EUROPEAN UNION sanctions on president Robert Mugabe and certain members of his ruling elite are to remain in force until 2013 and as and when change arises in Zimbabwe, it has emerged.
Shortly following a keynote address by National Constitutional Assembly Lovemore Madhuku in Brussels on Tuesday, it was called upon that sanctions should remain in force for the near future.
European Union MEP, Geoffrey Van Orden who is banned from entering Zimbabwe said that sanctions should remain in place:
“The situation in Zimbabwe continues to be of concern, and we have seen a recent upsurge in violence against those that oppose Mugabe. However, Zimbabwe’s neighbours, and South Africa in particular, have at last begun to demand concrete action.
“We have always advocated an African solution to the ongoing problems in Zimbabwe, and are encouraged that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been increasingly helpful.
“Elections are not a single event but a lengthy process. They have to take place before April 2013. A road map to elections needs to be set out, and vital to this is a new Constitution. SADC, the Commonwealth and the wider international community should now do all that they can to support improved electoral arrangements, including voter registration and electoral education. There must also be complete freedom of the media and an end to all politically-motivated violence.
“The EU’s “restrictive measures” which target Mugabe and his inner circle must remain in place until there is real evidence of change. These measures do not harm the Zimbabwean people, and are aimed exclusively at the clique which keeps Mugabe in power,” he was quoted saying Thursday.
Geoffrey Van Orden MEP is the Conservative Defence and Security Spokesman. Over many years he has initiated the European Parliament’s tough resolutions on Zimbabwe. He has been personally banned by Mugabe from entering Zimbabwe.
Leading Zimbabwean activists Lovemore Madhuku (Chairman, National Constitutional Assembly) and Munjodzi Mutandiri (SA Co-ordinator, National Constitutional Assembly) addressed MEPs, NGOs and EU diplomats in the European Parliament on 6 December.
The discussion focused on the ongoing Constitutional drafting process and the need for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.
17 Replies to “Sanctions to remain until 2013”
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ZMDC and MMCZ are also under sanctions. These are the lifelines of Zimbabwe’s economy. Its however a waste of time to renew them – the worst is over now. MaBrishit ndiwo achedemba.
Dondo. You’re the idiot! I’m sick and tired of you MDC filth and your stupid “Rhodesia was better” propaganda. You know nothing!
Ian Smith’s Rhodesia wouldn’t have survived had the United States of America and United Kingdom stopped buying Rhodesian chrome and other minerals. The US and UK openly flouted the sanctions. Their goods ALWAYS made it into the Rhodesian market via South Africa. Actually, US and UK investment TREBLED during that time!! Companies like Lonrho were at the forefront of cushioning the effects of the “sanctions”. Prove me wrong please. Most of the western nations never stopped supplying Rhodesia with military equipment..for example, Germany continued to supply the Rhodesian army with Mercedes Puma army trucks.
America and UK only stopped supporting Rhodesia after serious pressure from the African Frontline States.Their (US & UK) investments and access to cheap minerals throughout Africa were at risk so Rhodesia was ‘sacrificed’.
Do YOU know what ZIDERA is all about? Have you read the whole evil thing? In that bill you’ll see for your idiotic self that Zimbabwe was placed under tight financial sanctions. Go and read the bit that talks about Multilateral Finance. Idiot!
Foreign companies were ordered to scale back operations or completely pull out of Zimbabwe. American & British investors were barred from investing in Zimbabwe by their governments. Companies -like ZISCO for example- that contributed a lot to our GDP were placed under sanctions. ZISCO is to Zimbabwe what BP is to Britain:f**king important! Even Grain Marketing Board was placed under sanctions!! Who needs GMB more, us or Mugabe? British American Tobacco -Zimbabwe’s largest tobacco buyer at the time- scaled back operations to a halt and did nothing to support the new black farmers. Technology stopped coming in from the west. Technology companies like Microsoft were barred from providing our educational institutions with latest technology and software. Have you tried to access paypal from Zimbabwe? To make matters worse, Morgan then chased away the few foreign companies that remained operative through the Name And Shame Campaign. He also promised to “review contracts of foreign companies who continue to deal with Mugabe once the MDC comes to power”. He also said “the MDC will call for an international product boycott of companies who dealt with the Zimbabwean government”.
Here in England, calling Zimbabwe was a nightmare! Total nightmare. Our communications satelite was sabotaged. On some occassions, one would hear people having sex on the other end of the line or you’d be re-routed to a west african nation. God is my witness on this!!!
Our banking system was and still is linked to the west so it’s very easy for the west to freeze any money.
In short,
The sanctions in Zimbabwe have never and will NEVER affect Mugabe! You Dondo have failed to convince or show us how exactly they affect Mugabe. Mugabe still flies to Europe, his motorcade never runs out of petrol, he will always have food AND if he truly wants to go shopping, he can invite any top clothes designer from Europe to BRING TO ZIMBABWE their best and latest designs..
@Canap – you brain dead idiot if the targeted sanctions were not hurting these ZAnuPF savages why do they keep moaning about sanctions all the time. From 1966 up to 1980 the UN imposed trade sanctions against Ian Smith’s regime – Ian Smith knew why the sanctions had been imposed and never complained – he just carried on to govern the country and try somehow to work his way around the sanctions. At no point did we approach the UN to have these sanctions lifted. This should be the case this time. Sanctions are normally imposed on rogue states like Rhodesia and Zimbabwe. These sanctions should be widened and tightened – you idiot you are trying to use our suffering as human shields that the sanctions are hurting us the ordinary folk which is nonsense – we can survive as we did during Rhodesia until this criminal ZanuPFparty of savages changes.
Can those who support these sanctions tell us exactly how they are affecting The President of Zimbabwe and The Commander In Chief Of The Zimbabwe Armed Forces His Excellency Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe. The head of the state still has access to food, money, petrol and all the trappings that come with being a great leader. How exactly have these sanctions affected the man???
These sanctions are targeted at YOU and me. Their main aim is to undermine His Excellency’s rule, destabilize the Zimbabwean economy and bring mass suffering to YOU. They were designed to make you turn against the head of state,His Excellency Mugabe.
It’s YOU who suffers.
It’s YOU who drinks unpurified water.
It’s YOUR children that suffer.
So, support the sanctions at your own peril but always remember that Mugabe will be the last person to feel the effects of these sanctions..
All targeted sanctions must stay !
In fact, the lists need to have many more Zanu pf looters and criminals added.
SANCTIONS SHOULD SUBSIST UNTIL WE ARE RID OF THESE ZANUPF SAVAGES WHO ARE CAUSING MAYHEM UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY.
YOUR STUPID SANCTIONS ONLY MAKE US STRONGER…SILLY DEVILS!!!!
masactions veduwe saka tichatofira mhiri kuno pliz hatichadi kuve maforeighn gadzirisai zvinhu
Maduku, what do you want? What is the purpose of your organisation? money.
Mutororo don’t you see that you are being taken for a ride? The E.U does not really care much. Those sanctions are made terribly fixing Zanupf only because Zanupf themselves want to gain some valueless glory. Mugabe goes whereever and whenever he wants to go. As Menzi says these countries were represented at Zanupf’s conference by their highest offices in Zimbabwe. Do you really think that these sanctions are anything? Mind you this was just a party function. You MDC-T guys should be getting worried about the open support for Zanupf from the ANC who are supposed to be neutral but they have openly said they will help Zanupf to beat you in the next election. Come on think. I wont be surprised if you go down history like Jonas Savimbi, be careful.
Hekanhuwaro tsvatu zvichakaura zvivanhu zveZanu PF. Sanctions furu time kusvikira zvavakuremekedza zvido zvavavhu kuti Robert Mugage imhondi ngaabve hatichamuda.
Tinovimba USA ne administration yevanoremekedzwa President Obama ichatevedzerawo EU nekuwedzera ma sanctions.
Mbiri neruremekedzo ngazvive kuna President Bush vakatanga basa iri rekukaurisa Robert Mugabe nevadzvinyiriri vese veZanu PF.
For the likes of Madhuku as long as this situation continues they will be richer and richer. It has nothing to do with Zimbabweans or Zimbabwe as a country. Its just thier pockets. We need to push for elections come yellow or dark. The longer we wait, its more destruction to Zimbabwe as a whole. Zanupf should not even bother talking about sanctions. Those countries are represented here and their ambassadors attended the Zanupf Conference. I dont remember them attending the MDC-T congress. I only know that after the MDC-T congress Rhodesians met on their own at the Bulawayo club to discuss the congress and map out their strategies within the MDC-T.
Vana MAdhuku kunzvaga mari ye Xmas nekutengesa nyika muchanyara.With or without sanctions we are not going back ivhu kuvatema,maindasitiri kuvatema,madiamonds nezvicherwa zvese kuvatema.Check our record,Zanu(PF) is a people’s party yet these sellouts are a party for women.Viva ZANU(PF).
m..bu..tu, dzevanhu,
And yet the Ambassadors from European countries such as France attended the Zanupf Conference in Bulawayo. What a double-faced approach to Zimbabwe`s situation! Sanctions to the Zanupf leadership but dining and wining with them the next day at their party conference. What are they talking about as they feast, drink and even make love together with the Zanupf leadership? And this rubbish thing called the Commonwealth what is its relevance to Zimbabwe? Farms I suppose. I hate these Europeans for supporting dictators when it suits them and then brutalize them later. I do not know when our African leaders will learn this truth.
Comrade, It clearly shows that your brains are naked as you call yourself.Sanctions can stay.
Put more sanctions until these shona savages stop their racism,tribalism n corruption