded in the party as a great intellectual, commented on the case of Tripoli with the words: "Today, everyone can congratulate the fact that France's reputation has grown because it resolutely and successfully engaged in the battle for Libya's freedom."
The New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) has also signed up to the war propaganda. Its weekly Hebdo Tout est à nous! published discussion contributions that vigorously argued for supporting the NATO intervention.
In late March, they wrote, "Those who today oppose the application of UN Resolution 1973, say directly to the insurgents in Benghazi and in the east of Libya, ‘We are sacrificing your life, your freedom and your hope to our anti-imperialism.' Some of us will do that, I will not."
After the fall of Tripoli, the NPA announced in an official press release: "The overthrow of Gaddafi is good news for the people . . . For the Libyan people, a new life is now opened up. Freedom, democratic rights and using the vast revenues from the commodity reserves to meet the basic needs of the people are now on the agenda."
In official parlance, the NPA is usually described as part of the "extreme left." "New Right" would be a better name for an organisation that openly and brazenly justifies such an imperialist war.
A similar trend can also be observed in Germany. Whereas hundreds of thousands took to the streets against the Iraq war, not a single major demonstration has been called against the war in Libya. The so-called peace movement has gone into retirement.
Cohn-Bendit's long-time friend and fellow Green Joschka Fischer, who as foreign minister in 1999 ensured Germany's participation in the war against Yugoslavia, has castigated Berlin's refusal to join the war in Libya as the "greatest foreign policy debacle since the founding of the Federal Republic."
The pro-SPD weekly Die Zeit called it "a German disgrace." It is almost impossible to find a single voice in either the media or the establishment political parties defending Germany's abstention from the NATO intervention.
In the US, prominent opponents of the wars of the Bush era enthusiastically support the war in Libya. A typical example is the historian Juan Cole of the University of Michigan, who made a name as a critic of the Iraq war, and now vehemently supports the war in Libya.
The WSWS has subjected his evolution to critical analysis in several articles. The transition of former liberals and pacifists into the imperialist war camp is so widespread that one cannot treat it as an individual phenomenon. Great social struggles often announce themselves through such political transformations. Political parties are preparing for the role they will play in future class struggles.
The development is not new. During the Yugoslavia War 12 years ago, many elements from among the pacifists and the Greens supported the bombing of a defenceless country by NATO. But with the war in Libya, this development has reached a new stage. It is mainly the representatives of well-off layers of the middle class who are bidding adieu to their former pacifist, liberal or "leftist" views.
These layers are strongly represented in the milieu of the Greens, the Social Democrats, trade unions and the petty-bourgeois left à la NPA.
They are responding to a sharp class polarisation, which has deepened since the outbreak of the international financial and economic crisis three years ago. The support that racist demagogues like Geert Wilders or Thilo Sarrazin find in these layers is another side of the same political phenomenon. The working class must prepare for the coming class struggles. With their support for the rape of Libya, the Greens, Social Democrats and groups like the NPA make perfectly clear where they will stand - on the side of the ruling class.
The Partei für Soziale Gleichheit (Socialist Equality Party) and the International Committee of the Fourth International is today the only political movement in the world which consistently advocates a socialist perspective and defends the interests of the international working class. The building of this party is the burning task of the hour. - wsws.
Labels: LIBYA, NEOCOLONIALISM
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