President Zuma’s foreign policy advisor Lindiwe Zulu says the restrictive measures are not working. It was the same line taken by the South African former judge, Navi Pillay, the UN Human Rights Commissioner after her visit to Zimbabwe last month.
The rationale for their call is obscure. Yes the sanctions are not working because they are not ending human rights abuses for which they were imposed. But do they think that if the sanctions are lifted Zanu (PF) will suddenly be willing to implement the GPA?
We do not believe this is the case and neither apparently does the MDC’s Treasurer-General Roy Bennett who spoke in an interview on SW Radio Africa. Roy was asked whether he thought Zanu (PF) would honour the GPA. He said Zanu (PF) was divided, but those in control were not going to walk away from the immense riches in their hands.
As to the riches he is talking about, informed sources speak of billions of dollars a year in unaccounted revenue from diamonds and gold.
What we want to hear from the South Africans is not Mugabe propaganda but how exactly they propose to deal with the threatening situation in Zimbabwe, chillingly recounted in Cathy Buckle’s latest letter.
For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
FOR THE RECORD: 76 signed the register.
Post published in: World News