MDC-T rejects sanctions burden

In a move likely to harden Zanu (PF)s stance ahead of delicate negotiations on outstanding power-sharing issues, MDC secretary general Tendai Biti said last week that his partys position was that the so-called sanctions are sanctions imposed and created solely by Zanu (PF).

It is Zanu (PF) which has largely imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe which they now want the MDC to deal with, Biti said.

He said the MDC leadership and ordinary members were united on the issue of what the party says are travel restrictions imposed by the West on Mugabe and about 200 other Zanu (PF) officials in 2002 for the alleged roles in the plunder of the economy and human rights abuses.

Zanu (PF) has repeatedly raised the targeted sanctions issue at every forum called to discuss the countrys decade-long political crisis.

The issue came up at an emergency summit of the security Troika of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) held in Mozambique on October 29 to try and break a power-sharing deadlock between the MDC and Zanu (PF).

MDC leader and Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai had earlier in October announced that his party was suspending cooperation with Zanu (PF) which he accused of being a dishonest partner.

Mugabe, Zimbabwes sole ruler since the countrys independence from Britain in 1980, and Tsvangirai remain deadlocked over key appointments while the MDC also accuses Zanu (PF) of engaging in a campaign to persecute its supporters.

At least 17 MDC legislators have been arrested since the beginning of the year on charges ranging from theft and public violence to rape and playing music that denigrates Mugabe.

The West has insisted on greater progress on political reforms and the implementation of the SADC-sponsored Global Political Agreement (GPA) between Mugabe and Tsvangirai before they can lift the travel restrictions and asset freeze against Zanu (PF) officials.