Call to extend Zimbabwe sanctions

July 15th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

“There is no question of lifting sanctions (an asset freeze and travel ban)
against Mugabe or anyone involved in continued abuses of human rights,
incitement to violence, etc — that is simply not up for discussion,” said
Michael Mann.

At Tuesday’s debate Mr Hain will claim that Mr Mugabe and his associates are
planning further election violence to keep the rival Movement for Democratic
Change from power, using money siphoned from the country’s “blood diamonds”.

Mr Hain will highlight a report by Global Witness which claims that Sam Pa, a
Chinese businessman, has provided funding and equipment to Zimbabwe’s secret
police in return for access to diamond deposits in eastern Marange.

Other firms with concessions in Marange are said to have on their boards
senior members of the armed forces, the group has claimed.

European officials told the Telegraph last week that Britain and the EU were
preparing to lift sanctions on 112 targeted individuals including Robert
Mugabe in an effort to persuade him to hold free and fair elections next
year, as long as certain conditions were met.

But Mr Hain, a former Minister for Africa, will push for the sanctions not
only to remain but to be extended to those allegedly involved in the
country’s secretive diamonds trade.

“More than enough damage has been done already to the wonderful people of
Zimbabwe, as a once-prosperous country has been reduced to penury,” Mr Hain
will say.

“Let us ensure we do not perpetuate that terrible damage by premature
suspensions of these highly targeted sanctions, especially on those
responsible for the Marange blood diamonds, when the imperative is to impose
more not less.”

In report last month entitled Funding a Parallel Government? Global Witness
alleged that a Chinese businessman named Sam Pa was awarded a diamond
concession after donating up to $100m and 200 military trucks to Zimbabwe’s
feared Central Intelligence Organisation.

Sino Zimbabwe Development, a joint venture between the state-owned Zimbabwe
Minerals Development Corporation and Mr Pa, was also said to have on its
board three officials from the CIO which, Global Witness claimed, may be
planning a military campaign aimed at stopping Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC
from taking power.

The same group also claims that Anjin Investments, another joint diamond
venture between Chinese and Zimbabwean companies, was being run by senior
defence officials.

Meanwhile, Tendai Biti, the MDC Finance Minister in the fractious coalition
government with Zanu PF, has repeated complained that diamond revenues which
it was hoped might help revive the shattered economy had not materialised.

Mr Hain is calling for EU sanctions to be extended to include those named in
Global Witness’ reports.

“There is a real risk that any money given by Sam Pa, Anjin and Sino Zimbabwe
Development to the security forces will fund human rights abuses in the
run-up to next year’s election,” he will say.

“By all means, if the intention is a to wave a carrot and not just a stick,
then suspend a symbolic sanction on the partner of a ZANU official or two –
but make sure that substantive sanctions such as asset freezes on Anjin and
Sam Pa are imposed so the security forces cannot build a war chest before
the election.”

However, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief said that while the body was
“reflecting” on its policy towards Zimbabwe, following a call for sanctions
to be lifted by the UN Human Rights Chief, regional mediator President Jacob
Zuma and Mr Tsvangirai, the president of Zimbabwe would not be among those
given a reprieve.