The Sunday Mail
Dr Norbert Hosho
THIS week, I continue to unpack the book ‘Sanctions Against Zimbabwe: Debilitating effects, resilience in adversity and envisioned way forward’. This week’s instalment is drawn from part 1 of the book and covers the falsity of targeted sanctions in Zimbabwe.
The United States has been repeatedly saying illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe are targeted and do not affect ordinary Zimbabweans, yet this is far from the truth.
The sanctions have affected the very human rights the US has accused the Zimbabwean Government of violating. Perhaps, let us make a quick reflection on the dawn of the 21st century, which saw Zimbabwe effecting its Land Reform Programme in 2000. This was part of Government efforts to empower the black majority. Sadly, this historic programme was followed by the imposition of sanctions by the West. For any progressive Zimbabwean, the historic Land Reform Programme remains a noble cause aimed at black empowerment towards both macro and micro-economic emancipation, global competitiveness and self-determination for Zimbabwe as a people.
The period following the imposition of sanctions has been characterised by a surge in social ills such as domestic violence, poverty, unequal opportunities, racism, malnutrition, political polarisation, substandard housing, employment discrimination, child abuse and corruption, among others. These social ills have affected every citizen, and in most cases, those who have not been on any sanctions list.
It is worrying that some Zimbabweans have had their funds frozen by other countries, receiving emails that the actions were in line with regulations governing conduct with members from countries that are under sanctions.
The citizens being referred to here are ordinary people whose names have never been on any sanctions list but failed to transact simply because they are Zimbabweans.
It has been evident over the years that local organisations in Zimbabwe are also deterred, under the same regulations, from doing business with or on behalf of any person or entity under sanctions.
Any act in breach of the regulations attracts huge financial penalties. Companies are left with no option but to inevitably transfer the burden to the customer, who is the ultimate victim of the sanctions.
If a bank is penalised in this way, for instance, it will certainly have to increase bank charges for the depositors to raise the required fine. In the case of trading entities, the financial penalty is factored into the price of products and, ultimately, paid by the general populace, causing price increases, thereby making life more and more difficult for the ordinary person.
There are known instances where Zimbabwean companies paid for productive equipment abroad on behalf of local customers who happened to be either designated nationals or associated with such nationals. They were informed that despite the payments having been received, delivery would not be made. This resulted in loss of both foreign currency and production for the country.
This substantiates the correct observation that, while sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe have been packaged as “targeted”, the truth of the matter is that the impact is not targeted at few individuals as purported.
According to the US, sanctions primarily go after people who participate in corruption, abuse human rights, or undercut democratic institutions or processes. The US claims trade between the US and Zimbabwe is not prohibited by targeted sanctions.
If that is the case, one wonders why the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a financial intelligence and enforcement agency of the US Treasury Department, has been preventing financial transactions of some companies in the nation to the point that millions of dollars have been paid in fines. Funds of ordinary citizens have been frozen over the years, simply because one is a Zimbabwean. OFAC administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions in support of US national security and foreign policy.
Despite what the US has said, the sanctions have severely damaged the nation’s economy. Nobody, least of all a superpower like the US, is threatened by Zimbabwe. Instead, Zimbabwe is a tiny, mineral-rich nation in the Third World that is trying to make ends meet to improve the lives of its citizens.
It seeks to become an upper middle-income nation by 2030, yet the US is the one preventing Zimbabwe from even engaging in trade due to the sanctions. Zimbabwe has never interfered with any country’s foreign policies, but it is correct to say the reverse is true.
The US has been referring to Zimbabwe’s need to work on its reforms, even though the country is already doing so. The US has no business pressuring the nation to enact reforms as the Government, particularly in the Second Republic, has already embarked on the “Kaizen approach” of continuous improvement in all aspects.
The nation is aware of what must be done to improve the socio-economic status of the citizens. For avoidance of doubt, the reform agenda does not involve the US; it is intended for Zimbabweans. To create the future that Zimbabweans want, reform is required, not for the purpose of pleasing other countries. Self-determination is key for any independent country. We still have a lot of work to do, and we are moving in the right way. Every aspect of life is evolving; hence, reforms are imperative, in the church, home, university etc. However, such reforms are a process and not an overnight thing.
What is clear for all to see is that the US is hiding behind a finger; no amount of reforms is going to appease them as long as Government maintains its stance on the irreversible Land Reform Programme. They want a malleable government in power so they can do whatever they want with the country and its resources. That is a puppet government. Zimbabweans need to ask themselves this question: For whose benefit are these reforms that the US is pushing for? The US should get off our back. We are a sovereign nation and Zimbabweans know what is good for them.
Would the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) be advocating the removal of the country’s sanctions if they had no impact on Zimbabweans and the region at large?
The lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe will prevent the enormous exodus of Zimbabweans to neighbouring countries, which has harmed those nations’ economies as well. The opening of a new chapter by His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, was supposed to ease the US’ antagonism with Zimbabwe.
If the US is sincere about the affairs of Zimbabwe, it should take a leaf from African organisations like SADC and AU, which are more versed with the goings-on in the Southern African country and remove the evil sanctions. Sanctions will never bring the regime change that the American government is pursuing through ZIDERA. This has failed in the past two decades and will also fail in the near future despite the challenges Zimbabweans have suffered.
At the same time, if the sanctions were targeted, one wonders why the International Monetary Fund withheld funds meant for economic development.
The institutions that stopped working with Zimbabwe as a result of sanctions against the country were benefiting the whole nation, not individuals. Therefore, removing their services and trying to fool Zimbabweans into believing that only “targeted” individuals would be affected is a deliberate attempt to cast a blind eye on the broader impact of sanctions. The so-called targeted sanctions have had serious repercussions on Zimbabweans evidenced by the collapse of water, education and health services. Contrary to the assertion that sanctions in Zimbabwe are ring-fenced and targeted at a small number of persons, the truth is that the stiff grip of the declared and undeclared sanctions is being felt all over the economy.
Dr Norbert Hosho is the president and founder of Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Trust (ZAST), an educationist and trainer in financial literacy, economic empowerment and entrepreneurial leadership, and is the author of the book “Sanctions Against Zimbabwe: Debilitating effects, resilience in adversity and envisioned way forward”. He can be contacted on: +26377311589, email: [email protected] or [email protected]
