EU not ready to lift Zimbabwe sanctions

this is the right decision. besides, if bob hates the west so much then he should not want to spend his money with western companies, right?

oh, wait, he prefers western than african or eastern companies. bob is so full of kak.

The Tory government-in-hoping in England; Y'know, smarmy Cameron the nazi hugger and his Bullingdon club chum, Osborne the 'aye-aye sir' Rothschild lackey, yes, that scurrilous crew of classist, profiteer, land-grabbing, sons of slavers and imperialists, never implemented sanctions. Cameron felt he should leave it up to the individual consciences of these thugs in Saville Row suits ( they're all made in sweat shops in China now), forgetting of course that they haven't any consciences. A buck's a buck. That's about it. That realization was seen to as part of their Etonian and Oxbridge 'education'.

Of course they'll just say it's their duty as Europhobes to defy the continentals, from whom their landed-gentry papas derive generous farm subsidies meant to support poorer farmers.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/blood-money-the-mps-cashing-in-on-zimbabwes-misery-856583.html

This is the best decision for the moment. The sub-regional leadership HAS to get its home in order and follow through on holding leaders to the "good governance" they keep ramming into our ears in their speeches.

The Chinese are too sarvvy to invest in Zimbabwe on a large scale beacuse they have been warned and know it that when there is a change, and it will happen no matter how long it takes, Zimbabweans will not be held to ransom by agreements with a discredited administration which would be taking the funds to line their pockets. For those who are questioning why not go to China, it is because the Chinese are astute business people and are not willing to make that level of committment because they know the sentiment on the ground.

So that leaves Mugabe between a rock and a hard palce, The West that he hates so much but who would have been helpful as they were in the past and the Chiness, who do not care much but to have their business interests solidly guaranteed, something that cannot happen in Zimbabwe under Mugabe.

As for the suffering Zimbabweans, they would still suffer anyway because that money which has been coming in ever since the chaos started has largely benefitted a small section, ZANU PF and its supporters. Those who are marginalized have survived without this and will continue to do so. But you cannot feed the rot by arguing that the "people will suffer" because that is a falacy in Zimbabwe that ZANU PF cares about the people. thay care more for their political careers and positions that allow them to plunder the resources that are there with impunity while they externalise funds, go shopping in foreign countries, seek treatment in foreign countries and send their children to foreign educational institutions.

Let's get it straight and I really hope the press would stop reporting it as fact: Zimbabwe as a country or nation has never been subject to any sanctions. The only restrictions in place have been against those looting the place dry.
"Both the EU and the United States maintain a travel ban and asset freeze on President Robert Mugabe, his wife and inner circle in protest at controversial elections and alleged human rights abuses."
These are not sanctions in the way I understand them.

wow the civilised world punishing the zimbabweans because they are led by people they didnt choose, wow so much for sanity

Dear Terry E.

The EU consists of 27 independent states and there are more Garmans, French, and possibly Italians than UK citizens. It also includes some of the old Warsaw Pact Countries in it. (Those who supported the ANC with money guns and training.)

What exactly does the UK Conservative party have to do with its decisions? Or are you ignorant that they are only a part of a bloc that is actually currently run by the Polish?:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/5833304/Cameron-humbled-as-Tories-lose-leadership-of-new-Euro-Parliament-bloc.html

Eton and Harrow have less effect on Europe than Lech Walensa, the old Polish Steel Ship Worker who former Solidarity and was Prime Minister of Poland after the Iron Curtain came down.

Welcome to Europe. Something that Africans have some difficulty with, since it doesn't seem to occur to them that they can suffer from racist, ignorant stereotypes based apon a false understanding of reality.

The so called sanctions were not put in place so that the MDC and Morgan Tsvangirayi can play second fiddle to the ruthless gangs of Uncle Bob and the Crocodile Crew. The SADC should be applauded however in a small way for attempting to solve the Zimbabwean crisis. However, a more pragmatic approach would be to call on their brother and comrade-in-arms Bob to honour the agreement to the full first and before approaching the so-called western powers. By his own admition we dont need the West, so why is there so much noise on the invisible sanctions. What is at stake if China and Malaysia and others can still support Bob and Zanu PF? Why should the SADC leadership be sucked in this unschooled line of thinking for the lifting of sanctions when they can not tell their own brother to honour the agreement they helped broker and are collectively garantors?

SADC wake up please, the fact that you are at the tip end of Africa doesnt necessarilly translate to mean your thinking is so diminished, hey comrades - time is running out. If Uncle Bob retires to the next world with the hynenas and charlattans around him still pretending and hopping around, there is gonna be bloodshed and more mayhem. God forbids that will not happen, [my prayer].

Morgan blundered by being forced to sign a one sided document, brokered by the enemy's best mates. All things however work for the good, its not all lost Morgan, just remain with the people untill Mugabe lifts the sanctions on the people of Zimbabwe!SADC help free the people of Zimbabwe from a ruthless regime being run by Uncle Bob's military junta in Harare.

Dear Alisdair,
Wherever Britain goes, there too goes greed, corruption and exploitation, not least of all in Britain itself. This is because the ruling class in Britain are only out for themselves and continue a long tradition of plunder that has never let up. They need to be curtailed in their dealings in Africa. Wherever trouble is found the Brits will be close by. South Africa has had much of its wealth stolen by these leaches when they implemented apartheid in order to have cheap labour for the mines they stole by ruthless force. They reduced the Zulu royalty's Usuthu tribal authority area to a fraction of what it was , which has led to severe environmental damage as people displaced by black spot removals were forced to flee to the king for protection from starvation. They have controlled much of the natural and mineral resources of Africa since they first heard of them and have sowed division in order to weaken indigenous control at every turn, and then they complain that's old news. Conveniently out of date. So is their queen and their landed aristocracy and gentry, who have never relinquished control over the vast majority of the land of Britain, which land they took by theft and plunderous land grabs. But THAT old news suits them fine. They are even know buying blood minerals from Congo and are happy to take non-certified forest products while they tell everyone else it's wrong. Not forgetting the asbestos deaths they avoid responsibility for, and the weapons they foist through their corruption,which goes right to the top, and the cluster bombs and mines they have supplied to cause misery well into the future, even after they have washed their hands of these and moved on to new profit streams. Africa needs to wake up to to the danger of tolerating these smooth talking parasites, who speak with forked tongue and backhanders whilst poaching all they can ( including doctors, nurses and teachers when it saves them money, regardless of the cost to poor countries. Latvia is latest for doctors ) and leaving broken promises and spin behind them. The third world should impose rigid no-trade sanctions on Britain ( switching to the BRIC economies and similar instead ) and so force the British people to rid themselves of the systemic oppression by the dynastic rich, which keeps them ignorant and in chains. For the theft by the British rich harms not only Africans and other third world countries these parasites have infested, but the working class people of Britain's pretend democracy too. Now such an action would be a big favour to the blinded Brits, but not a step the Tories and their ilk would like much. The reason the Tories come into this is due to their aggressive angling for power in the looming election next year. So Africans must be aware what type of charlatans they would have to deal with if these arch colonialists and imperialists, however cunningly disguised these days, were to gain power in blighted Britain. Their policy is always divide and rule. It is a policy which has served them well. The corruption is not far away from where you find them. Be it mining houses or media, banking, pharmaceuticals,weapons or 'aid' packages, there will be a way in for them to ensure that they have the ear of those at the top when it comes to advantageous ( to themselves and those they have negotiated sweeteners with only ) deals, and devil take the hindmost when it comes to the suffering of the citizens whose wealth it is they cart off to their bank vaults. The fact they are increasingly overtly fascist and racist makes it all the more vile. Colonialist imperialism is very much alive, just a little more sophisticated at 'blending in'. Vuka iAfrika !

That money would go strait into Bob's pockets. The sanctions are aimed at only him and a few of his partners in crime. Lifting any sanctions sanction a brutal dictator and perpetuate his reign. He lost the election despite his brutality. Why support that? Let the Chinese circumvent sanctions with their AK's. Aid is a totally separate issue, but again, "strings" that would be aimed at Mugabe's penchant for pocketing anything of value in Zim.
He could rebuild the economy easily without aid, the country was working fine, albeit with inequities and injustice, before he was around. No reason it shouldn't work now, without white dominance nor his brand of Nationalist Communism and totalitarian autocracy (token ministers in line with hands out to the west). Grotesque, any support or even recognition that he gets. So many suffer and die.

@Terry E. What a load of waffle and diatribe. You're making sweeping generalizations, conjecture and stereotyping which has nothing to do with the article - which is about EU sanctions. Try thinking - it may just be a new experience (if that is possible).

Well doesn't Kgalema Motlanthe seem a STUPID now?! Credibility... ZERO! Terry E? Less about Britain, more about the EU! No answers for Alistair, so we get a paragraph of Bob-speak? Aluta Continua! Vuka iAfrika and balls to human rights!

If Robert Mugabe was a patriot, wouldn't he do anything in his power to have sanctions against his country lifted?
What is so difficult for him to just let go of all the human rights voilation that his government is accused of? For those of us who think EU is unfair, I invite to also agree the Robert Mugabe is also unfair. And if you honestly do that you will realize who's better compromise between the two. EU or Mugabe, afterall, it comes down to who needs who here?

Good for the PM Reinfeldt! Having worked so hard against apartheid for 30 years, the Swedes have arguably been the best allies the ANC ever had. Yet ANC 'deployees' have for years abused the trust and good faith of Swedish government development here, especially in the Eastern Cape. On one occasion the public opening of a Swedish initiative in urban perma-culture and hydroponics was snubbed by the Mayor of the municipality in question. He didn't even bother to send a message to say that he wasn't coming. He just never pitched. The Swedes were represented by their Ambassador, by reps from the Swedish Int'l Development Agency, and by representatives of a Swedish municipality that was being 'twinned' with the SA municipality. Not only did the local mayor not show up, his municipality reneged on their agreement to contribute 'matching funds' from the SA-can side. Unfortunately , this was not an isolated incident. The Swedes did their part and turned the project over to the locals a year later. A year after that the 'locally managed' project died of neglect. The message was clear: SA doesn't need or want help from 'the West'.

I just hope the Europeans don't cave in to the 'racism' accusations that are bound to follow the continuation of EU sanctions against Zim. The Nordic countries in particular have a record of support for a free and independent Africa and they don't have to 'prove' that they not racist. They just have to have the nerve to ignore those who accuse them of it.

'Aid' to Zim will never help the people of Zim; Mugabe and this henchmen will see to that.

BULLSH*T!! No matter what kind of management style you have, fact is that if your country is sanctioned it will have a devastating affect. Sanstions hamper a country's growth and declines any sort of debt relief or debt extensions or even new loans from Major financial institutions.

It's funny that the mismanagement story came out 2 years after Robert Mugabe was sanctioned! All along Mugabe was UK's darling and even got knighted because he was serving the interests of the Europeans and not the people of zimbabwe.

So in 2001 the USA passes it's foreign policy called ZEDERA (sanctions) and does not publicise it, after the sanctions take effect and the economy started collapsing, stories of mismanagement came out. But the actuall reason for the collapse of the ecnomy is NOT mismanagement but the Sanctions.

NOW, instead of positive contributions to the Zimbabwean economy, they choose to continue with the Sanctions because they know that the economy of Zimbabwe will recover and western corporations would have to deal with Mugabe who will not allow them to prostitute the Zimbabwean economy again! They want him out!!

If the West really cared then they would lift sanctions and allow a transitional gvmnt just like they did with South Africa.

@2boy. When you march to beat of that drum you must keep your head high. So high in fact that you can't/don't see the bodies you are stepping over. Not the ones from the last election.. the ones from last week. The sanctions stay! They stay until the human rights situation in the country improves. You decry the lack of investment, but what is the point of investing in Zimbabwe? What returns do we get the investor asks? Will there be electricity for my factory? The flipside of "freedom to trade" is the "freedom to NOT trade" with someone. Do you really expect companies from around the world to rush into this mess to come and invest? Zimbabwe withdrew from the SADC tribunal because they lost their case against people who were invested in Zimbabwe. Where are you going to go for redress when it all goes wrong? There is no rule of law in Zimbabwe and until that is restored the SANCTIONS STAY!

@ Terry E, I must admit that you are an intelligent man and a lot of shallow minded bigots didn't even comprehend what you are talking about. We have known these vixens in sheep's clothing. Zim is getting the flogging for screaming out loud. A lot of people still argue about the sanctions on Zim because they were made to believe that they are only meant for a few, wake up people do you think if it was the case the whole country was going to tumble?

I wonder if there is middle ground here...for the benefit if Zimbabweans in general.
As I understand it,the sanctions are travel restrictions on Mad Bob and perhaps 50 of his accomplices, as well freezing of certain of their assets.
Now these two sanctions do not affect Zimbabwe today, but certainly would affect these 50 people's ability to get out of Zimbabwe and live out of the country permanently, leaving Zimbabwe to recover.
So perhaps a deal can be struck whereby any politician who steps down from power, goes into exile, and agrees to stay out of Zimbabwe for next 5 or 10 years, can have his assets unfrozen and travel restrictions lifted. That way they can retire in peace and wealth and security. Of course it's not what they deserve but if the 50 worst and most crooked people in Zimbabwe could be exiles that way, maybe Zimbabwe would stand a real chance.

Marius de Kock

There is now political stability in Zimbabwe and all three leaders are in agreeance with that. The unity gvmnt is requesting for the sanctions to be lifted, the SADC is requesting the same but the EU still pushes the "human rights agenda".

Fact is, even though there is stability in Zimbabwe it does not mean there won't be isolated incidents of violence. Zimbabwe is not in flames. The leaders are requesting help but the EU will not help, not because they care about Zimbabweans but because Mugabe will not allow them to rape the land. The EU will o0nly lift sanctions when it will profit them. I am not talking about Investment, i am talking about Debt relief, cancellation or extensions from the IMF, World Bank, African Development Banks and a long list of other financial institutions etc... How does a developing bank develop in these conditions?

Look at SA There were serious pre '94 election violence but fixing the economy came first.

How long are we going to allow western super powers to use this unfair formula for? it is the same method used for all leaders that do not bow down to western interests

Alan Watkins

The sanctions are NOT travel sanctions. The discussions were about Economic Sanstions NOT travel sanctions. The travel sanctions are also in affect but the burning issue is ECONOMIC sanctions. The people of Zimbabwe are the ones who will suffer, Mugabe won't suffer and neither will Tsvangirai. The people are suffering and you people believe that Zimbabwe is not under ECONOMIC sanctions... it's a lie!!

EU is commiting the biggest injustice here and you people have allowed it to happen for years and years

Alan Watkins

it's time to wake up! Zimbabwe is under economic sanctions that have devasted the economy and people like you have allowed it to happen. You have been led to believe that mismanagement is the cause of the collapse of the economy. That is not the case. Zimbabawe has been under ECONOMIC sanctions for a decade now and proof is not hard to find.

EU will not lift sanctions until Mugabe is out as they view Tsvangirai as someone they can manipulate. Mugabe stopped serving western interest in 1999/8 and all of a sudden he was a bad bad man... until Zimbabwe gets a leader that the EU can manipulate, they will always be sanctioned...

Dear Terry E,

The Congo was the Belgians, and King Leopold, not the British. The British were in fact rather good at exposing the atrocities in the Belgian Congo and getting the Belgium Govt to take over what had up to then been Leopold's personal fiefdom.

Partly due to empirialist jealousy, but also because of the patronisingly british sense of fair play that keeps cropping up all the time.

Try reading "Leopald's Ghost" for a run down on the origins og the Congo's problems from the BELGIUMS not the British:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/King-Leopolds-Ghost-Terror-Heroism/dp/0330441981

@ 2boy The One et al

I don’t know whether you guys are Zimbabwean or not. U certainly don’t sound like you are. You also sound like you may not be well informed about the Zimbabwean situation.
Fact: there are no sanctions in Zimbabwe. Here’s why:
1. For a number of years, Zimbabwe has benefited from a preferential trading quota with the EU under the Lome Convention;
2. The European Union (EU) has recently pledged to disburse 2,3 million Euros to resuscitate the troubled Zim sugar industry;
3. Zimbabwe has earned more than US$35 million annually from beef exports over the last few years;
4. Although Zim's sugar production fell in the year to end-March as the industry took a knock from shortages of inputs and electricity, exports to its main market the European Union rose;
5. The EU cut sugar prices by almost half but Zimbabwe was allocated 44 million euros to compensate for the cut in the sugar price but has only drawn 2.7 million euros and has applied for 5.78 million euros this year;
6. Besides exports to the EU, Zimbabwe also ships sugar to the United States, where it has a 12,012 tonne quota, as well as South Africa, Egypt, India, Malaysia and Canada
Where are the sanctions in that? Now when you Europe comes and says Mugabe and cronies, please don’t come to our countries, please don’t buy arms of war that you are using against your people from us, we will not do business with companies linked to you and your people because its ill-gotten wealth, what’s the problem with that. Whatever their motive, what they’ve been doing so far benefits the people

Fact: Zimbabwe is far from stable. Recently 2 mdc activists were murdered and it appears the violence and unwarranted arrests are on the increase since the signing of the GPA. Where is the stability in that. Why do you want to settle for a substandard freedom whereby 2 politically motivated deaths, say, per month, is an acceptable loss. Wld you accept the loss if it was your loss?

Mugabe's burst clearly illastrates that the sanctions have the desired effect of what their were intended to achieve.I sincerely hope they continue in place for a forseeable future until he and his cronies religush power!

Alisdair,
Thanks for the reference. I'll certainly try and get hold of the book you recommend. In the meantime you might want to skim these references.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1912594,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8234583.stm
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-07-21-arms-trade-still-fuels-zim
http://www.stwr.org/global-conflicts-militarization/foreign-companies-fuel-congo-violence.html
http://www.paltelegraph.com/world/uk-news/1486-britain-funding-congos-holocaust