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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Branson ‘confirms’ Moyo, Gono wanted Mugabe ousted
Posted by By Our reporter at 17 October, at 11 : 06 AM
VIRGIN media mogul, Sir Richard Branson, has confirmed to a UK newspaper that there was a secret plot to oust President Robert Mugabe. The secret plan was unearthed by whistle-blowing website, WikiLeaks, last week.
Sir Richard Branson was one of its ringleaders, according to The Independent newspaper, but the British billionaire has vehemently denied this week’s extraordinary claims that he once offered a £6.5m bribe to persuade the President Robert Mugabe to stand down.
The mogul told The Independent exclusively that in 2007 he orchestrated covert meetings between former information minister, Jonathan Moyo, and several African statesmen, including former South African leader, Nelson Mandela, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
He also made a claim that he held direct discussions with President Mugabe’s ally and Reserve Bank Governor, Dr. Gideon Gono, about removing the veteran leader.
But Sir Richard claimed that the plan, revealed this week by Wikileaks, fell apart when he and his colleagues began to have serious reservations about whether Professor Moyo and his supporters were entirely suitable people to go into the business of nation-building with.
“I was approached by the man who was mentioned in the Wikileaks, Jonathan Moyo, and listened,” he said. “Eventually, we decided not to do anything with him. We just weren’t completely sure that his was the best approach.
“We have subsequently done some things for and in Zimbabwe, on some of the issues that were discussed at those meetings, but we ultimately just felt that working with him wasn’t necessarily the right way forward.”
Sir Richard claimed that he held discussions with Dr. Gono about the possibilities of regime change.
According to Sir Richard, the scheme initially came into being because he had a chance meeting with Dr. Gono at an airport in South Africa early in 2007.
They had a short discussion at which several ideas for President Mugabe’s removal were raised, claims The Independent. Those ideas were later fleshed out via email and then elaborated in several days of face-to-face meetings which Professor Moyo, but not Dr. Gono, attended in Johannesburg in July that year.
Dr. Gono has refused to comment on WikiLeaks claims, and Zanu-PF last week warned against trusting the “opinions of US diplomats” and westerners as they are bent on regime change in Zimbabwe.
“I remember meeting Gideon Gono at an airport,” Sir Richard said. “I can’t remember whether I also met Moyo then. Maybe they were together … We did later meet [Moyo], and we did put him up in Johannesburg for a few days, but we decided not to continue with him.”
Under the plan that Dr Gono and Prof Moyo allegedly helped hatch, President Mugabe was to have been approached by Mandela and a collection of other respected figures from the region. They would have tactfully claimed they wished to protect his legacy, and safeguard Zimbabwe’s future, by organising a peaceful transition of power.
President Mugabe was to be offered immunity from future prosecution, as well as the chance to appoint an interim prime minister. In return, he would co-operate with a truth and reconciliation process modelled on South Africa.
The existence of the scheme was made public this week, when Wikileaks published a series of classified cables written by Eric Bost, the US ambassador to Pretoria. He had got his hands on several emails between Sir Richard and Prof Moyo, and was eager to outline their plan to his superiors in Washington.
Sir Richard refuted a Daily News story published on Sunday, claiming that Sir Richard had been prepared to “offer Mugabe a £6.5m incentive to stand down” as part of the plan.
That element of the story is untrue, Sir Richard told The Independent. “It was never discussed. It would have been cheap at the price, but it just happens not to be true.”
Sir Richard said he was troubled by the revelation that a US diplomat had apparently been able to get hold of sensitive private emails.
“Obviously, they must be listening in, or doing something. I have no idea how they got them. I’ve no idea how it happened,” he said.
His recollection of the affair raises questions about the public statements that Prof Moyo, who is a member of Zanu-PF’s politburo, has made this week.
On Tuesday, for example Prof Moyo told The Independent that his only meeting with Branson had come in a check-in queue at Johannesburg airport in April 2007. “We chatted for about an hour and a half,” Moyo said. “When he learned I was an MP, he was interested in my views. Mr Branson is a good man.”
Sir Richard made these statements from the Reagan Library just outside Los Angeles, where he appeared on Wednesday at a summit of Global Zero, an influential organisation of political, military, business, civic and faith leaders from around the world, who are campaigning for nuclear disarmament.
Branson: A vulture?
Last year, in an opinion piece published by this website, Sir Richard was was said to be seeking to capitalise on Zimbabwe’s recently discovered diamond wealth when he launched a charity, Enterprise Zimbabwe in New York.
Tendai Midzi suggested that the British billionaire, who has a string of investments over the border in South Africa, was attempting to “re-colonise” Zimbabwe and counter the growing influence of China in Africa.
“Zimbabwe is the new battleground for a new Cold War,” he wrote.
His comments came just days after Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC-T Prime Minister had also met with the media mogul.
Sir Richard told philanthropists at the Clinton Global Initiative forum in New York last year that the West was “wrong to wait” for Mr Mugabe’s demise before it re-engaged with Zimbabwe.
“In life, people have got to take risks. If everybody waits on the sidelines it will be the people who suffer,” he said. “The present state of politics in Zimbabwe is by no means perfect…”
Midzi questioned why Sir Richard himself had waited to invest in Zimbabwe, pointing out that he has for years had business interests in neighbouring South Africa – including Virgin Active gyms, Virgin Atlantic flights and a luxury safari lodge.
“No one would argue that had Mr Branson come to our rescue four five, ten years ago, he would have been more honourable and believable. Why now?” he wrote.
“Zimbabweans that remained in the country and busted sanctions from within will not tolerate this backdoor entry by “vultures” disguised as angels.
What has changed? Is it a realisation that there could be huge profits to be made from the vast mineral deposits in the country?
Who’s who: Main players in the alleged plot
Richard Branson The founder of the Virgin Group had the idea with his friend, Peter Gabriel, for a group based on the role of elders in traditional society to resolve disputes. They took the idea to Nelson Mandela, who helped to bring the group of global statesmen together. They include Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Kofi Annan.
Jonathan Moyo He is said to have penned the draft document in which The Elders would tell President Mugabe it was time for him to step aside “graciously and with dignity” to allow the country to move on, according to the leaked cable. He is said to have advised Sir Richard on the people who should be invited to join The Elders.
Gideon Gono The head of Zimbabwe’s central bank. Sir Richard claims the two discussed how to get President Mugabe to leave office.
Eric Bost The former US ambassador to South Africa became an unwitting player in the drama after the dispatch he sent from Pretoria in July 2007 was made public by WikiLeaks. In his note, he says that a contact provided his mission with the emails sent between Prof Moyo and Sir Richard as well as Prof Moyo’s draft plan for the initiative. He was appointed to the post by President George W Bush in 2006 and left the country in January 2009.
The Independent/The Zimbabwe Guardian
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, COUP, GIDEON GONO, NEOCOLONIALISM, RICHARD BRANSON, WIKILEAKS
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Branson denies Mugabe money offer
14/10/2011 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
BRITISH billionaire Sir Richard Branson has denied putting together a US$10 million fund to buy President Robert Mugabe out of power. The Daily News on Sunday claimed the money was part of Branson’s 2007 plan to persuade Mugabe to step down and "safeguard his proud legacy" with the help of Nelson Mandela and other African statesmen.
"It was never discussed,” Branson told Britain’s Independent newspaper on Friday when asked about the financial offer. “
It would have been cheap at the price, but it just happens not to be true.”
Leaked United States embassy cables from Pretoria reveal how Branson made contact with former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, who was to advise Branson’s ‘Elders’ panel on how to approach Mugabe.
Moyo admitted to New Zimbabwe.com on Wednesday that he had a chance meeting with Branson at the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg in April 2007, and the two men had a more than hour-long discussion on the plan to ease Mugabe out of power. Moyo was an independent MP at the time after he was kicked out of Zanu PF.
The Tsholotsho North MP said he later introduced Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono to Branson, although the latter later pulled out of the July 2007 launch of the Elders panel.
Moyo, according to the cable classified by the former US ambassador to South Africa Eric Bost, advised the elders to urge Mugabe to support a new constitution, which would include “watertight” provisions on his immunity from prosecution and allow for a truth and reconciliation process.
He says he was labelled a Mugabe loyalist and had his advice rejected after he proposed that Branson drops Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel, Jimmy Carter and Mary Robinson from the panel and instead engage former African heads of state whom Mugabe respected, including Daniel Arap Moi, Kenneth Kaunda, Joaquim Chissano, Sam Nujoma, Ketumile Masire and Jerry Rawlings.
Branson, however, told the Independent that he did not remember meeting Moyo first and thought the man he met at the airport was Gono.
"I remember meeting Gideon Gono at an airport," Sir Richard said."I can't remember whether I also met Moyo then. Maybe they were together... We did later meet [Moyo], and we did put him up in Johannesburg for a few days, but we decided not to continue with him."
On Friday, Moyo said: “I am pleased that Sir Richard just about confirms everything that I have said about this initiative, except that he can’t remember whether he met me or Gono, or whether the two of us were at the airport.
“I am not sure whether that’s just a memory weakness or a cover-up. But whatever it is, it reminds me of racists in the American south who suffer from the folly that all black people look the same.”
Meanwhile, Sir Richard Branson has expressed alarm that journalist-turned American informer Sydney Masamvu, whose name is listed in dozens of cables with instructions to “strictly protect”, was able to get hold of his emails exchanged with Moyo which were used as the source of Ambassador Bost’s cable.
The Independent said the Virgin boss was “troubled” by the interception of his emails by Masamvu, who has gained access to many government officials in the SADC region while wearing his other hat of researcher and political analyst for US-sponsored NGOs in South Africa.
“Obviously, they must be listening in, or doing something. I have no idea how they got them. I've no idea how it happened," he said.
Labels: BRIBERY, JONATHAN MOYO, NEOCOLONIALISM, RICHARD BRANSON, ROBERT MUGABE
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Crash and burn Sir Richard
By Mduduzi Mathuthu
Business, Politics Last updated on: September 23, 2010
ZIMBABWE’S many problems over the last decade, and the attempts at rebuilding over the last two years, have exposed a dangerous kind of Zimbabwean: the type that prefers Barack Obama’s voice on Zimbabwe than that of Morgan Tsvangirai. They pride themselves on British Airways and would celebrate Air Zimbabwe’s demise. They are ashamed of displaying the Zimbabwe flag even in their garage. This group hate themselves, their identity.
This crowd would never see progress even if it hit them in the face. They want Zimbabwe to be in a permanent state of turmoil, and woe betide anyone who tries to help, or dares suggest that “things have improved”. How can there be progress, they ask, when Robert Mugabe is still in power?
They celebrate when England say they will not send their cricket team to Zimbabwe because of “security concerns” and the “slow pace of political reforms”, but fail to see the duplicity of this stance when Britain says it wants to deport asylum seekers back to Harare in the same week.
They cheer when Zimbabwe is prevented from selling its diamonds in Europe and America – income which would help improve school infrastructure, buy medicines, pay decent wages to our long suffering public servants, improve our power generation capacity and allow the country to upgrade its roads.
There are two types in this class: an ignorant, intellectually-challenged group which glorifies foreign opinion more than that of their mothers in Muzarabani and Mawabeni; and a deceptive class of propaganda merchants in whose ranks you find sponsored career “human rights activists”, the seminar types, the ‘Rhodesia Was Super’ group, disaffected white commercial farmers and western diplomats whose idea of progress is Mugabe’s exit and none other.
So you can imagine then the alarm that greeted this group when the clear-thinking British billionaire, Sir Richard Branson, urged investment in Zimbabwe. How dare he? They chocked on their cornflakes.
Can’t he see Jenni Williams and her paid career demonstrators are not allowed to do as they please – disturbing afternoon shoppers and disrupting traffic? Can’t he see the evil Robert Mugabe is still in power?
To this group, the fates of Robert Mugabe and Zimbabwe are indelibly linked. Raise the Zimbabwe flag, they see Robert Mugabe. Air Zimbabwe cannot buy planes from Boeing, yes, you guessed it, because of Mugabe. It gets really sad: our cricket team should be banned – because of Mugabe.
Back to Branson. The Virgin boss described Zimbabwe as “a magnificent country that has had a really rough few years”, adding: “Either the world can continue to wait and see and not invest … or the world can help (Prime Minister) Morgan Tsvangirai and the coalition government get Zimbabwe back on its feet.”
You would think that all Zimbabweans and all well-meaning people interested in Zimbabwe – in either our history or our future – would welcome this. But no! Incredibly dirty tricks are being deployed to convince Branson to change his mind.
On Thursday, I woke up to read in The Daily Telegraph newspaper that “Sir Richard Branson has come under attack from Robert Mugabe’s regime as a ‘vulture disguised as an angel’ for launching a charity aimed at helping businesses invest in Zimbabwe.”
“Mr Mugabe’s Zanu PF party has suggested that Sir Richard was seeking to capitalise on Zimbabwe’s recently discovered diamond wealth when he launched Enterprise Zimbabwe in New York this week,” the story says in its opening salvo.
I was quite keen to see who was this ungrateful spokesman for the “Mugabe regime”, and four paragraphs later, we are told that the comments were made by one Tendai Midzi, “reportedly the son of Amos Midzi, the Zanu PF chairman in Harare province”. Midzi, we are told, was writing a column in the “Zanu PF-supporting Zimbabwe Guardian website”.
Across the pond in the United States, Andrew Meldrum – the UK Guardian’s former Zimbabwe correspondent now working for the Global Post news website – continues the deception. Under a piece headlined Robert Mugabe versus Richard Branson, he fumbles: “Branson’s appeal to help Zimbabwe was excoriated as an attempt at ‘backdoor entry by vultures disguised as angels,’ wrote Tendai Midzi, whose father is Zanu PF chairman … Take that, Sir Richard.”
You can read the game, can’t you? Assuming that Tendai Midzi is Amos Midzi’s son, just how does his opinion published on a little-known website represent the views of the “Mugabe regime?” Conversely, can we say that an opinion written by the son of the Labour Party’s chairman for Northampton represents the views of the “Labour regime?”
It’s crude and shameless propaganda. Vile even! Its purpose is to scare away anyone who wants to help Zimbabwe, and to achieve that goal, obscure individuals with the flimsiest whiff of associations with Zanu PF can be wheeled out and passed as spokesmen for “the Mugabe regime”.
It’s a crooked scheme, a scheme founded on a shocking stance announced by Eddie Cross – himself the chief representative of the “no progress with Mugabe in power” lobby, the vested interests group whose idea of a New Zimbabwe is acutely different from yours and mine.
Cross said in January 2009: “What the people at the bus stop are saying is ‘we will not get on the bus until we are satisfied that the driver is our man and not Mugabe’. And that is not negotiable. If Mugabe is anywhere near the wheel, we would rather let the bus crash and burn.”
Take that, Sir Richard!
Labels: INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, NEOLIBERALISM, PROPAGANDA, RICHARD BRANSON
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Virgin in Zimbabwe: beware vultures disguised as angels
By: Tendai Midzi
Posted: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 10:24 am
A VERY very interesting article on the Reuters website in which Virgin boss and billionaire Richard Branson urged 'people' to invest in Zimbabwe, saying the world was wrong to wait instead of helping the country to develop.
This was a very interesting statement coming after The Economist's revelation that Zimbabwe could stage an economic recovery within two years and a best case scenario could see it "back as one of the most successful countries in Africa" within 10 years.
The statement also comes after Tendai Biti's very Right Wing and intellectually flawed argument about the national bourgeoisie in Zimbabwe.
A close look at this media hyping up of Zimbabwe, without a corresponding high level of engagement with the country, shows that Zimbabwe is under attack more than it was under the first wave of colonialism. It is the new battleground for a new "Cold War".
Branson's entry into the fray is predicated at having access to the huge Africa (Zimbabwean) resource. It is also about countering the power of China.
The new initiative was hatched by a Virgin 'philanthropic group', Virgin Unite, and the Nduna Foundation. Virgin Unite brought together a group of partners to create the Zimbabwe Trust "to facilitate investments in small and medium sized enterprises".
Who is Isabella Matambanadzo? She has worked for the Soros Foundation’s Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, and was Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Radio Voice of the People (RadioVOP Zimbabwe). One should read what VOP broadcasts on Zimbabwe to have a clue of what exactly is going on here.
RadioVOP has been there for as long as the sanctions against Zimbabwe have been there. They recently celebrated their ten year anniversary. Their links with the BBC, Reuters in aiding the onslaught on Zimbabwe and Zanu-PF leaves a lot to be desired.
The Nduna Foundation was founded by Amy Robbins – a corporate banker and founder and former Chief Operating Officer of the multi-strategy NY-based hedge fund, Glenview Capital.
The two, Mr Branson and Ms Robbins are financial backers of the so-called "The Elders" who last year wanted to come into Zimbabwe and "assess the impact of the cholera crisis in Zimbabwe", but were denied visas.
The Elders include former Irish President Mary Robinson, Mr Richard Branson, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former US president Jimmy Carter, Cde Samora Machel's ex-wife Graca Machel, retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former South African president Nelson Mandela, etc and Mr Branson.
Bishop Tutu has advocated military action to topple President Mugabe and is connected with many other "charities" that purport to help Zimbabwe.
These people are relentless in their desire to "support" Zimbabwe; and one wonders why. They don't make as much noise about the illegal sanctions imposed on the country. Their desire to help from within the country is a cause of concern. They could do more from their own countries–firstly by urging their governments not to interfere in the internal affairs of Zimbabwe.
Mr Branson's philanthropy comes a little too late. It comes as Eastern countries have shown an unrelenting desire to work with Zimbabwe.
The country has been under illegal sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom, United States and their allies for the past ten years and Mr Branson has been investing next door in South Africa and elsewhere watching the country deteriorate. When he established a school of entrepreneurship for young people in Johannesburg did he think about the dying people next door?
When we were mocked by the international community for having the highest inflation and our people died of curable diseases like cholera he was there; with all his capital investing in safari-related businesses and air transport just next door.
Such statements should be taken with a pinch of salt. Zimbabwe does not need investments disguised as "philanthropic work" now. We reached rock bottom by ourselves and our people worked hard to lift themselves out of poverty; and are still doing so, despite the inhumane onslaught on the country.
The international community has now realised that this jewel we call Zimbabwe, having discovered the largest deposit of diamonds, is now able to lift itself out of the poverty that the West helped create in the first place.
No one would argue that had Mr Branson come to our rescue four five, ten years ago, he would have been more honourable and believable. Why now?
When Tony Blair and Gordon Brown went to the United Nations Security Council to convince them to impose sanctions on a tiny landlocked country Mr Branson and Ms Robbins and The Elders should have used their influence to bring them to the negotiating table. South Africa, China and Zimbabwe's other friends (countries and individuals) did.
Zimbabwe is inevitably on the recovery path and international capital is now coming disguised as philanthropy. South Africa today has useless mobile phone projects and leadership academies when its people are living in poverty.
They can bring as many textbooks as they want to hoodwink the people of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe needs the lifting of sanctions. It will create or buy its own textbooks. Zimbabweans are educated and are conscious of they own struggle. The leadership in the country will never allow this backdoor entry by international hedge funds, international capital and Western foreign policy agents into Zimbabwe.
Reuters reports that: "The founding of Virgin Unite, the philanthropic arm of Branson's Virgin Group, has helped create Enterprise Zimbabwe, a nonprofit group connecting philanthropists and commercial investors with business and social development opportunities."
This is interesting because it comes at a time when Zimbabwe least needs philanthropy; and the leadership of the country is not involved; at least the Zanu-PF side of the leadership.
The renewed interest in Zimbabwe, just prior to the elections next year should be read in its right historical context. This happened again in 2007. Many governments, media and companies voiced their opinions about Zimbabwe, how it could recover only if the Zanu-PF government was to relinquish power.
Desmond Tutu (an 'Elder') and Archbishop of York John Sentamu voiced their opinions on behalf of the West Archbishop Sentamu even went on to cut his dog collar in protest against the leadership of President Mugabe.
Mr Branson in June last year met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and details of their meeting were never made public. If he got some business concessions from that meeting we hope that they are in the best interests of the people of Zimbabwe; not in the form of the Rudd Concession.
The New York Times was right in its editorial when it said: "Zimbabwe is considered to be one of the most difficult nations in Africa to help." that is true. Zimbabwe does not need help. It has resources. It needs to be engaged in the international community like any other country. This should be done by the lifting of illegal sanctions.
It doesn't need the Clinton Global Initiative, without the lifting of sanctions.
Zimbabweans that remained in the country and busted sanctions from within will not tolerate this backdoor entry by "vultures" disguised as angels. What has changed? Is it Chiadzwa diamonds, or a realisation that there could be huge profits to be made from the vast mineral deposits in the country?
Is it lack of comparable viable investments elsewhere with a return like that of Zimbabwe?
Is Mr Banson sincere in saying: "Zimbabwe is a magnificent country that has had a really rough few years and either the world can continue to wait and see and not invest."
Mr Branson goes on: "The idea of Enterprise Zimbabwe is to have a sort of safe haven for people to invest through." He should know that there are mechanisms in Zimbabwe for investment already. Why does his group not use those mechanisms? We have government departments in the country that he can utilise for that purpose. Why another charity?
The NY Times reports: "Enterprise Zimbabwe has attracted the money that has helped those things happen and now wants to attract more. Established quietly a year ago, it will have its official debut on Tuesday before one of the biggest gatherings of billionaires and other wealthy people dedicated to making social change, the Clinton Global Initiative."
Why are they launching this organisation elsewhere and not in Zimbabwe and not engaging authorities in the country?
Why do 'donors' think Zimbabwe needs urgent help when their countries do not think so? Are these real donors or simply investors? Who is Isabella Matambanadzo?
Mr Branson says "the world can help Morgan Tsvangirai and the coalition government get Zimbabwe back on its feet". Why Tsvangirai when he is not Head of State and Government? Why not President Mugabe? This is the contempt with which they treat oiur leadership and that contempt will be reciprocated.
Mr Branson wants to create a "safe investment haven". Yes, safe for himself and his backdoor Zimbabweans. Where were they all this time? Zimbabweans are building diamond centres and creating institutions that will threaten global businesses like Virgin.
Our friends in China, India, China, Venezuela, etc – all weather friends – did not wait. Who is Mr Branson referring to as "the world community" or is it a sudden realisation that the West has been left behind in the rush for Zimbabwe?
These people should read President Mugabe's words loud and clear: "Zimbabwe will never be a colony again".
Thanks Mr Branson, Mr Soros, but no thanks. Our Chiyangwas and other vibrant businesspeople in Zimbabwe and our friends elsewhere will do it for us.
Labels: NEOCOLONIALISM, NEOLIBERALISM, RICHARD BRANSON, TENDAI BITI
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