Offer generals amnesty: MDC told

The influential ICG said Zimbabweans were likely to back a soft-landing plan for the generals that would allow the country to move forward with plans to rebuild the economy, create jobs and improve living conditions. ICG deputy president Donald Steinberg said one of the possible ways of ensuring movement on sticking Global Political Agreement (GPA) issues

and guaranteeing long-term survival of the shaky Harare coalition would be to pardon army generals accused of committing crimes against the people of Zimbabwe and plundering the countrys resources.

Most of these generals are behind the violence taking place on the few remaining white-owned farms as well as flagrant abuse of human rights that have continued to affect Zimbabweans since last Februarys formation of the unity government by President Robert Mugabe and Tsvangirai. Many Zimbabweans believe it is necessary to achieve their retirement, even at the cost of a soft landing allowing them to keep their assets and gain domestic immunity from possible prosecution, Steinberg told the International Development Committee (IDC) of the United Kingdoms House of Commons last week.

He also proposed an improvement in the living conditions and salaries of the rank and file army officers as well as implementation of wide-ranging security sector reforms to ensure an apolitical military and police force which respect human rights. Steinbergs proposal was immediately shot down by the MDC-T, with a senior official telling The Zimbabwean On Sunday last week that the party could not unilaterally make the decision on whether to pardon the army generals.

Obviously such a decision would have to come from the people of Zimbabwe who have been affected by the actions of the army generals and other Zanu (PF) functionaries. Such forgiveness can also only come after the perpetrators themselves show remorse for their actions and come clean on their misdeeds, said the senior MDC-T official who spoke on condition he was not named.

Steinberg said travel restrictions and an asset freeze on Zanu (PF) officials should remain in place but called on the West to consider partial relaxation of targeted sanctions imposed on entities crucial for Zimbabwes economic reconstruction efforts. The ICG deputy president said the international community should not give in to pressure from Zanu (PF) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to ease travel bans and an asset freeze slapped on Mugabe and over 200 of his lieutenants since 2002.

He said the West must stand firmly against those thwarting democratic transformation in Zimbabwe where hardline Zanu (PF) and military elements are leading a campaign to derail progress in the implementation of the GPA that led to the formation of the countrys year-long coalition government.

Tough targeted sanctions against such individuals and the companies they control should remain in place to secure the commitment of the recalcitrant parties to their commitments under the GPA, Steinberg said.

But Steinberg said the international community must recognize and encourage changes now occurring since the advent of the coalition government. One tangible step would be to consider lifting sanctions of certain entities, such as the Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe, that help revitalize key sectors of the economy without overly benefitting the intransigent parties, he observed.

He said targeted reconstruction and development assistance which must be channelled through transparent, credible and accountable mechanisms and institutions was essential at this juncture to support ongoing efforts to rebuild Zimbabwe. One of the existing mechanisms for financing the reconstruction exercise was the Multi-Donor Trust Fund.

The outside world should provide new recovery and development assistance only through clean and official mechanisms, and new engagement from the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank, said Steinberg. The ICG official said international donors should also assist the revival of education, agriculture, water, health and sanitation, including support for the Government Works Programme.

Donors should also help empower a functioning civil service and legislature, and help reform politicized government institutions, including the judiciary. Civil society must be strengthened, given that groups of women, academics, journalists, lawyers, farmers, and others were fractured and polarized in recent years by Mugabe’s tactics, he said.

Steinbergs comments came as the powerful Zanu (PF) politburo last Wednesday ruled out making further concessions in power-sharing talks with the MDC-T until Western nations lifted sanctions against the partys top leaders.1