Zimbabwe: A Battle ground for Western Supremacy
Rizwan Ghani
June 26, 2008
Amidst power struggle between ruling Zimbabwean elite and country´s opposition, West has lined up to reinforce London´s last-ditch effort to oust Beijing backed Mugabe who still is legally country´s president. It explains division in African Union´s member states reluctance for outright support for anti-Mugabe West including Thabo Mbeki, the South African leader accused of following soft-soft approach.
The allegedly corrupt and repressive African leadership would avoid supporting West to unceremoniously oust Mugabe that could set a precedent for the region in future. In case Mugabe goes ahead with Friday´s run-off (second round) Presidential election, which he will with or without opposition participating, will douse West´s efforts to get a national unity govt. in Harare to help pro-West opposition consolidate power. The opposition will subsequently cobble support for new elections in 12 to 16 months for complete control of the country and power.
The unity govt., a tactic of choice to undermine public mandate in developing countries would have allowed the West to get rid of Mugabe´s 28-year rule without compromising West´s business and economic stakes in Zimbabwe including huge profits from sale of country´s mineral wealth to Western coffers at the cost of local economy. West's strategic determination to maintain this supply at all costs is the key economic reason behind Zanu-PF party´s stay in power and any solution to current standoff between West and Mugabe will have to involve discussions on that part of the equation.
The history of West´s manipulation of Zimbabwe is even darker and shedding light on some should help open eyes of rest of the world especially the developing world and the Gulf States. It is opined that the food shortages and hyper-inflation are direct result of Western interventions. The international financial institutions by denying Zimbabwe access to Forex only complicated financial matters where a single (developing) country like Zimbabwe never had a chance to successfully challenge these institutions protecting Western stakes instead of upholding laws.
Zimbabwe following liberation experienced an economic boom due to a huge leap in productivity but West´s post-colonial policies did not let go their lion´s share. It not only deprived Zimbabwe of real fruits of freedom but also denied prosperity to average Zimbabwean. It puts in perspective support for Liberator Mugabe both within Zimbabwe and rest of Africa- an icon like Nelson Mandela whom even Mbeki would not dare challenge openly. Half of 14-member African Union leadership including Botswana has stressed on use of dialogue to end the crisis. The West however is unwilling to listen to such options.
West, unhappy over post independent Zimbabwe´s resistance against their colonization efforts for total control used country´s drought to pressurize Harare into compliance including access to local market, resources and currency. Harare´s refusal resulted in international sanctions on the country. It's therefore misleading to claim Zimbabwe´s current misfortune as doings of Mugabe´s misrule, corruption or fiscal mismanagement. The West has its share in pushing Zimbabwe where it stands today.
In terms of ending the current standoff, London has to back off and engage Harare through dialogue. West and UN cannot drum up support to oust a legitimate president from power in the name of democracy. Going by the democracy yardstick following Ireland´s No vote for Lisbon Treaty EU leadership should shut up and wait for its future instead of peddling undemocratic agenda of handful of European states from the EU platform as sole voice of rest of Europe. This in itself is undemocratic.
The speeches in British Lower House seeking justice in International Criminal Court over Harare´s support or failure over war crimes in Zimbabwe are welcome as long as London is willing to extend the same yardstick to war crimes against hapless Palestinians, Iraqis, Afghans, Kashmiris or Chechens. Similarly, Ban Ki Moon´s call from UN platform for scraping the Zimbabwe´s Friday election would have been welcome if UN had been equally sensitive to people´s freedom and democracy in rest of the world.
Following cases show double standards on part of UN (and global leadership) in terms of selective implementation of laws that is making this world less safe. The absence of violence in US and UK doesn´t meant that world´s greatest democracies are any different from Zimbabwe. Bush and Brown like Mugabe despite having poor approval ratings are unwilling to quit. They are violating presidential and parliamentary form of democracies respectively.
Bush despite 79 percent public disapproval rating is continuing with two illegal wars resulting in death and displacement of millions. Reportedly, U.S. Representatives voted 251 (Yes) to 166 (No) (not voting 16) on Wednesday, 11 June 2008 to send the Bush impeachment resolution (H. Res. 1258) of U.S. Congressman (D-OH) Dennis J. Kucinich to the House Judiciary Committee. Bush govt. has blatantly ignored 4 US Supreme Court decisions, undermined US Bill of Rights by authorizing wiretapping, supported torture (http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/26/africa/AF-GEN-Kenya-Military-Aid.php)used Freedom of Information Act to gag media and banned unions denying workers right to negotiate wages. In 8 US Attorneys case Bush aides have avoided appearing before lawmakers.
Similarly, Gordon Brown despite Labor Party´s historic poor public rating and loss in local body elections is unwilling to go for early election http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jun/26/gordonbrown.labour. He instead used terror law to secure vote of confidence. Thereby turning a modern democratic state into a security state, a move criticized for compromising country´s constitutional civil liberties, European and international human right convention. President Sarkozy has been dubbed as Monarch President by French media. The latest local elections results show that his party is in deep trouble.
The fact of the matter is UN failed to help West recognize Palestinian election and create enough pressure to end sufferings of Chechens, Kashmiris and Palestinians.
In all probability, the Mugabe will be the president of Zimbabwe for another five-year term. It suits the Zanu-PF stakeholders both within the country including armed forces and West including Canberra. Similarly, the failure of London to get a regime change or a unity govt. following its ME debacle yet again shows the waning stature of Britain in global politics. Despite rhetoric, the majority of African leadership will not step out from the line drawn by the local influential politicians including Mbeki.
The calls for military action, UN peacekeeping force, diplomatic isolation or individual sanctions against Mugabe, his close aides and their families are more political and a U-turn cannot be ruled out lest West is ready to permanently lose Harare to Beijing. China by making huge economic investments in Africa including improvement of infrastructure has beaten West in their own game. It is therefore matter of time that blowing hard West will be on its knees before Harare to save its geo-economic and strategic interests in Africa.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai calling for international peacekeeping force is using it for political trading including release of MDC´s secretary held under treason charges. His departure from the Dutch embassy supports the assertion. However, West will push use of force idea to secure a unity govt. to protect their market and political interests in Zimbabwe on lines of UN authorized West´s access to Somalian seawaters on the pretext of ending piracies in international waters. The importance of Somalia´s geo-strategic location and failed 1992 foreign military intervention in the country are not lost to international community.
In case West implements the individual-sanctions it will set a positive precedent for nations struggling to get rid of West backed dictators and allow their public to hold such culprits accountable. Keeping in view West´s unabashed support for late Gen. Pinochet for protecting their interests at cost of crimes against humanity on his own people the world will once again see the hypocritical double standards of West as it resorts to selective implementation of international laws, conventions and morality.
Mandela remained on US visa ban list for 22 years for standing up against apartheid and political rights of his people. Sec. Rice lifted the ban in May 2008. In light of talk of individual sanctions it is hoped that UN, EU, US and UK will also acted against Olmert, his aides and inner circle the way they have united against Mugabe´s crimes against humanity. Olmert and group by authorizing military attacks against unarmed Palestinians resulting in collective punishment are persistently committing gross violations of human rights, international laws and even Israeli constitution. It is also true for deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan, Georgia, Chechnya, suburbs of Paris where unarmed minorities seeking employment, quality education and constitutional rights were hounded, brutalized and killed. The imposition of individual-sanctions including visa bans on such characters will be the litmus test for West.
It is hoped that Zimbabwe situation will help developing world take stock of their faith in West, its political system and growing dependence on globalized economy, unethical trade practices and corrupt banking/financial system that are also robbing and depriving their own citizens. Similarly, the UN´s selective support for democracy once again raises the question about its impartiality. It is time UN breaks free from being ´His master´s voice´ and extend writ of international law including ICC across the board to restore peace in the world, protect weak nations against the strong pursuing vested economic and political stakes without fail and bring violators of constitutions and international laws/conventions including war criminals to book.
Dialogue between West and Harare with help of regional stakeholders is the only way forward. Mugabe´s victory will be taken as West´s defeat but unfortunately it will not provide any relief at grassroots unless they stand up to protect their interests, national wealth and resources. West allows billions in remittance to Zimbabwe because it gets to skims millions in transfer fees but is unwilling to support good governance including eradication of corruption, independent judiciaries and accountable state machinery including police in developing countries including Africa to protect its vested stakes.
Finally, Politics in Zimbabwe is a sideshow as global players vie to protect their economic and political interests. The Western backed opposition lead by Morgan Tsvangirai is also using local conditions to win power by trading national interest and resources. It is an insult to Zimbabweans including those who have been killed, tortured, injured or displaced in the unending political nightmare. The morphing populist advertisement run by Zunu-UP showing Tsvangirai face replacing western leaders says it all. Colonialism is dead. Long live the colonialism in the name of public, ´democracy´ and the West.
The allegedly corrupt and repressive African leadership would avoid supporting West to unceremoniously oust Mugabe that could set a precedent for the region in future. In case Mugabe goes ahead with Friday´s run-off (second round) Presidential election, which he will with or without opposition participating, will douse West´s efforts to get a national unity govt. in Harare to help pro-West opposition consolidate power. The opposition will subsequently cobble support for new elections in 12 to 16 months for complete control of the country and power.
The unity govt., a tactic of choice to undermine public mandate in developing countries would have allowed the West to get rid of Mugabe´s 28-year rule without compromising West´s business and economic stakes in Zimbabwe including huge profits from sale of country´s mineral wealth to Western coffers at the cost of local economy. West's strategic determination to maintain this supply at all costs is the key economic reason behind Zanu-PF party´s stay in power and any solution to current standoff between West and Mugabe will have to involve discussions on that part of the equation.
The history of West´s manipulation of Zimbabwe is even darker and shedding light on some should help open eyes of rest of the world especially the developing world and the Gulf States. It is opined that the food shortages and hyper-inflation are direct result of Western interventions. The international financial institutions by denying Zimbabwe access to Forex only complicated financial matters where a single (developing) country like Zimbabwe never had a chance to successfully challenge these institutions protecting Western stakes instead of upholding laws.
Zimbabwe following liberation experienced an economic boom due to a huge leap in productivity but West´s post-colonial policies did not let go their lion´s share. It not only deprived Zimbabwe of real fruits of freedom but also denied prosperity to average Zimbabwean. It puts in perspective support for Liberator Mugabe both within Zimbabwe and rest of Africa- an icon like Nelson Mandela whom even Mbeki would not dare challenge openly. Half of 14-member African Union leadership including Botswana has stressed on use of dialogue to end the crisis. The West however is unwilling to listen to such options.
West, unhappy over post independent Zimbabwe´s resistance against their colonization efforts for total control used country´s drought to pressurize Harare into compliance including access to local market, resources and currency. Harare´s refusal resulted in international sanctions on the country. It's therefore misleading to claim Zimbabwe´s current misfortune as doings of Mugabe´s misrule, corruption or fiscal mismanagement. The West has its share in pushing Zimbabwe where it stands today.
In terms of ending the current standoff, London has to back off and engage Harare through dialogue. West and UN cannot drum up support to oust a legitimate president from power in the name of democracy. Going by the democracy yardstick following Ireland´s No vote for Lisbon Treaty EU leadership should shut up and wait for its future instead of peddling undemocratic agenda of handful of European states from the EU platform as sole voice of rest of Europe. This in itself is undemocratic.
The speeches in British Lower House seeking justice in International Criminal Court over Harare´s support or failure over war crimes in Zimbabwe are welcome as long as London is willing to extend the same yardstick to war crimes against hapless Palestinians, Iraqis, Afghans, Kashmiris or Chechens. Similarly, Ban Ki Moon´s call from UN platform for scraping the Zimbabwe´s Friday election would have been welcome if UN had been equally sensitive to people´s freedom and democracy in rest of the world.
Following cases show double standards on part of UN (and global leadership) in terms of selective implementation of laws that is making this world less safe. The absence of violence in US and UK doesn´t meant that world´s greatest democracies are any different from Zimbabwe. Bush and Brown like Mugabe despite having poor approval ratings are unwilling to quit. They are violating presidential and parliamentary form of democracies respectively.
Bush despite 79 percent public disapproval rating is continuing with two illegal wars resulting in death and displacement of millions. Reportedly, U.S. Representatives voted 251 (Yes) to 166 (No) (not voting 16) on Wednesday, 11 June 2008 to send the Bush impeachment resolution (H. Res. 1258) of U.S. Congressman (D-OH) Dennis J. Kucinich to the House Judiciary Committee. Bush govt. has blatantly ignored 4 US Supreme Court decisions, undermined US Bill of Rights by authorizing wiretapping, supported torture (http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/26/africa/AF-GEN-Kenya-Military-Aid.php)used Freedom of Information Act to gag media and banned unions denying workers right to negotiate wages. In 8 US Attorneys case Bush aides have avoided appearing before lawmakers.
Similarly, Gordon Brown despite Labor Party´s historic poor public rating and loss in local body elections is unwilling to go for early election http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jun/26/gordonbrown.labour. He instead used terror law to secure vote of confidence. Thereby turning a modern democratic state into a security state, a move criticized for compromising country´s constitutional civil liberties, European and international human right convention. President Sarkozy has been dubbed as Monarch President by French media. The latest local elections results show that his party is in deep trouble.
The fact of the matter is UN failed to help West recognize Palestinian election and create enough pressure to end sufferings of Chechens, Kashmiris and Palestinians.
In all probability, the Mugabe will be the president of Zimbabwe for another five-year term. It suits the Zanu-PF stakeholders both within the country including armed forces and West including Canberra. Similarly, the failure of London to get a regime change or a unity govt. following its ME debacle yet again shows the waning stature of Britain in global politics. Despite rhetoric, the majority of African leadership will not step out from the line drawn by the local influential politicians including Mbeki.
The calls for military action, UN peacekeeping force, diplomatic isolation or individual sanctions against Mugabe, his close aides and their families are more political and a U-turn cannot be ruled out lest West is ready to permanently lose Harare to Beijing. China by making huge economic investments in Africa including improvement of infrastructure has beaten West in their own game. It is therefore matter of time that blowing hard West will be on its knees before Harare to save its geo-economic and strategic interests in Africa.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai calling for international peacekeeping force is using it for political trading including release of MDC´s secretary held under treason charges. His departure from the Dutch embassy supports the assertion. However, West will push use of force idea to secure a unity govt. to protect their market and political interests in Zimbabwe on lines of UN authorized West´s access to Somalian seawaters on the pretext of ending piracies in international waters. The importance of Somalia´s geo-strategic location and failed 1992 foreign military intervention in the country are not lost to international community.
In case West implements the individual-sanctions it will set a positive precedent for nations struggling to get rid of West backed dictators and allow their public to hold such culprits accountable. Keeping in view West´s unabashed support for late Gen. Pinochet for protecting their interests at cost of crimes against humanity on his own people the world will once again see the hypocritical double standards of West as it resorts to selective implementation of international laws, conventions and morality.
Mandela remained on US visa ban list for 22 years for standing up against apartheid and political rights of his people. Sec. Rice lifted the ban in May 2008. In light of talk of individual sanctions it is hoped that UN, EU, US and UK will also acted against Olmert, his aides and inner circle the way they have united against Mugabe´s crimes against humanity. Olmert and group by authorizing military attacks against unarmed Palestinians resulting in collective punishment are persistently committing gross violations of human rights, international laws and even Israeli constitution. It is also true for deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan, Georgia, Chechnya, suburbs of Paris where unarmed minorities seeking employment, quality education and constitutional rights were hounded, brutalized and killed. The imposition of individual-sanctions including visa bans on such characters will be the litmus test for West.
It is hoped that Zimbabwe situation will help developing world take stock of their faith in West, its political system and growing dependence on globalized economy, unethical trade practices and corrupt banking/financial system that are also robbing and depriving their own citizens. Similarly, the UN´s selective support for democracy once again raises the question about its impartiality. It is time UN breaks free from being ´His master´s voice´ and extend writ of international law including ICC across the board to restore peace in the world, protect weak nations against the strong pursuing vested economic and political stakes without fail and bring violators of constitutions and international laws/conventions including war criminals to book.
Dialogue between West and Harare with help of regional stakeholders is the only way forward. Mugabe´s victory will be taken as West´s defeat but unfortunately it will not provide any relief at grassroots unless they stand up to protect their interests, national wealth and resources. West allows billions in remittance to Zimbabwe because it gets to skims millions in transfer fees but is unwilling to support good governance including eradication of corruption, independent judiciaries and accountable state machinery including police in developing countries including Africa to protect its vested stakes.
Finally, Politics in Zimbabwe is a sideshow as global players vie to protect their economic and political interests. The Western backed opposition lead by Morgan Tsvangirai is also using local conditions to win power by trading national interest and resources. It is an insult to Zimbabweans including those who have been killed, tortured, injured or displaced in the unending political nightmare. The morphing populist advertisement run by Zunu-UP showing Tsvangirai face replacing western leaders says it all. Colonialism is dead. Long live the colonialism in the name of public, ´democracy´ and the West.