Nyaradzo Mashayamombe
The so called ‘illegal sanctions’ imposed on Zimbabwe targeting a few individual and a few companies, as well as ZEDERA are not even affecting those people and the few corporates, but are piling more misery on the ordinary citizens especially women, youths and children at large.
While the relationship between the sanction and corruption in Zimbabwe is that of the chicken and egg, there are few pointers that need to be clarified and included by those participating in this debate of sanctions as well as corruption and abuse of human rights in Zimababwe.
The sanctions that thew West and Europe have imposed on Zimbabwe are largely defended as a way of forcing the Zimbabwe government to respect human rights, curb corruption and come up with legal reforms including those that makes elections free and fair.
It is not a secret that this current government has been troubled with the record of human rights abuses such as killing of citizens in broad day light. It has had the reputation of shrining the civic space where human rights activists and civil society is said to have been attacked ad forced to not operate in certain areas and at certain times.
The West could be justified to impose some restrictions on this government to work on some reforms and to make sure that citizens have freedoms as provided for in the constitution and by the many international treaties and conventions that the Zimbabwean government is party to.
What remains also as stubborn facts is that the most affected by the outcomes of these sanctions are the ordinary Zimbabwean citizens whom those imposing sanctions on the government and other officials seek to protect. Zimbabwe is currently not in the common wealth, there are many opportunities that are being missed due to this fact by the ordinary citizens and those inddenend business people.
The ease of doing business is next to non for any young or ordinary Zimbabwean seeking to do business with the west because there are restrictions these sanctions are posing to this effect. Many American Financial Institutions cannot do business with the ordinary citizens who are not even on the sanctions list.
There has always been the divisive approach to the understanding of these sanctions even by the embassies which represent participating nations in this regard. There is always a push that the sanctions are only targeted yet this is not entirely true. Zimbabwe has two sets of sanctions, those that are targeted at individuals and then the those economic sanctions and particularly ZEDERA.
What these sanctions have done is contrite to the stripping of human dignity, enjoyment of basic rights by women, children, the youths and every ordinary Zimbabwean, while the leaders are able to charter flights to seek health facilities among other needs they easily access. At the end of the day, what those imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe need to reflect on is whether they really care about the Zimbabwean people who are the most suffering, then engage differently with the government of Zimbabwe in making sure that it respects the rule of law and addressing other issues of concern.
While the current govenment has committed atrocities that must be owned up and perpetrators punished for such as killings of August 1 2018, it is also a heavy burden to inherit the sins of a different administration.
There is an increasing call for the West and Europe to remove the sanctions on the Administration of Mnangagwa since this is a new administration, to allow it to start on a clean slat and to make sure they measure its own performance without the prejudice of the sins of the previous.
While it is valid to mention the killings, the internet shut down amongst other atrocities this government has committed, this does not warrant an inheritance of an entire regime of sanctions, but rather deserves to be held accountable in a manner that is supportive to move forward and ensure better structures and systems of governance and democracy in Zimbabwe.
What needs to be emphasised here is the biggest losers and sufferers are women, youths and children. Men can easily pack their bags and cross the border, and while across border they can easily put their backs on their families, however women continue being impoverished because of this ailing and failing economy.
One political activist, Linda Masarira-Kaingidza has been on constant record calling sanctions warfare against Zimbabweans and perpetually explains how these affect the ordinary citizens. Masarira said, “We need get united as a nation which understands that we need each other to progress. We can’t fix Zimbabwe’s problems if we are divided.”
Instead of applying blanket regime of sanctions on the country, what will help the ordinary Zimbabwean women, child, elderly who is suffering right now is for those how impose sanctions to have an engagement with the new Zimbabwean Government on a fresh slat. The current regimes of sanctions must be suspended, and the Zimbabwean Government must be engaged and together with those who imposed sanctions, must work a clear plan with deliverables that address all the concerns that all sanctions raise. Realistic time lines for each issue must be set and issues periodically reviewed, and that would be a fair engagement, rather than having to start from the gravesite.
While there is now the Anti-Sanction Day by Southern Africa Development Committee Countries’ heads of states, the government of Zimbabwe must clearly want to reform and commit to ending corruption which is as bad as sanctions, should respect human rights and commit to democracy. The Zimbabwean people must all have a national value especially against sanctions and realise that for those who call on sanctions, Zimbabweans are all affected.
Rather, citizens must call for both the government to perform on the above issues, while refusing sanctions. There must be better way of forcing this government to perform than continuously killing its own people through suffering and exclusion from the platforms such as the common wealth and global ease of doing business due to sanctions.
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