Johnnie Carson on “African (Drug) Issues”
Posted on December 7, 2011 by ttravis
Heeere's Johnnie!
In a recent talk on “African Issues” and US policy on those issues, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, chose to conclude by stressing the growing challenge of drug trafficking in Africa.
Having discussed democratization, having covered all of the regional hot spots and having emphasized hot-button topics such as HIV AIDS, malaria, and lagging agricultural production, Carson turned his attention to a topic that he reminded his audience would not have been included on his list of “African problems” a decade or even five years ago. Addressing a large audience at the African Studies Association meeting in Washington in mid-November, Carson, who has had a long career at State and was formerly Ambassador to Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda, reminded fellow Africanists that a claimed 40% of illicit drugs interdicted in Europe had passed through West Africa. What is a major issue for Europe and the USA must therefore become a major issue for Africa.
"Africa Confidential," UNODC
All of the focus on Guinea Bissau as the first African narcostate (a topic that I addressed in an earlier blog post) has tended to distract us—according to Carson—from a much broader and growing pattern of drug trafficking throughout Africa.
Although Guinea Bissau may provide a dramatic tale of high level politicians in the thrall of global drug lords gunning each other down in the ramshackle capital of a marginal state, the drug trade routes run through virtually every West African country and certainly through Sénégal, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and especially Nigeria—which has been a nexus of trafficking and drug gangs that spread across five continents through networks that reach across the Indian Ocean as well as the Atlantic.
Unsurprisingly, Carson made the case for US official support for efforts in African countries to combat the trade. Again unsurprisingly, he talked exclusively about the need to provide moral, material and training support to the USA’s African allies in a global war on drugs.It is safe to say there were many in the audience of his fellow Africanists who were unsympathetic to his emphasis on drugs trafficking.
Some would have challenged the entire drugs war approach. More certainly objected to his implicit occupation of the moral high ground (the USA assisting African states in combatting their drug trades). Most probably thought the discussion of the drugs trade was a distraction when African countries face far more pressing problems. More than a few probably suspected he was finding ways to stretch out his remarks to reduce the amount of time for questions.
And when the questions came, they were predictably hostile to a US Africa policy that many Africanists see as an ill-defined perpetuation of failed approaches stretching back into the 1990s and before. Carson showed little sympathy for any suggestions that the US might bear any responsibility for the very problems he now portrays the USA as helping African countries to resolve. One brave questioner did bring the discussion back to drugs.
“Was it not the case,” Carson was asked, “that the policies of structural adjustment that were pressed so very aggressively in the 1980s and 1990s had actually created the conditions that made African countries ripe targets for the drugs commerce? Had not the relentless press for neo-liberal economic solutions led to a systematic weakening of state structures, which were thus themselves vulnerable to the powers of global cartels, and which in the case of military and police forces, will ill-prepared to combat them?”
Asking the Hard Question
Carson at first skirted the question. But then he paused and made his assessment: “African leaders,” according to Carson (and this is not a precise quote), “had from independence until 1991 [not the early 1990s, but that precise year] failed to respond to the needs of their citizens.” That failure (and apparently no outside factors or forces) explained the weakening of African states and thus, it would seem, their vulnerability to the powerful international drugs trade syndicates.
Getting the Stupid Answer
Africanists have not in general paid much attention to drug use and the drug trade, but a panel that took place later on in this year’s conference (co-chaired by me and Gernot Klantschnig) gave us some indication of what an Africanist perspective might look like—a history of drug production, trade, use and control that does not automatically appropriate periodizations and conceptual orders derived from European and North American experience.
This entry was posted in Charles Ambler and tagged Africa, drug war, Policy
Labels: DRUGS, JOHNNIE CARSON, NEOLIBERALISM
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COMMENT - Translation: they won't give up until Zimbabwe hands over it's diamonds to Anglo-American De Beers, and it's platinum mines to Implats. Also read this editorial in The Post from 2010,
Strangulation Of Zimbabwe.
US vows to maintain sanctions
16/05/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
THE United States vowed Wednesday that it would not lift sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe before there are signs of permanent political reforms. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson told a telephone conference that Washington will maintain its targeted sanctions until it sees "sufficient progress in the area of democratisation."
"The US continues to maintain sanctions on Zimbabwe and will do so until we believe that substantial and irreversible progress has been made in the implementation of
[reforms agreed under the Global Political Agreement]," Carson said.
Zimbabwe is pushing for the removal of the sanctions, claiming they are illegal and responsible for a decade-long economic recession from which the country is still struggling to recover.
The US slapped sanctions against more than 50 government, military and Zanu PF officials along with a raft of companies in protest at controversial elections and alleged human rights abuses by President Robert Mugabe's government.
[And the government as a whole, through the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001, which caused the collapse of the Zimbabwe Dollar, from Jan. 1st 2002 onwards. To cite ZDERA, Section 4 C, (1) and (2):
SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
(c) MULTILATERAL FINANCING RESTRICTION- ... the Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States executive director to each international financial institution to oppose and vote against--
(1) any extension by the respective institution of any loan, credit, or guarantee to the Government of Zimbabwe; or
(2) any cancellation or reduction of indebtedness owed by the Government of Zimbabwe to the United States or any international financial institution.
Up until this day, US government officials will not publicly admit that this document exists, or that the sanctions in it are against the Zimbabwean government as a whole, not 'targeted individuals'. They will also not admit that ZDERA caused the collapse of the Zimbabwe Dollar when it was introduced, which is why the Zimbabwe Dollar fell more against the US Dollar in the year 2002, than in the previous 6 years combined. (Correction - ZDERA was signed into law on Jan. 1st 2002, not December 31st 2001.) - MrK]
"We will continue to review our sanctions and we have taken a few people off the list, not as many as the European Union," Carson added.
The country’s two main political parties announced this week that they have ironed out issues stalling the crafting of a new constitution expected to pave the way for fresh polls.
Zimbabwe currently runs on a fractious coalition government between former arch-rivals President Robert Mugabe and now Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
The administration was formed three years ago to avoid an all-out conflict in the wake of a 2008 bloody presidential run-off election.
The EU has also kept a travel ban and asset freeze on Mugabe and his inner circle.
Ministers from the coalition government recently met the EU foreign policy chief, Ashton Catherine, in Brussels as part of an ongoing push for the removal of the sanctions.
Aston said the block would review the sanctions at a meeting in July.
Mugabe maintains there is no justification for the sanctions with his Zanu PF party claiming they were meant to punish the country for its controversial land reforms.
Labels: JOHNNIE CARSON, SANCTIONS, ZDERA
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Hell No, We Won’t Go To War Against Africa!
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 02:21 — Mark P. Fancher
by Mark P. Fancher
Elders and other influencers discouraged Black youth from becoming fodder for the Iraq war, but what of the looming U.S. imperial wars in Africa? The U.S. Africa Command propagates the lie that it only “advises” friendly forces on the continent, but “at the same time establishes bases in the Central African Republic and South Sudan” as part of a purported mission to hunt a guerilla force in the region. U.S. ground wars in Africa may be upon us before there is a chance “to throw up an anti-recruitment barrier around the community.” The education process must begin now, and become permanent.
Hell No, We Won’t Go To War Against Africa!
by Mark P. Fancher
“AFRICOM was integrally involved in the imperialist take-over of Libya, and now U.S. troops are trudging through Uganda.”
In 2005, U.S. Army brass panicked after reviewing the results of a specially commissioned study that showed a 41 percent drop in recruitment of people of African descent over a five year period. “It’s alarming,” said a general in charge of Army recruitment. He went on to attribute the de facto boycott to the war in Iraq and the views of teachers, preachers, coaches and other “influencers” in the black community who were urging young people not to sign on to what was ultimately acknowledged by many to be a pointless, senseless invasion and occupation of a sovereign country.
At the time, Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel was quoted as saying: “I have not found a black person in support of this war in my district.” Little wonder. Parents and grandparents still had painful memories of veterans of the U.S. debacle in Vietnam who returned broken physically, mentally and spiritually. The war-resisting spirit of these elders was revived by the then most recent imperialist escapade, and they made clear to their children and grandchildren that they had better “just say ‘no’” to military recruiters when they came calling.
It is precisely because of the now well-established willingness of Africans in America to draw the line against participation in imperialist wars of folly that the military has been acutely aware of the high risk of its attempts in recent years to establish a military presence in Africa. If young brothers and sisters refused to fight in Iraq, then any effort to persuade them to take up arms against Africa would present an extraordinary challenge that could fatally backfire if it were in any way mishandled.
“Even comforting smiles cannot hide the obvious fact that there have been U.S. boots on the ground in Africa.”
The military’s trepidation is evident from the fact that since its inception, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has devoted substantial time and resources to developing and publishing messages that assure and reassure the African World that, notwithstanding the undeniable fact that AFRICOM is a military entity, it is in Africa only to render humanitarian assistance, and to provide advice to Africa’s armies about how they – and not U.S. troops – might most effectively engage in combat. Unfortunately for the military’s public relations strategists, even comforting smiles cannot hide the obvious fact that there have been U.S. boots on the ground in Africa. AFRICOM was integrally involved in the imperialist take-over of Libya, and now U.S. troops are trudging through Uganda because President Obama took AFRICOM’s advice and sent them there purportedly to help in the hunt for the leadership of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a group accused of terrorism.
[The LRA and Joseph Kony are under the protection of the Ugandan Government, as stated by President Yoweri Museveni in one of the wikileaks cables. President Museveni of Uganda in the Wikileaks Cables (2007) conveyed how he had been providing protection, jobs and housing for Joseph Kony's parents since 1994. The Ugandan government, like the governments of Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda are firmly in the Anglo-American sphere of influence - hence the Ethipian and Kenyan invasions of Somalia. From the Wikileaks Cables:
¶4. (C) Senior Advisor Shortley asked Museveni for his views on how Kony would be handled if he agreed to a deal. Museveni described his provision of protection, livelihood, and homes for Kony,s mother (and now deceased father) since 1994. Museveni was flexible on Kony,s future, saying that the LRA leader could live anywhere in Uganda where he had not committed atrocities.
- MrK]
It has not escaped notice that this sudden U.S. interest in the LRA (which has been active for more than two decades) came on the heels of China’s negotiations with the Ugandan government for a major role in the development of an infrastructure to produce a vast amount of oil that was discovered in Uganda only a few years ago. Naturally there was immediate speculation that the supposed hunt for terrorists was actually a pretext for countering Chinese influence and securing access to a new oil supply. In response to skeptics’ questions about the true U.S. objectives in Uganda, Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson dismissed all “conspiracy theories,” and insisted that the U.S. mission is: “focused on the LRA and the LRA only.”
[The unfortunately named Johnnie Carson already made a fool of himself in Zimbabwe. - MrK]
Apparently Carson expects us to simply take the word of an administration that on the one hand declares unequivocally on its AFRICOM website that it will not establish military bases in Africa, but at the same time establishes bases in the Central African Republic and South Sudan as part of the purported LRA mission.
[The LRA is supported by and a front for the West, through the Ugandan Government. President Yoweri Museveni stated in the Wikileaks Cables in 2007 that he has been supporting Joseph Kony's parents with jobs, protection and housing since 1994. I quote:
¶4. (C) Senior Advisor Shortley asked Museveni for his views on how Kony would be handled if he agreed to a deal. Museveni described his provision of protection, livelihood, and homes for Kony,s mother (and now deceased father) since 1994. Museveni was flexible on Kony,s future, saying that the LRA leader could live anywhere in Uganda where he had not committed atrocities.
The LRA is as fake as Al-Qaeda. - MrK]
“Young Africans in America are very much a part of the Pentagon’s recruitment calculations.”
While we might hope that our young men and women will once again readily see through the lies about Uganda in the same way that they saw the truth about Iraq, clarity on a mass level this time around is not assured. The wall-to-wall media coverage of “shock and awe” explosions that decimated Iraq made it easy for Africans in the U.S. to decide that they wanted no part of that war. However, the recent introduction of U.S. troops into Africa has been very quiet. The risk is that before there is widespread awareness of military involvement in the Ugandan region, the U.S. presence will have expanded to a point where recruitment efforts will intensify, and the black “influencers” who kept young people out of the Iraq war will not have had an opportunity to throw up an anti-recruitment barrier around the community before large numbers of young Africans are sweet-talked into enlisting.
As the U.S. Empire continues to crumble, we will see more desperate attempts to preserve its domination of the planet’s natural resources through the use of force, and we can be certain that young Africans in America are very much a part of the Pentagon’s recruitment calculations. While our activist impulses may scream for the immediate establishment of a “movement” to counter potential recruiting raids of our community, sober reflection might suggest instead that this is the time to move beyond an ad hoc approach. “Endless war” may mean that we must now institutionalize endless community education about the motives, objectives and methods of military programs that are in service to imperialism. We will know we have succeeded when, without prompting, every African youth will boldly declare: “Hell no, I won’t go.”
Labels: AFRICOM, JOHNNIE CARSON, LORDS RESISTANCE ARMY, UGANDA
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Hell No, We Won’t Go To War Against Africa!
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 02:21 — Mark P. Fancher
by Mark P. Fancher
Elders and other influencers discouraged Black youth from becoming fodder for the Iraq war, but what of the looming U.S. imperial wars in Africa? The U.S. Africa Command propagates the lie that it only “advises” friendly forces on the continent, but “at the same time establishes bases in the Central African Republic and South Sudan” as part of a purported mission to hunt a guerilla force in the region. U.S. ground wars in Africa may be upon us before there is a chance “to throw up an anti-recruitment barrier around the community.” The education process must begin now, and become permanent.
Hell No, We Won’t Go To War Against Africa!
by Mark P. Fancher
“AFRICOM was integrally involved in the imperialist take-over of Libya, and now U.S. troops are trudging through Uganda.”
In 2005, U.S. Army brass panicked after reviewing the results of a specially commissioned study that showed a 41 percent drop in recruitment of people of African descent over a five year period. “It’s alarming,” said a general in charge of Army recruitment. He went on to attribute the de facto boycott to the war in Iraq and the views of teachers, preachers, coaches and other “influencers” in the black community who were urging young people not to sign on to what was ultimately acknowledged by many to be a pointless, senseless invasion and occupation of a sovereign country.
At the time, Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel was quoted as saying: “I have not found a black person in support of this war in my district.” Little wonder. Parents and grandparents still had painful memories of veterans of the U.S. debacle in Vietnam who returned broken physically, mentally and spiritually. The war-resisting spirit of these elders was revived by the then most recent imperialist escapade, and they made clear to their children and grandchildren that they had better “just say ‘no’” to military recruiters when they came calling.
It is precisely because of the now well-established willingness of Africans in America to draw the line against participation in imperialist wars of folly that the military has been acutely aware of the high risk of its attempts in recent years to establish a military presence in Africa. If young brothers and sisters refused to fight in Iraq, then any effort to persuade them to take up arms against Africa would present an extraordinary challenge that could fatally backfire if it were in any way mishandled.
“Even comforting smiles cannot hide the obvious fact that there have been U.S. boots on the ground in Africa.”
The military’s trepidation is evident from the fact that since its inception, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has devoted substantial time and resources to developing and publishing messages that assure and reassure the African World that, notwithstanding the undeniable fact that AFRICOM is a military entity, it is in Africa only to render humanitarian assistance, and to provide advice to Africa’s armies about how they – and not U.S. troops – might most effectively engage in combat. Unfortunately for the military’s public relations strategists, even comforting smiles cannot hide the obvious fact that there have been U.S. boots on the ground in Africa. AFRICOM was integrally involved in the imperialist take-over of Libya, and now U.S. troops are trudging through Uganda because President Obama took AFRICOM’s advice and sent them there purportedly to help in the hunt for the leadership of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a group accused of terrorism.
[The LRA and Joseph Kony are under the protection of the Ugandan Government, as stated by President Yoweri Museveni in one of the wikileaks cables. President Museveni of Uganda in the Wikileaks Cables (2007) conveyed how he had been providing protection, jobs and housing for Joseph Kony's parents since 1994. The Ugandan government, like the governments of Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda are firmly in the Anglo-American sphere of influence - hence the Ethipian and Kenyan invasions of Somalia. From the Wikileaks Cables:
¶4. (C) Senior Advisor Shortley asked Museveni for his views on how Kony would be handled if he agreed to a deal. Museveni described his provision of protection, livelihood, and homes for Kony,s mother (and now deceased father) since 1994. Museveni was flexible on Kony,s future, saying that the LRA leader could live anywhere in Uganda where he had not committed atrocities.
- MrK]
It has not escaped notice that this sudden U.S. interest in the LRA (which has been active for more than two decades) came on the heels of China’s negotiations with the Ugandan government for a major role in the development of an infrastructure to produce a vast amount of oil that was discovered in Uganda only a few years ago. Naturally there was immediate speculation that the supposed hunt for terrorists was actually a pretext for countering Chinese influence and securing access to a new oil supply. In response to skeptics’ questions about the true U.S. objectives in Uganda, Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson dismissed all “conspiracy theories,” and insisted that the U.S. mission is: “focused on the LRA and the LRA only.”
[The unfortunately named Johnnie Carson already made a fool of himself in Zimbabwe. - MrK]
Apparently Carson expects us to simply take the word of an administration that on the one hand declares unequivocally on its AFRICOM website that it will not establish military bases in Africa, but at the same time establishes bases in the Central African Republic and South Sudan as part of the purported LRA mission.
[The LRA is supported by and a front for the West, through the Ugandan Government. President Yoweri Museveni stated in the Wikileaks Cables in 2007 that he has been supporting Joseph Kony's parents with jobs, protection and housing since 1994. I quote:
¶4. (C) Senior Advisor Shortley asked Museveni for his views on how Kony would be handled if he agreed to a deal. Museveni described his provision of protection, livelihood, and homes for Kony,s mother (and now deceased father) since 1994. Museveni was flexible on Kony,s future, saying that the LRA leader could live anywhere in Uganda where he had not committed atrocities.
The LRA is as fake as Al-Qaeda. - MrK]
“Young Africans in America are very much a part of the Pentagon’s recruitment calculations.”
While we might hope that our young men and women will once again readily see through the lies about Uganda in the same way that they saw the truth about Iraq, clarity on a mass level this time around is not assured. The wall-to-wall media coverage of “shock and awe” explosions that decimated Iraq made it easy for Africans in the U.S. to decide that they wanted no part of that war. However, the recent introduction of U.S. troops into Africa has been very quiet. The risk is that before there is widespread awareness of military involvement in the Ugandan region, the U.S. presence will have expanded to a point where recruitment efforts will intensify, and the black “influencers” who kept young people out of the Iraq war will not have had an opportunity to throw up an anti-recruitment barrier around the community before large numbers of young Africans are sweet-talked into enlisting.
As the U.S. Empire continues to crumble, we will see more desperate attempts to preserve its domination of the planet’s natural resources through the use of force, and we can be certain that young Africans in America are very much a part of the Pentagon’s recruitment calculations. While our activist impulses may scream for the immediate establishment of a “movement” to counter potential recruiting raids of our community, sober reflection might suggest instead that this is the time to move beyond an ad hoc approach. “Endless war” may mean that we must now institutionalize endless community education about the motives, objectives and methods of military programs that are in service to imperialism. We will know we have succeeded when, without prompting, every African youth will boldly declare: “Hell no, I won’t go.”
Labels: AFRICOM, JOHNNIE CARSON, LORDS RESISTANCE ARMY, UGANDA
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COMMENT - Watch these little meetings. They are part of trying to get Anglo American's hands on the 1/5th of the world's known diamond reserves that Zimbabwe has. AA already has the national diamond mining monopoly in South Africa, in Botswana, and they have their intentions set on Zimbabwe next.
Discussing Zimbabwe, without Zim
Friday, 02 December 2011 00:00
Obi Egbuna Herald Correspondent
EARLY this month, the
US government's House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights in Washington DC organised a hearing under the theme "Beyond the Reign of Zimbabwe's Mugabe: A Chance for Democracy or Prelude to Conflict."
The meeting was chaired by Congressmen Christopher Smith and Donald Payne. They both represent the State of New Jersey. Among those who gave testimonies were Ambassador Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs; Ms Sharon Cromer, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator Bureau for Africa for the US Agency for International Development;
Mr Mark Schneider, Senior VP for the International Crisis Group and Mr Paul Fagan, Regional Director for Africa for the International Republican Institute.
There also was Mr Dewa Mavhinga, Regional Coordinator Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition. Before the substance and value of these testimonies are thoroughly analysed, it very important to point out that the process completely not only lacks integrity.
It was not aimed at presenting an objective account of developments but a typical country targeted by the US Congress for these proceedings.
As long as the United States continues to parade around the globe as an authority on democracy and human rights, they should begin by answering the question how humane and democratic it is. What qualifies it to hold a hearing discussing a country at length but excluding the country's Ambassador from the process altogether?
This hearing came only 11 months after the hearing Congressman Payne held last year entitled "Zimbabwe: From Crisis to Renewal".
At least from the surface, it appears this year they are more concerned about the people of Zimbabwe, since the hearing has a more elaborate theme. Because Congressman Smith is the Chair of this Committee he had to begin the latest diplomatic assault on the Government and people of Zimbabwe.
He started talking about the mutual hostility between the US Government and President Mugabe and Zanu-PF, and stated that Zimbabwe was considering a new constitution that will lead to elections.
It was laughable listening to Congressman Smith accuse President Mugabe and Zanu-PF of forcefully removing Vice President Nkomo from office, but blatantly ignoring the historic Unity Accord of 1987 between Zanu and Zapu. This shows that Congressman Smith is either has a lazy and incompetent staff or he is intellectually dishonest when discussing Zimbabwe.
These opening remarks by Congressman Smith can only be overshadowed by last year's hearing when he cited the right-wing Heritage Foundation's Index of economic freedom, which ranked Zimbabwe as 178 right behind Cuba and in front of North Korea which was last on their list.
During that hearing Congressman Smith stated that President Mugabe openly embraces North Korea's Juche system and the only way forward is to throw off President Mugabe and criminal elements of Zanu-PF.
The Congressman then took the liberty of recognising Congressman Jeff Flake from Arizona, who he said lived in Zimbabwe between 1982 and 1983,and wrote his thesis on President Mugabe. The Congressman expected us to view President Mugabe through the eyes of a mormon missionary for the Church of Latter Day Saints to South Africa in the 80's.
It is very crucial to mention that Congressman Flake served as the Executive Director of the Foundation in Namibia and went on to serve as the Executive Director of the Goldwater Institute before entering Congress. In the era of overt intelligence Africans must overcome mental shackles, and not let our most bitter detractors persuade us to distance ourselves from the most courageous fighters in our midst and historical space.
The first official testimony came from Ambassador Carson for some strange reason began by highlighting that the US Government was the first country to extend diplomatic relations to Zimbabwe, on the 25th anniversary of the death of Samora Machel.
It is very pompous of Ambassador Carson to exaggerate about past or present diplomatic gestures the US has made towards Zimbabwe past or present. Since Ambassador Carson takes pride in the diplomatic overture he felt compelled to mention, it is tragic he overlooks 1 000 US mercenaries fighting alongside the Rhodesians, and the disrespectful and racist behaviour displayed of President Reagan when he decided to sabotage the Lancaster House Negotiations of 1979.
The Ambassador highlighted what he called serious contention within the ruling party
for the right to succeed the President.
He stated further that the State Department would continue to press for protection of human rights and accountable progress where it is made, and maintaining US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe is a visible manifestation of the US Governments concerns as it pertains to these matters.
The Ambassador has a major dilemma at these hearings. He has to talk tough about Zimbabwe, but at the same time his showboating undermines the work of the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray, who has decided to approach President Mugabe and Zanu-PF with courtesy and respect which is a departure from his predecessors Christopher Dell and James McGee.
The USAid mouthpiece Ms Cromer openly acknowledged that all of their activities are done, in close consultation with congress, the State and Treasury Department and National Security Council, and are consistent with the US Government's overall strategy and policy.
She also thanked Ambassador Carson for his commitment to the issue, and stated improvements in the living conditions and economic prospects cannot be sustainably achieved without accompanying gains in the political sphere.
The Zimbabwean people in particular and African people as a whole are sick and tired of the pseudo-humanitarianism of US-EU imperialism.
But Ms Cromer apparently shuns this predictable masquerade and is comfortable calling for a change in Zimbabwe with no apology whatsoever.
According to Stephen Gowans article,
Concerned Africa Scholars’ Jacob Mundy, writes:
The International Crisis Group is funded by such pro-imperialist and CIA pass-through organizations as the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Carnegie Foundation, The Soros Open Society Institute and the Ronald Reagan established US Institute for Peace, of which the US Secretaries of State and Defense are ex officio board members.
The ICG’s board members, past and present, include US and British foreign policy luminaries, among them Wesley Clark (who commanded the Nato assault on Yugoslavia in 1999), cold warrior Zbigniew Brzezinski (who ordered the backing of the Mujahadin in Afghanistan), Lord Robertson (the former Secretary General of Nato), and billionaire financier George Soros, who has been active in bankrolling color revolutions. (6) - MrK
The most disrespectful testimony was given by Mr Schneider of ICG. Schneider began by mentioning the 25 reports they have given on Zimbabwe.
The most amusing thing about US-based NGO's and think tanks, is they are flooded with CIA wannabes who don't have the stomach for true blue imperialist espionage. It was in poor taste when Mr Schneider claimed President Mugabe has visited Singapore eight times this year due to failing health.
None of the individuals who gave testimonies are friends of the President or are genuinely concerned about his well being or health, it is for that reason that should be declared off limits at this sought of hearing.
Apologists for the US-EU alliance, whether they are journalists like Craig Timberg of the Washington Post or Nicholas Christoff of the New York Times or pro-regime change NGOs and think tanks like ICG or the International Republican Institute, all must masqurade as experts and authorities on Zimbabwe.
The testimony by Mr Fagan of representing IRI smacked of frustration and failure. He began by stating that the very nature of the GPA shields President Mugabe and Zanu-PF from any action against what he calls a Government of National Unity.
Mr Fagen went on to say this would reflect negatively on the MDC partners and stifle any progress they are able to make within the governing coalition.
It is becoming abundantly clear that the main reason Prime Minister Tsvangirai came to the US at the same time President Mugabe and the Zimbabwean delegation were in New York for the General Assembly, was to be part of the strategic planning of these hearings.
The US Government always provides him a shoulder to cry on. The next comments by Mr Fagan worthy of note was overt condemnation of President Mugabe and his party.
If Mr Fagan believes in accuracy he must cease referring to the GPA as a Government of National Unity, it is an inclusive Government and the US according to President Obama has only one Zimbabwean partner at the table, Prime Minister Tsvangirai.
If the US-EU alliance decide to tell the truth about Zimbabwe their efforts will flourish instead of backfire.
What misleads the Africans in the Diaspora is when pro-regime change forces in the US and EU imply that both factions of MDC are their partners, when their anger for Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara is painfully obvious when he is blatantly ignored when they discuss the Zimbabwe issue.
The most predictable methodology in relationship to these hearings is the decision, to find token Zimbabweans to strengthen the arguments made by US Imperialism forces at these hearings, because after all some entertainment becomes necessary the US Government reps and so called experts are quite boring and redundant.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe who Mr Mavhinga proudly represents comprises of 350 civic society organizations, which has five committees advocacy, information, peace building and human rights.
The highlight of Mr Mavingha's remarks was his emphatic statement that the US Congress should avoid any legislative initiatives, including repealing the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2011 or targeted sanctions. These were the exact sentiments of Mr Joy Mabenge when he testified on behalf of the Democratic Alternative for Zimbabwe in 2009.
The apparent strategy was to have Mr Mavhinga absolutely trash the GPA, which is exactly how he slanted his comments. He declared that the inclusiveGovernment was barely functional, and the GPA had failed to create a viable roadmap that will pave the way for a genuine transition to free democraticand open society.
The next area Mr Mavhinga focused on was Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa's report at the UN Human Rights Council which he said lacked credibility, and he paraphrased Brigadier General Nyikayaramba of ZNA saying "truly speaking I am in Zanu-PF and Zanu-PF is in me".
What we also appear to overlook is the fact that these "watchdogs" in the civil society sector are hardly neutral and objective like the US-EU alliance make them appear to be.
The time has come for the Government of Zimbabwe to reveal a list of how many civil Society groups are linked to the Tsvangirai faction of MDC. Since we know that Mr Mavhinga is based in Johannesburg which appears to be a hotbed for anti-Zanu-PF activity, whether it is spearheaded by Amnesty International, apologists for the Rhodesian crusader Roy Bennett or the pro-regime change paper the Mail and Guardian.
[South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper is headed by MDC member Trevor Ncube. It is generally DA leaning as well, and anti-ANC. - MrK]
The last area of Mr Mavhinga's testimony that needs to be addressed was the comment he made pertaining to Zimbabwe's elections, when he said Zanu-PF wasunable to force elections in 2011 thanks to a concerted campaign both inside and outside Zimbabwe.
The decision to have elections this year was in accordance with the original GPA agreement, which not only President Mugabe and Zanu PF wanted to honor, but the MDCs stalled them.
In order for the African world to understand the full ramifications of these hearings, and how they are used to usher in civilian neo-colonialism in a region of Africa, were UNITA and RENAMO were soundly defeated in Angola and Mozambique respectively, all we have to do is follow the paper trial and see where it leads us.
When we take this approach we arrive at the doorsteps of Mr George Soros and Sir Richard Branson who are the main European business tycoons, who refuse to abandon the regime change agenda in Zimbabwe even if its burns a hole in their fat pockets.
Many of us discovered that Sir Richard Branson helped establish Enterprise Zimbabwe along with Pam Omidyar of Humanity United, which illustrated that there is an increasing interest for foreign investment in Zimbabwe.
This explains why the Elders group which has several prominent living historical figures like Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Kofi Annan to name a few, who attempted to force their way into Zimbabwe three years ago, as part of a fact finding mission received 18 million US dollars from Branson as seed money to begin their humanitarian work. Because Mr Soros wants to go to his grave being remembered as the modern day Santa Claus/Father Christmas.
His supporters always point to the US$8 billion dollars he has given to public health and education causes.
This is but a feeble attempt to divert attention away from the fact he is extremely comfortable in his seat, on the Council Of Foreign Relations Board Of Directors which he has no intention of abandoning anytime soon.
[The CFR was founded by the Rockefellers. Dick Cheney used to be a director, and Hillary Clinton practically lives there. :) - MrK]
The Soros sponsored Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa has always financed the Labor and Economic Development Research Institute Of Zimbabwe, which is a think tank of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), that Prime Minister Tsvangirai proudly led as the Secretary General before receiving instructions and money to go and spearhead the MDC.
Because Mr Mavhinga and his colleagues in the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition are fed and clothed by Mr Soros, it is no secret where their loyalties will lie, as long as they remain his faithful employees.
We should share with these misguided souls the powerful words of a true patriot of Africa, the late Thomas Sankara former President of Burkina Faso.
Sankara taught us, "He who feeds you controls you".
l Obi Egbuna Is The US Correspondent To The Herald.
Labels: CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE COALITION, DONALD PAYNE, GEORGE SOROS, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS REPORT GROUP, JOHNNIE CARSON, NEOCOLONIALISM, RICHARD BRANSON, SANCTIONS, TREASON, ZDERA
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COMMENT - So much for the MDC's claim to be champions of the 'rule of law'. The United States and western corporations must end all designs on Africa's raw materials. They belong to the people of Africa, and must benefit them alone. No 'donor aid', but taxation, and if taxation is impossible, nationalisation.
MDCT asked us not to lift sanctions, but tighten the screws-Jonnie Carson
Sunday, 05 June 2011 01:24 Top Stories
By Munyaradzi Huni
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Mr Jonnie Carson recently told the Sadc facilitation team, led by Ms Lindiwe Zulu, during a meeting in Washington DC, that
the MDC-T had officially asked his government not to lift the illegal economic sanctions but instead tighten them until there is regime change in Zimbabwe, it has emerged.This startling revelation, which exposes the
MDC-T’s blatant violation of the GPA and the so-called election roadmap, was
disclosed to the Sadc facilitation team when it met Mr Carson in Washington DC last month during a meeting to press for the lifting of sanctions as directed by the Troika Summit that was held in Livingstone on March 31.
It is understood that the revelation that the MDC-T had officially asked the US to keep and tighten the illegal sanctions to ensure that people continue to suffer was communicated officially to the GPA negotiators by Ms Zulu in Cape Town on May 6 in the presence of Mr Tendai Biti and Mr Elton Mangoma, who remained in embarrassed silence during the disclosure.
The illegal sanctions have been widely condemned from many quarters including Sadc and the AU for causing untold suffering among Zimbabweans and for undermining economic recovery efforts while crippling the private sector by denying it access to international credit.
Impeccable diplomatic sources at the UN in New York told The Sunday Mail during the week that Mr Carson scoffed at claims that all three parties to the GPA were committed to the removal of sanctions as agreed in the political pact and made it clear that the MDC-T had officially and repeatedly requested the US government to maintain the status quo on sanctions. The sources added that Mr Carson told the facilitation team that the MDC-T had even asked the US government to consider tightening the sanctions further to force illegal regime change in the country under the cover of the controversial election roadmap.
The UN diplomat told this paper that “the agreed position between Carson, Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti is that removing sanctions would embolden President Mugabe and Zanu-PF and MDC is adamant that there should be no change on sanctions unless there is change of government”.
Contrary to the now discredited US, UK and EU propaganda that the illegal sanctions supported by the MDC-T are only targeted at a limited number of individuals, it is now common cause that they have damaged the economy and cause ordinary people across the country to suffer, especially in the high-density suburbs and the rural areas.
On March 2 President Mugabe launched the anti-sanctions petition which has been signed by more than two million ordinary people across the country. It is understood that Ms Zulu reported to the GPA negotiators that “the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs said that Washington will not lift sanctions given the fact that MDC-T which is in the inclusive Government has been engaging them pleading with them not to lift the sanctions”.
Diplomatic sources told this paper that this disclosure about the MDC-T duplicity on sanctions, which forms part of minutes of the Cape Town meeting approved last Thursday by the facilitation team and the negotiators, will be reported to the Extraordinary Sadc Summit later this week.
However, MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora yesterday defended his party, saying: “The MDC has not done such a thing.
“It does not control the governments that imposed those restrictions.
“Our president has made recent international pronouncements on the issue and we stand by that.”
A senior researcher with the SA-based Institute of Security Studies (ISS) told The Sunday Mail yesterday that nobody should be surprised about the MDC-T stance on the sanctions issue, noting that “because Tsvangirai and company asked for these sanctions in the first place, its stands to reason that they will be the last to ask for their removal unless they come to power alone by hook or crook.
“Beyond that the US, especially Carson who is known to hate President Mugabe, is now determined to use the sanctions matrix to manage not only Zanu-PF but also President Zuma whose government has now become loudly silent about the removal of economic sanctions against your country.”
The ISS researcher added that the US government was now “exerting enormous pressure on South Africa and Sadc through a crude carrot -and-stick approach to get them to abandon the sanctions discourse and become part of the regime change coalition on Zimbabwe under the cover of the controversial election roadmap”.
Observers say that backhanded attempts to arm-twist Sadc on the illegal sanctions were evident at the Livingstone Summit whose communiqué was surprisingly silent on the removal of sanctions despite the fact that this is a key GPA benchmark and the first signpost of the so-called elections roadmap.
Well-placed diplomatic sources in SA told The Sunday Mail that Mr Carson organised a high-powered discussion panel by teleconference on May 23 which brought together prominent African and American scholars and US government officials to focus on what the Obama administration wanted to see as a “transition” and “transfer” of power in Zimbabwe from Zanu-PF to the MDC-T as the critical part of the controversial roadmap.
During the panel discussion, chaired by the US representative at the UN, Susan Rice, who was assisted by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Susan Page, who visited Zimbabwe in March ahead of the Livingstone Summit, the US Ambassador to SA Donald Gips confidently said that he had been advised by senior officials in SA’s Ministry of International Relations and Co-operation that the SA government is now of the view that the illegal sanctions should remain in place.
Ambassador Gips said this was in order to get President Mugabe to embrace the so-called Sadc election roadmap and to commit himself to relinquish power to a successor.
Last month, a political storm erupted when the ANC newsletter, ANC Today, claimed that the facilitation team was concerned about the alleged absence of a succession law in Zimbabwe and attributed these concerns to the negotiators who know only too well that Zimbabwe enacted a very clear succession law as recently as 2007.
Analysts say it is now clear that the US and UK have resolved to divide Sadc on Zimbabwe by seeking to compromise the regional body’s cohesion and common purpose using pliable interests who are now hiding their agenda under the cover of the contentious election roadmap.
It remains to be seen how the summit this week will deal with the illegal economic sanctions whose removal is a fundamental requirement of not only the GPA but also the election roadmap.
Labels: JOHNNIE CARSON, MDC, NEOCOLONIALISM, SANCTIONS, ZDERA
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AU SUMMIT: A/S CARSON'S MEETING WITH BOTSWANA'S VICE PRESIDENT MOMPATI MERAFHE TRIPOLI 00000588 001.2 OF 002
Passed to the Telegraph by WikiLeaks 9:31PM GMT 31 Jan 2011
Ref ID: 09TRIPOLI588
Date: 7/21/2009 16:01
Origin: Embassy Tripoli
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Destination:
SUBJECT: AU SUMMIT: A/S CARSON'S MEETING WITH BOTSWANA'S VICE PRESIDENT MOMPATI MERAFHE TRIPOLI 00000588 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Joan Polaschik, Charge d'Affaires, U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1.(C) Summary: Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson met with Botswana Vice President (VP) Mompati Merafhe on July 2, 2009 on the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit in Sirte, Libya. The discussion focused on the global financial crisis, recent accomplishments made by the Government of Botswana (GOB) in the agricultural sector, the new USG global food security initiative, and political leadership in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar. End Summary.
BOTSWANA STRUGGLES DURING GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS --------------------------------------------- ----
2.(C) VP Merafhe asked the Assistant Secretary for his opinion on the state of the global financial crisis and economy. Carson expressed his belief that the recession in the United States was close to bottoming out and could settle sometime between June-September next year. However, U.S. employment, housing, and auto industry figures all continue to indicate a slump.
3.(C) VP Merafhe noted that Botswana was "struggling" as a result of the global recession, citing high-end tourism and the diamond industry as particularly hard hit. As part of a larger effort to save jobs in the industry, Botswana has had to close one diamond mine due to decreased sales and lower prices. The GOB is also in the process of concluding establishment of a diamond trading consortium including DeBeers, Anglo America, and Namibia that would, once complete, consolidate 30% of global diamond trade in Botswana. The GOB will hold an 80% stake under the partnership.
4.(C) Merafhe also discussed the GOB's decision to run a budget deficit through which government spending would be used to stimulate the economy (Note: the African Development Bank [ADB] recently approved a loan of USD $1.5 billion in Botswana, marking the first such debt that Botswana had accrued in over 17 years. End Note.)
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR REFORM A HIGH PRIORITY ------------------------------------------
5.(C) VP Merafhe explained that the GOB has more than doubled sorghum production in the last year, increasing yields from 43,000 metric tons to 93,000 metric tons using a locally developed model that could be replicated in other countries. Ensuring the sustainability of agricultural sector investment and the accomplishments that have been achieved, is a high priority for the GOB, Merafhe continued.
6.(C) Carson noted that the USG was in the process of launching a new, global food security initiative in which Africa would be featured prominently. In particular, USG agricultural assistance funding will double to $1 billion during FY2010, with an approximate total of $3.5 billion provided by the USG within the next three years. Carson explained that host country partnership, innovation, and ownership of planned agricultural sector interventions are USG priorities in its approach to implementing the new initiative.
ENERGY PRODUCTION: SEEKING SELF-SUFFICIENCY -------------------------------------------
7.(C) Carson asked about the status of coal production and energy resources in Botswana. Merafhe noted that the GOB was working to harness Botswana's overall energy resources to achieve self-sufficiency, and that China will enter the market to help Botswana further exploit its coal production capabilities. There are no plans, at present, to develop wind or solar energy resources.
DOMESTIC POLITICS -----------------
8.(C) When asked about domestic politics, Merafhe said he was confident about the prospects for his party in upcoming national elections to be held in October, noting that under the GOB system the president is not directly elected but instead chosen by the political party with the highest number of seats in Parliament. Merafhe does not expect new opposition candidates TRIPOLI 00000588 002.2 OF 002 to enter the election campaign.
VP MERAFHE: SOUTH AFRICA'S ZUMA IS "INTERNALLY FOCUSED" --------------------------------------------- ---------
9.(C) Moving to regional issues, A/S Carson asked the Vice President for his impression on the recent election of Jacob Zuma in South Africa. Merafhe said it was too early to tell, but the initial indications suggested that Zuma appeared to be "internally focused." Merafhe also noted that he had no prior knowledge of, or contact with, the new South African Minister of Foreign Affairs but that she appeared to be solid
ZIMBABWE --------
10.(C) xxxxxxxxxxxx A/S Carson noted that POTUS saw Zimbabwe Prime Minister Tsvangirai during his recent travel to Washington, and said that helping the Prime Minister without aiding Mugabe will be a challenge. A/S Carson also said that the USG would remain engaged in Zimbabwe and continue to channel foreign assistance in support of the people of Zimbabwe through non-governmental organizations. USG support for humanitarian assistance, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and democracy and governance programs in Zimbabwe will all continue under the USG foreign assistance program. Agricultural sector inputs and education programming are also anticipated as new USG foreign assistance components. 11.(C) A/S Carson asked if SADC would increase pressure on Zimbabwe for Mugabe to exit. xxxxxxxxxxxx
MADAGASCAR: WAY FORWARD REMAINS UNCLEAR ---------------------------------------
12.(C) VP Merafhe said that Madagascar was also a "nasty situation." A/S Carson noted that the AU will repeat efforts to assemble the four political parties in Madagascar in an effort to proceed with presidential elections and restore constitutional governance. A/S Carson noted that Rajoelina is presently too young to secure the presidency under the Malagasy constitution and that the overall way forward in resolving the political impasse in Madagascar was still not clear. POLASCHIK
Labels: DIAMONDS, JOHNNIE CARSON, WIKILEAKS CABLES
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WikiLeaks: Tsvangirai in regime change talk on U.S. State visit
By: Nancy Pasipanodya
Posted: Thursday, February 3, 2011 10:44 pm
Tsvangirai meets US President Barack Obama during a US state visit in June 2009PRIME MINISTER Morgan Tsvangirai used a state visit to the United States to find ways of ousting President Mugabe, a confidential cable released by whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks revealed.
The PM had travelled to the US with a delegation comprising Zanu-PF's Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi.
Mzembi was barred from discussion with US officials including President Barack Obama.
It has now emerged that one of the reasons why Mzembi was barred was because Tsvangirai was discussing regime change options with the US administration.
The confidential cable entitled "A/S CARSON'S MEETING WITH BOTSWANA'S VICE PRESIDENT MOMPATI MERAFHE TRIPOLI" released last week quotes United State's chief African diplomat, Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson confirming the meeting and insinuating that it would be difficult to remove President Mugabe.
Carson met with PM Tsvangirai during the visit and the White House barred the media from asking the Zimbabwe delegation any questions after the meeting even though it had earlier been announced that a question and answer session with the Press would follow the discussions.
The confidential cable read: "Carson noted that POTUS saw Zimbabwe Prime Minister Tsvangirai during his recent travel to Washington, and said that helping the Prime Minister without aiding Mugabe will be a challenge.
The cable also reveals that the US government was working directly with non-governmental organisations in Zimbabwe to effect regime change.
"Carson also said that the USG (US Government) would ... continue to channel foreign assistance... through non-governmental organizations."
"USG... democracy and governance programs in Zimbabwe will all continue under the USG foreign assistance program.
The United States also wanted to use the regional Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to "increase pressure on Zimbabwe for Mugabe to exit".
During Tsvangirai's visit, President Obama referred to a "partnership with Prime Minister Tsvangirai" instead of with the Government of Zimbabwe.
During Tsvangirai's visit President Obama announced that his government would be giving US$73 million to selected non-governmental organisations.
BOTSWANA ASKING FOR AID
The cable also quoted Botswana vice president Mompati Merafhe revealing that Botswana was "struggling" as a result of "the global recession, citing high-end tourism and the diamond industry as particularly hard hit."
"As part of a larger effort to save jobs in the industry, Botswana has had to close one diamond mine due to decreased sales and lower prices."
The cable also made an interesting observation that the Botswana government would be maintaining an 80% stake in any diamond mining in the country.
Zimbabwe has been criticised for passing an indigenisation and empowerment law requiring a 51% ownership by indigenous Zimbabweans.
Labels: JOHNNIE CARSON, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, TREASON, WALTER MZEMBI, WIKILEAKS
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COMMENT - The hypocrisy of haranging Zimbabwe about 'corruption', when they fully well know the extent of the corruption of most of their allies is what is putting a big questionmark behind the US presence and credibility in Africa. How can they criticize Zimbabwe for having an old president or having lack of democracy, when the second largest recipient of US defense funding after Israel is Egypt, whose leader is around the same age as President Mugabe, and which has had a state of emergency since the assassination of the previous President Sadat in the early 1980s? The same with Kenya and it's elections, which looked like a genocide compared to Zimbabwe's peaceful elections. They didn't complain about Kenya because they liked and controlled the outcome, unlike in Zimbabwe, but their private communications tell a different story. Thank you, Wikileaks and Julian Asange.
US sees Kenya as a swamp of corruption
By: Our reporter/Independent
Posted: Wednesday, December 1, 2010 1:53 pm
THE Kenyan government yesterday reacted with fury and shock to a damning US State Department diplomatic report released by Wikileaks, which described the country as a "swamp of flourishing corruption" run by bent officials who were banned from entering America.
US President Barack Obama's father is from Kenya, and the country has declared a national holiday in commemoration of Obama's presidency. The US president has never visited the country since his inauguration last year.
Up to now Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga has paraded himself as a staunch ally of the West, especially the US and Britain.
No comment was made by the Kenyan prime minister in response to the damaging leak. A Kenyan government spokesman, Alfred Mutua, branded the unflattering US characterisation of Kenya as "malicious".
He said that the top American diplomatic official responsible for Africa had called the Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday to apologise for the content of the memos.
He said that if the reports were true the memos were "malicious and a total misrepresentation" of Kenya and its leaders. "We are surprised and shocked by these revelations," Mr Mutua said.
The Kenyan government's comments were in response to a US State Department report on Kenya obtained by Wikileaks.
The bulk of the US document on Kenya has yet to be released. However a brief and damning excerpt was published by Germany's Der Spiegel magazine.
"Kenya – a swamp of flourishing corruption," is how Der Spiegel paraphrased the US report on the country.
"Fifteen high ranking Kenyan officials have been banned from entering the United States. Practically every line of the report is contemptuous of the government of President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga," Der Spiegel wrote.
The magazine's excerpt was picked up by Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper, which yesterday ran the front page headline: "US envoys see Kenya as a swamp of graft".
In what appeared to be a desperate attempt by American officials to limit the damage caused by the leaks, a US embassy spokesman in Nairobi insisted that State Department officials had called senior Kenyan government officials to inform them and discuss their concerns.
The Kenyan government said that Johnny Carson, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, had called Mr Odinga to offer an apology.
However it emerged yesterday that the US apology was noticeably lacking in specific details.
"The US government has indicated that it is sorry for the content of the leaked documents," Mr Mutua said, "However they have not told us what the documents say and what they are sorry for," he added.
The government of Mr Odinga is facing a series of high-level corruption allegations. Last month, the US banned four senior Kenyan government officials and a prominent Kenyan businessman from travelling to the US.
The five men are suspected of being involved in drug trafficking. Michael Ranneberger, the US Ambassador to Nairobi, has said the decision to ban them had been reached on the basis of reliable and corroborative reports.
Kenya's minister for foreign affairs resigned last month before the opening of an investigation into an alleged multi-million dollar corruption scandal involving Kenyan embassies in Africa, Europe and Asia.
The corrupt practice at the embassies was exposed by a Kenyan parliamentary committee.
Kenyan prime minister Odinga is a close ally of Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, whose leadership was branded as weak and ineffectual by former US ambassador to Zimbabwe, Christopher W. Dell.
This is a wake up call to the two leaders whose leadership has largely been supported by these two countries.
Wikileaks plans to release over 4,700 cables on Zimbabwe; and the MDC-T leadership and parts of the civil society leadership in Zimbabwe is reportedly bracing itself for many revelations that are likely to expose their underhand dealings with the US, Britain and the West in general.
President Mugabe has blamed the US for trying to effect regime change in Zimbabwe branding the MDC-T party as an unwitting puppet in that process.
Labels: JOHNNIE CARSON, KENYA, MICHAEL RANNEBERGER, RAILA ODINGA, WIKILEAKS
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COMMENT - BS. The US needs to come clean, admit that they lied (difficult for Hillary Clinton) and remove economic sanctions against Zimbabwe. It is the only decent thing to do. Too many people have been killed by these sanctions already.
US demands GPA progress
by Staff Reporter
28/09/2010 00:00:00
THE UNITED States (US) has demanded "further-progress" as a condition for the removal of sanctions against ZANU-PF leaders as re-engagement talks opened last week between the two countries.
US officials led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson met a Zimbabwe delegation that included Ministers Elton Mangoma (MDC-T) , Patrick Chinamasa (ZANU-PF) and Priscilla Misihairabwe-Mushonga (MDC-M) in Washington last week.
Carson’s latest meeting with the Zimbabwe delegation follows another one he held with President Robert Mugabe last year which saw the Zimbabwean leader describing the diplomat as “an idiot” no-one would want to speak to.
A statement released by the US Embassy in Harare said although the O Obama administration ruled out lifting the sanctions discussions were cordial and both sides agreed on the need to seek opportunities to continue an open dialogue.
“The United States pointed out that the current political and human rights environment in Zimbabwe remained troublesome, pointing to the recent harassment of WOZA and the disruption of constitutional reform meetings in Harare.
“The United States said that Zimbabwe must make further progress for the removal of targeted sanctions. Political progress comes with strong institutions, not strong individuals, and developing strong and transparent institutions will sustain economic growth,” the statement read.
The US said the sanctions were however under regular review but warned that chances of lifting the measures would be undermined by continuing rights abuses and the “intimidation of those participating in the country’s political process”.
“Significant improvements in the political environment, greater respect for human rights and political freedoms will result in change in U.S. posture. “The United States welcomes engagement with the transition government, and we are committed to keeping the door open to further dialogue,” the statement added
The meeting in Washington reviewed the economic and political progress that has occurred over the past 18 months since the formation of the inclusive government.
The US said it “recognised and commended” the economic advances that have occurred in the country but remained concerned that political progress has not been as successful.
Labels: GLOBAL POLITICAL AGREEMENT, JOHNNIE CARSON, NEOCOLONIALISM
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CIO boss barred from UN summit
by Staff Reporter
18/09/2010 00:00:00
ZIMBABWE has filed a complaint with the United Nations Secretary General after the US Government barred CIO boss Happyton Bonyongwa from attending the UN General Assembly in New York.
Bonyongwa was supposed to be part of President Robert Mugabe’s delegation to the UN’s 65th Ordinary Session but was refused a visa by the US embassy in Harare along with ZBC Chief Correspondent, Reuben Barwe. Both are on the list of individuals barred from travelling to the US under sanctions imposed by President George Bush in 2002.
However the Zimbabwe government argued that the UN Headquarters was international territory to which no country or individual should barred unless they were under UN sanctions.
“The Zimbabwe Government has reached the UN Secretary-General’s Office for a formal complaint in what amounts to a breach by the United States government of its status, conditions and commitment for hosting the United Nations,” a senior Government was told state media on Friday.
Bonyongwa was also barred from travelling to the US for UN meetings last year. Meanwhile the US has invited the Zimbabwe government for talks on the sanctions.
Energy and power development Minister, Elton Mangoma will lead the Zimbabwe delegation while the US will be represented by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnny Carson.
The talks are expected to begin next Wednesday.
The Zimbabwe government is pushing for the removal of the sanctions which it blames for the country’s economic problems.
However the US and the European Union are demanding more reforms and full implementation of the Global Political Agreement before they can lift the sanction.
Labels: CIO, ELTON MANGOMA, HAPPYTON BONYONGWA, JOHNNIE CARSON, UN
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Kenya slams US statements
AFP
NAIROBI. Kenya’s foreign minister voiced indignation yesterday at
US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson’s statements on the pace of reform, adding that
the diplomat had come to Nairobi uninvited.
"It is with regret that
an assistant minister of a friendly country, walks into our country uninvited, makes fairly unacceptable and reckless statements and then leaves," Moses Wetangula said at a Press conference.
"It is not right," he said, responding to the announcement by Carson on Monday that the United States had revoked the visa of a senior Kenyan government official accused of obstructing reform.
"At the altar of diplomacy we are the same like at the altar of the church and the statement made by Johnnie Carson is totally out of order and is not in keeping with the expected norms of good diplomatic behaviour," Wetangula said.
The foreign minister described as meaningless the travel bans threatened by the United States against 14 other senior officials and added Kenya could yet take its own measures. "Kenya, like any other independent and sovereign state, has options and in diplomacy we have got the doctrine of reciprocity and we shall appropriately reciprocate on all issues that undermine our dignity as a nation," he warned. — AFP.
Labels: JOHNNIE CARSON, KENYA, TRAVEL BANS
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COMMENT - The MDC is bought and paid for by Washington, is a regime change operation and has no interest in the future of Zimbabwe, other than as a colony for the west. I think that is pretty much clear. The United States is funding the opposition in Zimbabwe, exploiting and undermining the very democracy it pretends to encourage. Would it be acceptable for a US party to receive foreign funding? And would that not be seen as treason?
US openly admits funding Tsvangirai's office
TSM/TZG
Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:46:00 +0000
THE United States government has openly admitted that it is directly funding a parallel government in Zimbabwe to effect regime change in the country.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson has openly admitted that the US is funding the MDC-T’s parallel government by providing funds to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), through its acting assistant administrator for Africa, Earl Gast, also confirmed that the US government has been funding the PM’s Office.
In his testimony to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Sub-committee on Africa on September 30 2009, Carson pledged his support to advance US interests in Zimbabwe.
“Our assistance to Zimbabwe seeks to lay the groundwork for a return to democracy and prosperity by supporting democratic voices and civil society, including support to the Prime Minister’s Office for communications and other capacity building,” said Carson.
In his paper entitled “Exploring US Policy Options Towards Zimbabwe’s Transition” that he presented to the same sub-committee, Gast said: “In addition, funding has included support for civil society strengthening, support to help fulfill the terms of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) (e.g resources for the constitution-making process); programmes to demonstrate responsible governance (eg improving the public outreach capacity of the Office of the Prime Minister); assistance to non-governmental monitoring of compliance of all parties to the GPA; and support for independent media”.
It is understood that Nango (National Association of Non-Govermental Organisations) has already lined up seminars where it will start the process to monitor all the parties in the GPA.
Gast added: “The US$73 million in funding for Zimbabwe pledged by President Obama during Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s recent visit to the US includes significant inter-agency funding for HIV and Aids programmes in:
parliamentary strengthening, (US$2,4 million);
elections and constitution making (3,2 million);
rule of law (3,8 million);
consensus-building (2,7 million);
media (1,5 million);
victims of torture (1,9 million);
civil society/local government capacity building (5,8 million);
maternal and child health, including tuberculosis ($4,1 million); and
family planning (1,2 million).”
These revelations are set to shame the PM’s Office which has been refuting allegations that funding for its parallel government has been coming from the US government through Usaid
In addition to running the parallel government, the PM’s Office is publishing a newsletter that is under the charge of Andrew Chadwick and is receiving funding from the Usaid.
An African diplomat privy to the presentations that were made by the International Crisis Group, the Mercy Corps group, the US Treasury Department and the Usaid to the Subcommittee on African Affairs showed that US policy towards Zimbabwe is in a quandary.
The diplomat said under the George Bush administration, US policy towards Zimbabwe was shaped by ZIDERA whose main thrust was to attack President Robert Mugabe, attack the economy through sanctions and create and fund subversive organizations.
“But now with the MDC in Government, clearly that template is falling short because a continued attack on Zimbabwe through sanctions would mean that in the event of failure, the MDC would also be blamed.
“Presentations made to the subcommittee clearly show that the US is trying to adjust, in a fundamental way, its policy towards Zimbabwe,” said the diplomat.
The diplomat said the shift in policy was necessitated by the creation of the inclusive Government, the stabilization of the economy following measures announced in Minister Patrick Chinamasa’s budget, the re-engagement of Zimbabwe, the mounting campaign against sanctions and the fact that America “now has a listening post in Government through the MDC.”
Said the diplomat: “They want to fine tune the sanctions to make them targeted but also fine tune assistance to make it targeted. They want to have a target of destruction and a target of mitigation.
“The US will use the MDC as its listening post in Government and through the Multi Donor Trust Fund they will fund seminars that they will use to source data about the goings on in Government.”
The diplomat said the US government was now trying to enter into the Zanu PF stronghold – the farmers by providing funding for agriculture.
In recent weeks, farmers have been promised lots of funding from some NGOs raising suspicion that this was a ploy to “buy farmers and deliver them to the MDC in preparation for elections.”
In his presentation, Carson spoke about “our recent notification and consultation on new targeted programmes in the agriculture and education sectors.”
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, JOHNNIE CARSON, MDC, MDC CORRUPTION, NEOCONSERVATISM, NEOLIBERALISM
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US says not lifting sanctions against Zim
Ralph Mutema
Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:25:00 +0000
THE United States of America says it is still early to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe and reserve the right to lift those sanctions when they want to do so and when they see progress.
U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, told the Center for American Progress that the U.S. heeds the call by the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe but, "We differ on when and how to lift sanctions."
He added: "We reserve the right to lift those sanctions when we want to do so and when we see progress."
South African Broadcasting Corporation's Manalese Tubas asked Ambassador Carson, "You emphasized the issue of mutual respect between the (U.S.) administration and Africans and the fact that you say that Africans must take the lead in resolving their own problems... The resolution of Sadc in Kinshasa a week ago, where they said that sanctions must be lifted in Zimbabwe as a matter of – (inaudible) – so that the people of Zimbabwe should start to rebuild their country. And it does seem to me that you are not listening to that and are not prepared to respect that resolution. Why?"
The ambassador said the U.S. was concerned that lifting the sanctions would bring economic advantages that would allow the government of President Mugabe to "secure their further control on government".
"And we think it is important not to let the economic advantages that Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti bring to the case to be exploited and used by Robert Mugabe and others to secure their further control on government," said Ambassador Carson.
"We still think insufficient progress has been made, and to remove that pressure may in effect allow for economic gains, but not in effect change the dynamics of the political strangulation that Zanu exercises on political control and power."
Ambassador Carson in his statement referred to "sanctions" as opposed to "restrictive measures", a term favoured by the MDC-T party. He said that "the sanctions that the United States has in place are primarily directed at individuals, some – approximately 220 of them, of the most senior officials in the government, and also at entities that they possess or may own."
Carson said that the U.S. has "an enormous amount of respect for Sadc and what Sadc stands for" and will continue dialogue with the regional grouping.
Earlier this month, the heads of state of the Sadc called for the removal of all international sanctions on Zimbabwe, saying that pogress has been made since the formation of the inclusive Government last February.
The body ignored a call from Zimababwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for a special Sadc summit to discuss terms before lifting the sanctions.
MDC-T leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai accuses President Mugabe of not reversing the appointments of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, although the appointments are not mentioned in the power-sharing agreement and were made six months before the signing of that agreement.
Regional leaders argue that significant progress has been made by the inclusive Government to warrant the lifting of sanctions.
"Considering the positive evolution of the situation, considering the progress that has been made, we believe it is now high time that the santions are lifted," said current Sadc chairman, Congolese President Joseph Kabila.
President Mugabe's press secretary George Charamba said that "by continuing to inflict it [Zimbabwe] with those sanctions that are unjustified and illegal anyway, you are hurting Sadc. Please, do us a favour, remove them."
Labels: JOHNNIE CARSON, SANCTIONS, USA
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Carson's sanctions comments revealing
Petros Mugabe - Opinion
Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:33:00 +0000
DEAR EDITOR - The comments by U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson are very revealing. Carson has stated that: “We still think insufficient progress has been made, and to remove that pressure may in effect allow for economic gains, but not in effect change the dynamics of the political strangulation that Zanu PF exercises on political control and power.
The Ambassador has just
admitted that the sanctions imposed by the US are preventing economic gains for Zimbabwe and that there are
in place for regime change purposes.
If the U.S. really cared about the welfare of the majority of Zimbabweans, it would remove the sanctions and let the people of Zimbabwe benefit from the economic gains that would accrue. The U.S. wants to perpetuate this donor aid dependency in Zimbabwe, so that its NGOs can use aid distribution as a cover to criss -cross the country to spread propaganda.
The fact that the U.S. does not want to remove economic sanctions against Zimbabwe only exposes the fact that the U.S. knows that MDC-T does not have a large following in Zimbabwe and has relied on protest votes and the suffering of the Zimbabwean people to get where they are.
What is the use of holding elections when the U.S. is making it quite clear that it only wants an MDC-T victory? So any electoral victory that does not return an MDC-T govt will be deemed illegitimate by Uncle Sam? Is the U.S. not meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign country contrary to the United Nations charter?
The US and its allies are using 'divide and rule' tactics to divide the Zimbabwean people and to bring instability to the country. How can the U.S. and the West only say they will deal with ministers from MDC-T, but not from Zanu-PF? The Kenyan coalition is not working but the West supports it.
Whose benchmarks is the U.S. using to assess progress of the inclusive Government? If the majority of Zimbabwean people support the inclusive Government and the Sadc and African Union are of the same opinion, why is U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration riding roughshod over our opinions?
Is Zimbabwe suddenly a 51st state of the U.S. and not an independent and sovereign nation?
Did the U.S. and its allies consult us the majority of Zimbabweans whether we wanted them to impose sanctions on our country and impoverish us in the process?
Did they consult us on whether we wanted regime change in our country?
The only people the West consulted are the leaders of the two MDC formations and these formations do not certainly speak for the majority of Zimbabweans.
On one hand, Pres. Obama wants to build relationships based on mutual respect, but on the other hand, he is certainly not respecting the leadership of Sadc and AU by the refusal of his administration to remove sanctions.
Carson and Obama know that the Zidera Act, 2001 was put in place in order to impose sanctions meant to implode the Zimbabwean economy, make its people destitute and separate them from Zanu-PF. Carson is being economical with the truth when he wants to continue peddling the lie that the U.S. sanctions are merely travel bans and affect a few companies.
It is Zimbabweans citizens not U.S. citizens who have unnecessarily died because of sanctions. It is Zimbabweans citizens not U.S. citizens who have been impoverished in their millions because of the sanctions. No sane Zimbabwe will ever thank the U.S. and the West for imposing sanctions on us that have devastated our lives.
The majority of Zimbabweans now know who has been the cause of our suffering. It is certainly the IMF/World Bank who was running the economy of Zimbabwe from 1991 to 1999 under the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (Esap). The Zimbabwean government was implementing economic policies dictated by the IMF/World Bank.
The poorly designed Esap decimated a previously robust economy and left the Zimbabwean people destitute.
The West was fully aware of the havoc Esap had exacted on Zimbabwean economy, but it went ahead and imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe from 2001 onwards in order to make the economy scream and to effect regime change.
So the buck stops with the U.S. and its allies who set in motion events to deliberately destabilise Zimbabwe.
It is a lie that has been propagated by the West that the poor state of the Zimbabwean economy is due to poor policies and economic mismanagement.
Zimbabwe was actually implementing economic policies from the West (via IMF/World Bank structural adjustment programme) when the economy went pear shaped first time round.
Sanctions only worsened an economy that was in intensive care courtesy of the IMF/World Bank prescriptions of 1991-1999.
The truth shall be told.
_____________
*Petros Mugabe is the acronym of a Zimbabwe Guardian contributor writing from London.
Labels: IMF, JOHNNIE CARSON, NEOLIBERALISM, SANCTIONS, SAP
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US says not lifting sanctions against Zim
Ralph Mutema
Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:25:00 +0000
THE United States of America says it is still early to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe and reserve the right to lift those sanctions when they want to do so and when they see progress.
U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, told the
Center for American Progress that the U.S. heeds the call by the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe but,
"We differ on when and how to lift sanctions."
He added: "We reserve the right to lift those sanctions when we want to do so and when we see progress."
South African Broadcasting Corporation's Manalese Tubas asked Ambassador Carson, "You emphasized the issue of mutual respect between the (U.S.) administration and Africans and the fact that you say that Africans must take the lead in resolving their own problems...
The resolution of Sadc in Kinshasa a week ago, where they said that sanctions must be lifted in Zimbabwe as a matter of – (inaudible) – so that the people of Zimbabwe should start to rebuild their country. And it does seem to me that you are not listening to that and are not prepared to respect that resolution. Why?"
The ambassador said the U.S. was concerned that lifting the sanctions would bring economic advantages that would allow the government of President Mugabe to "secure their further control on government".
"And we think it is important not to let the economic advantages that Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti bring to the case to be exploited and used by Robert Mugabe and others to secure their further control on government," said Ambassador Carson.
"We still think insufficient progress has been made, and to remove that pressure may in effect allow for economic gains, but not in effect change the dynamics of the political strangulation that Zanu exercises on political control and power."
Ambassador Carson in his statement referred to "sanctions" as opposed to "restrictive measures", a term favoured by the MDC-T party. He said that "the sanctions that the United States has in place are primarily directed at individuals, some – approximately 220 of them, of the most senior officials in the government, and also at entities that they possess or may own."
Carson said that the U.S. has "an enormous amount of respect for Sadc and what Sadc stands for" and will continue dialogue with the regional grouping.
Earlier this month, the heads of state of the Sadc called for the removal of all international sanctions on Zimbabwe, saying that pogress has been made since the formation of the inclusive Government last February.
The body ignored a call from Zimababwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for a special Sadc summit to discuss terms before lifting the sanctions.
MDC-T leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai accuses President Mugabe of not reversing the appointments of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, although the appointments are not mentioned in the power-sharing agreement and were made six months before the signing of that agreement.
Regional leaders argue that significant progress has been made by the inclusive Government to warrant the lifting of sanctions.
"Considering the positive evolution of the situation, considering the progress that has been made, we believe it is now high time that the santions are lifted," said current Sadc chairman, Congolese President Joseph Kabila.
President Mugabe's press secretary George Charamba said that "by continuing to inflict it [Zimbabwe] with those sanctions that are unjustified and illegal anyway, you are hurting Sadc. Please, do us a favour, remove them."
Labels: JOHNNIE CARSON, JOSEPH KABILA, SANCTIONS, ZDERA
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COMMENT -
Targeted U.S. sanctions include financial and visa restrictions against selected individuals, a ban on transfers of military items and a suspension of non-humanitarian aid. I guess that would distinguish them from the untargeted US sanctions, such as the
Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001, which Hillary Clinton co-sponsored, undoubtedly with the everlasting gratitude of her friend and contributor, Maurice Tempelsman, who holds huge diamond fields in the DRC, which were threatened by Robert Mugabe's support for the 'renegade' (nationalist) government of Laurent Kabila. Kabila was murdered on the same day that Patrice Lumumba was murdered (in which Tempelsman himself was complicit).
Clinton will push South Africa to pressure Mugabe
Written by Reuters
Saturday, August 01, 2009 3:32:49 AM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will press South Africa to use its influence with Zimbabwe's hardline President Robert Mugabe when she is in Pretoria next week, a senior American official said on Thursday.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, said Clinton would urge the regional diplomatic heavyweight to get Mugabe to fully implement a power-sharing deal with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai so that impoverished Zimbabwe could return to democratic rule.
"We will encourage South Africa as a primary (regional) leader ... to press the government of Robert Mugabe to fully implement the global political agreement that he signed," Carson said of Clinton's meetings with the South Africans.
South African President Jacob Zuma has taken a harder line on Zimbabwe than his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki, but the United States would like Zuma to do more to quicken the pace of reform in its neighbor.
Carson met Mugabe earlier this month on the sidelines of an African Unity summit in Libya, an encounter he described as a "little bit difficult." It was the highest level meeting by a U.S. official with Mugabe in many years, said Carson.
"We are trying to encourage reform, progress, commitment to the GPA and improved human rights. We will continue to do so," he said of his meeting with Mugabe.
The United States, troubled by what it sees as an absence of reform in Zimbabwe, has no plans either to offer major aid or to lift sanctions against Mugabe and some of his supporters.
Before any of that can happen, Washington wants more evidence of political, social and economic reforms, said a U.S. official.
Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, is blamed for plunging Zimbabwe into economic ruin. He argues that his country's economic woes, which include hyperinflation and a collapsed infrastructure, are caused by sanctions imposed by the United States and others.
Targeted U.S. sanctions include financial and visa restrictions against selected individuals, a ban on transfers of military items and a suspension of non-humanitarian aid.
Clinton leaves on Monday for a seven-nation trip to Africa. Aside from South Africa she will also visit Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Liberia, Nigeria and Cape Verde. She returns to Washington on August 14.
Labels: HILLARY CLINTON, JOHNNIE CARSON, MUGABE, NEOCOLONIALISM, NEOLIBERALISM
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US diplomat is an idiotic little fellow: president
Nyasha Maunze
Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:35:00 +0000
PRESIDENT Mugabe has described US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson as "an idiotic little fellow" for trying to lecture Zimbabwe on how to conduct affairs of State.
He met him on Thursday on the sidelines of the 13th Ordinary Session of the African Union General Assembly in Sirte, Libya on Thursday. It was the first meeting after many years. Carson served as US ambassador to Zimbabwe from 1995 to 1997.
The President said he had been angered by Carson’s condescending attitude and said he hoped Carson was speaking in his individual capacity and not for US President Barack Obama.
"No, you wouldn’t speak to an idiot of that nature. I was very angry with him, and he thinks he could dictate to us what to do and what not to do in the inclusive Government.
"We have the whole of Sadc working with us, and you have the likes of little fellows like Carson, you see, wanting to say: ‘You do this, you do that.’
"Who is he? "I hope he was not speaking for Obama. I told him he was a shame, a great shame, being an African-American, an Afro-American for that matter."
Carson succeeded Jendayi Frazer of former US President George W. Bush's administration.
President Mugabe previously said Jendayi Frazer had behaved like a prostitute for suggesting that then Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change and its leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won the March 29 elections.
“You saw this little American girl trotting around like a prostitute celebrating that the MDC had won. A disgraceful act,” President Mugabe said at the time.
In the run-up to the 2008 harmonised elections, Carson had issued various statements saying that the United States government supported the (then) opposition MDC-T party and that the US government and its machinery were gearing themselves to see elections in Zimbabwe. -- TZG/Herald
Labels: JOHNNIE CARSON, MUGABE
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