Zimbabwe: 2012 in Review‏

At the behest of Mr. George Charamba, the spokesperson for President Robert Mugabe, who also serves as the Permanent Secretary for Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information and Publicity, I was asked it identify a platform inside US borders that would be willing to publish some of my writing and interviews that address the political developments on the ground in Zimbabwe.  I chose Your World News, not only because of the perspective and content, but since 2009 they have printed every single article I have written that was published in The Herald. From its inception Your World News has also published every speech President Mugabe has delivered at the United Nations General Assembly, and has interviewed me in my capacity as the US Correspondent to The Herald (Zimbabwe’s National Newspaper) on several occasions.  It is for this reason I chose Your World News to publish a special series of articles I have written and special interviews I conducted titled Defending Zimbabwe: 2012 in Review, which features two archive pieces from 2011. I hope the writing and interviews meet the satisfaction of our comrades in Zimbabwe and Africans and freedom loving people in every corner of the world.

One Unified African People
One Unified Socialist Africa
One Unified Socialist Planet
Obi Egbuna, Jr.
US Correspondent to The Herald

 

 

George Washington Carver’s Spirit Lives In Zimbabwe

By

Obi Egbuna, Jr.

 

When President Mugabe was making his talking points on the theme “Addressing Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication,” on Tuesday the 20th of September, he was invoking the spirit of the Agricultural pioneer and icon George Washington Carver.  This genius of a man is best remembered for his unyielding commitment to agriculture, science and inventions.  We must never forget that brother Carver developed 325 uses from the peanut, among these areas included milk, coffee, flour, dyes, plastics, wood stains and linoleum.

The additional study and research Mr. Carver did was with the sweet potato where he discovered that this crop could produce postage stamp glue, rubber, vinegar and molasses.  The President Mugabe made mention of the fact that between 60% and 70% of Zimbabweans in the rural areas depend on agriculture.  Mr. Carver developed the mobile classroom for the purpose of educating farmers on their land.

It is also very important to point out that Booker T. Washington, the founder of Tuskegee University, hired Mr. Carver in 1896, only six years after Zimbabwe was invaded by Cecil Rhodes.  The same year Mbuya Nehanda  organized an armed revolt against the British and Rhodesians.

The President also discussed the Million Tree Campaign in which Five Million Trees were planted in order to reduce erosion rates and restore degraded land.  It must be noted that Mr. Carver discovered that the sweet potato and pecan could enrich depleted soil, which was a response to the monoculture of cotton depleting soil in many areas throughout the South.

The fact that they are currently 1 Billion inhabitants on dry lands was crucial to this discussion, especially since the US-EU alliance attempted to divert attention away from the droughts that had an impact on all of the SADC countries, which prevented a propaganda onslaught aimed at discrediting Zimbabwe’s Land Reclamation Campaign.  Because of the focus on NCD’s and Poverty at the General Assembly this year, the work Mr. Carver was doing to develop peanut oil massages to treat infantile paralysis that stemmed from Polio cannot be ignored.  When the President infused Zimbabwe’s Land Reclamation Program into this discussion, he struck a blow for all landless people all over the planet.  The Farmers of African Descent commonly referred to as African Americans have no choice but to rally behind Zimbabwe. At the turn of the 20th century inside US borders these Africans represented 1 million farmers and today according to the USDA, they only makeup 29,000 farmers.  While the Farmers were recently awarded $1.15 billion by the US Government, it would be historically irresponsible for Africans worldwide to ignore that they only control 3 million acres as opposed to the 20 million acres they had at their disposal in the early part of the 20th century. This is why media outlets that are part of the US-EU media apparatus out of nowhere began to focus on President Mugabe’s health earlier this year.  The message of Land Reclamation and Indigenous empowerment sends shockwaves through the Western World. At a moment in modern African history when our former colonial and slave masters want to have the last word on the world’s environmental crisis, the African world is blessed to have icons like President Mugabe and Mr. Carver who embraced their responsibility to defend and cultivate our soil.

These are special archived pieces from 2011.  The first one is an article that was written 24 hours after President Mugabe addressed the United Nations General Assembly special session on “Addressing Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought In The Context of Poverty and Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication.”  The second one was an interview conducted with the former US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr. Charles Ray, immediately after his remarks at a Zimbabwe workshop at the Corporate Council on Africa’s Annual African Investment Summit in October of 2011.

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During his recent trip to the United States, the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr. Charles Ray granted the US Correspondent to The Herald, Mr. Obi Egbuna, Jr., a brief interview to give his take on the current status of US-Zimbabwe relations and the role he has been playing in an attempt to normalize relations and diffuse tensions that have escalated in the 21st century.

OE: Ambassador Ray, in the eyes of Zimbabweans your diplomatic style is a pleasant departure from that of your predecessors Ambassadors Christopher Dell and James McGee, who were considered by many the most abrasive US diplomats to set foot on Zimbabwean soil. How does this make you feel?

ACR:  I don’t think about it because I don’t compare myself to others.  My view is first of all I work for the Obama administration and President Obama.  In a number of his public speeches has enunciated that his priorities concerning Africa is one of engagement.  My particular style is centered on the idea that you can’t get anything done if you don’t talk. I don’t spend time obsessing over what’s been done in the past; I focus on accommodating the present and how we can build a brighter future.

OE: A few years ago President Obama referred to Prime Minister Tsvangirai as his partner in  Zimbabwe, going back to his days as a Senator that serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.  His repeated attacks on President Mugabe are a matter of public record. How do you feel President Obama would benefit from a face to face meeting with President Mugabe?

ACR:  I think I would have to leave that question for the President and his staff to answer.  It’s generally best for people to talk to each other, but his staff is more qualified to answer that.  As the President’s representative in Zimbabwe that’s my job to do, and I make the best effort possible.  Like I said, you

cannot make progress if you’re not talking to people.

OE: You recently called President Mugabe an encyclopedia of African history.  What was it like to engage him directly?

ACR:  I want to correct that.  I was asked what it was like to dialogue with him and I said the man had an encyclopedia for a brain.  I have met with him on three occasions, counting when I received my credentials to represent the United States in Zimbabwe.  The President is a very knowledgeable person; there is no meeting with him that isn’t fruitful if you are not in communication mode. All of our meetings have been extremely cordial and our most substantive discussion was concerning improving commercial relations. The President’s knowledge of Southern Africa exceeds my own, and I find it interesting to talk with him.

OE: The bulk of criticism made by the US-EU governments about Zimbabwe have been centered around a lack of democracy and human rights abuses, yet the collective appeal by SADC, the African Union and the Non-Aligned Movement to lift US -EU sanctions on Zimbabwe have gone completely ignored. Please respond.

ACR: I would not say they have been ignored.  It’s not a one sided thing.  We are listening to and engaging SADC concerning what they want to do about Zimbabwe.  I don’t have control over sanctions, which is a message I have conveyed to numerous officials in Zimbabwe. The sanctions certainly exist.  We can do more practically as opposed to making demands of each other.  Instead of looking on what we can mutually do to make things better.  Here’s the situation, we need to look on both sides.  How we can move the situation from where it is to where we would like it to be.  This is high level politics I am talking about. There are policies in place that limit what I can do.  However, there’s a universe of things I can do. I can give you two quick examples.  I work very closely with the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality, because there is great potential for tourism in Zimbabwe.  I recently met the Minister of Agriculture, who by the way is on our sanctions list. I informed him while his ministry is part of a government I can’t provide support to, my President instructed me to explore how we can assist this sector of society in spite of constraints.  The Minister’s response was as long as sanctions are in place nothing can be done.  We then came to an agreement that my embassy would create a task force to explore some ideas.  We are now helping 120,000 farming families and plan to potentially double that number in the upcoming year.  I recently provided a solar power irrigation system to rangers who are part of Zimbabwe’s National Park Service.  The last I checked, the rangers are part of government, but not central government.  We have our disagreements and that perhaps will always be the case.  I want to point to Canada, who we have disagreements and that’s represents the largest border in the world.  My philosophy is to make progress in areas where maneuvering is possible, and the other issues will be ironed out in due time.

OE: What will you need to see on the ground in Zimbabwe in order to make the recommendation to the US Government that the time has come to lift US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe?

ACR: If all forces involved in the process make a clear commitment to honor what we have agreed to, let’s see what happens. If concrete moves are made to have elections that are not violent and don’t suppress the will of the people will be very crucial.  Once this happens there’s no more need for sanctions. The reason for the sanctions in the first place were to thwart the political violence and

re-establish the Rule of Law.  Once these things are done and there is no evidence to the contrary, I have no problem going to Washington making this request.  It’s a two-way street for me to come to Washington and make that request, and I am asked about the progress pertaining to elections, I must have evidence that is irrefutable to present.  I agree they cause an inconvenience, it’s like a neighbor

who beats his kids and wants to use your backyard, but you tell him he can have access to your backyard he needs to stop beating his kids. Your neighbor responds by saying he has always used your backyard as a shortcut to the market, and once he is granted access to your backyard the beatings will stop. That might not be the best example, but I hope it helps explain my point.  I want to say I do not support any political party in this world.  I am truly independent and am with the people.  I need to see something done about the violence, restoration of the law and people allowed to openly express their will.  Once these things are done I will go to the mat for Zimbabwe, because in this atmosphere the people will truly

benefit.

Obi Egbuna, Jr., is the US Correspondent to The Herald, based in Washington, D.C.

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During her historic visit to the United Nations for the Commission on The Status of Women, the leader of Zimbabwe’s delegation and Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Dr. Olivia Muchena granted the US Correspondent to The Herald, Mr. Obi Egbuna, Jr., a brief interview that covered a broad range of issues and topics.

OE: Minister Muchena, please explain the purpose of the delegation’s visit to the United Nations, the issues you are planning to raise, and what goals Zimbabwe is attempting to achieve by coming here?

MOM: This is an annual event of The Commission on The Status of Women and for the next four years Zimbabwe will be a member of the commission.  There are 45 member states who become members at any given time. We have to attend commission meetings on a full-time basis and participate in the deliberations; therefore, it is an extremely important meeting for us. This is our first year serving as a member of this commission, so it is a learning curve to see what is expected of us. There is a theme each year and this year’s theme is empowering rural women to eradicate poverty, also development and other challenges. This is an appropriate theme for us in Zimbabwe because the overwhelming majority of our women live in rural areas. I am leading a strong delegation.  My Ministry covers a broad range of areas, including Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development.  We also have a delegate from the Ministry of Agriculture, Farming and Mechanization Development because women make up the majority of our farmers in the communal areas. We have a member from justice and legal affairs because they are legal issues involved in laws concerning women. We have a representative from the Ministry of Youth Development and Indigenisation and Empowerment of Zimbabwe, because we strongly believe our women gaining ownership of key resources moving into the future is vital for the stability of the country. They are also parliamentarians in attendance because of the inter-parliamentary issues we are currently dealing with, and also Civil Society groups are here because of side events that are focusing on Civil Society issues.

OE: Minister Muchena, in the 21st Century Zimbabwe has scored some rather significant Diplomatic Victories at the UN.  In your opinion is this attributed to the fact that Zimbabwe functions from the understanding that at this historical moment information, not a strong military, is the first line of defense?

MOM: Definitely, information is power as soon.  As the situation in Zimbabwe was and continues to be explained clearly a lot of people immediately understood what the issue was all about. It was and still is a struggle between an independent and sovereign nation called Zimbabwe and its former colonial master.  Secondly, President Mugabe, as long as I can remember, has been saying ‘might is right.’ When you are sure what you are fighting for is correct and you are firmly committed to the principles you stand for, then even your enemies have to take your position into account.

OE: Minister Muchena, we have watched the US-EU alliance in the last few years attempt to present Jestina Mukoko of the Zimbabwe Peace Project and the group called WOZA as the voices that speak for the everyday woman in Zimbabwe. Please tell us as you travel throughout the country what are the sisters of Zimbabwe telling you as it pertains to the Constitutional reforms?

MOM: I am a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee whose assignment is to develop a new constitution for Zimbabwe.  By name we are called COPAC. I was one of the co-supervisors of the outreach program.  For example, in Mashonaland East, I experienced firsthand throughout the province the women articulate their concerns and needs.

The Committee had to generate input from 1,938 wards and had to conduct at least 3 meetings a piece in each and every one of them.  In each of those wards the women of Zimbabwe were very clear on a number of issues. The key issues for them were concerning health and reproductive rights.  Because of the economic sanctions we have had a high maternal mortality rate, and the women were very categorical and stated they should not die while giving birth. They want free maternity services.  I am glad that the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has put in place a fund that makes maternity services free in public health institutions. When the world looks at the graph pertaining to this matter due to economic sanctions, the maternal mortality rate has spiraled out of control. The women were not the only ones to voice their displeasure with this problem.  The traditional chiefs and men and youth were very vocal as well.  These groups also led by women passionately discussed gender parity in the decision-making process in Zimbabwe.  They used our 50/50 banner. This was an incredible experience to hear communities talk about women as decision and policymakers.  The issue of women’s empowerment was also pushed very aggressively because they said this has not only family implications, but nation implications as well. They discussed affirmative action and education.  I shared all that to say WOZA and the Zimbabwe Peace Project do not speak for the majority of women in Zimbabwe, and no one on the outside looking in should function from that premise or understanding.

OE: This leads me to my next question what is the role of the everyday woman in the fight on the ground to lift US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe?

MOM: Women bear the brunt of these economic sanctions especially women in the rural areas.  However, our sisters in the urban center have certainly endured their share of suffering because of sanctions. At the end of the day, women at dinnertime should have the pleasure of knowing food will be on the table no matter what, whether it comes from agricultural labor in the rural areas, or hard work in the urban center, what Bob Marley called the concrete jungle. Our women, through their signatures on our nationwide petition to campaign for the lifting of US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe, have spoken volumes about how this policy compromises their ability to be good mothers, wives and assets to the nation. It is nonsense to say these are targeted sanctions and are primarily concentrating on limiting the travel of President Mugabe and high cabinet members.  While the sanctions do restrict their movement, our women suffer the most, and these words come from them directly, and I probably speak to more women than anyone in the entire country because it’s my job to do so. I must salute our women and the measure they came up with concerning cross border trading, looking for food and goods and other basic services.  The courage and vision of these women definitely helped Zimbabwe weather the storm during the most difficult period concerning the sanctions.

OE: Minister Muchena do you have a message for so-called African-American women and African women born and living throughout the diaspora, concerning developing and maintaining relationships with their sisters in Zimbabwe?

MOM: It is very important and strategic that we build and maintain these relationships between African women on the continent and African Women in the diaspora; we have similar issues and the same identical plight. It is even more important for us to have communication linkages, because economic and other opportunities between our women on the continent and African-American women, as well as our sisters throughout the diaspora, cannot get off the ground without direct communication at the people-to-people level. The women of Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole want to see this occur so the connections are extremely important.

OE: Minister Muchena, my last question is a special one as this year marks the 20^th anniversary of the passing of Amai Sally Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s first lady.  Could you share with us how she touched you individually and the women in Zimbabwe collectively?

MOM: Let me begin with the Women of Zimbabwe collectively, Amai Sally Mugabe is one of our heroines for her courage, vision and political will, not by virtue of being President Mugabe’s wife.  It is important to articulate her significance this way, because in true Pan-Africanist tradition she left independent Ghana to join the fight in colonial Rhodesia and challenges us to match her passion and dedication for the independence of Zimbabwe. On a personal level, I have a very special story that I rarely have shared.  She organized an International Conference on Child Survival and Development.  I had the honor of chairing the program committee. I had to submit a final report.  When she received the report, she called me and asked if I had written that report.  I nervously said yes mama, I did and she congratulated me and said it was excellent work and she was proud. The next thing she said was she couldn’t wait to thank me personally at the Independence Day Celebration.  I was hesitant because I was just a teacher at that point and did not have VIP passes, which one needed to be close enough to shake her hand. The next day was Sunday.  I returned from church and I saw two large cardboard boxes full of groceries and 10 VIP passes to the Independence Celebration. There was a note attached stating that because I worked so hard on that report, I probably didn’t have enough time to get groceries and she can’t wait to see me at Independence Day. I could not believe she would send those groceries which gave the thank you a personal touch, which demonstrated she was one with the everyday woman in Zimbabwe.

OE: Thank you so much for your time and I am sure all who read this interview will be touched by that story.

MOM: Thank you as well.  I enjoyed the interview and questions as well.

Obi Egbuna is the US Correspondent to The Herald and a US-based member of the Zimbabwe-Cuba Friendship Association. His email address is obiegbuna15@gmail.com

Mbeki “The People in the States should Put Pressure

On the Obama Administration to Lift the Sanctions”

 

Obi Egbuna, Jr., US Correspondent to The Herald from the UN wrote on Tuesday, February 28, 2011, after participating on a panel concerning Sudan-South Sudan relations at the African Union’s headquarters at the United Nations, former South African President Thabo Mbeki stated that the US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe should have been removed a long time ago, and that SADC and the AU must continue to push for this to take place. Because of Mr. Mbeki’s role in the mediation process that resulted in the establishment of the inclusive government between ZANU-PF and both factions of the MDC, these sentiments certainly come as no surprise. What made this rebuke of US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe different was when Mr. Mbeki stated “the people in the states should act on this thing and put pressure on the Obama administration to lift sanctions,” this was a very bold and visionary challenge to the daughters and sons of Africa born and raised in the US. These sentiments echoed by Mr. Mbeki come only a couple of weeks after the European Union extended sanctions on Zimbabwe, which means more than likely the US President Obama will follow suit, and for the fourth year in a row use Executive Order to sign an extension on the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2011. The so-called African-American community must take into consideration that SADC for the first time since the sanctions have been in place, sent a special delegation to Washington last year that campaigned for the lifting of US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe. This development must not be analyzed in isolation from the standoff between the Bush administration and the SADC desk in Washington, because Zimbabwe’s neighbors refused to budge on the questions of US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe and the historic Land Reclamation Program that began in 2000.

It appears that Mr. Mbeki wanted to send a very strong message to the so-called African Americans, many of whom he saw recently in South Africa for the celebrations connected with the 100th anniversary of the ANC, that having a good time in South Africa, but compromising the government and people of Zimbabwe will no longer be tolerated.

The short statement by Mr. Mbeki has much broader historic and political implications in his groundbreaking speech in Peking on his 91st birthday.  The Pan African giant, W.E.B DuBois, when speaking of relations between Africans born at home and abroad eloquently stated, “Once I thought of you as children, whom we educated Afro-Americans would lead to liberty. I was wrong. We could not even lead ourselves, much less you. Today I see you rising under your own leadership, guided by your own brains.” The African Union as a whole and SADC in particular deserve the ultimate praise for their patience not only with the Obama administration, but the Congressional Black Caucus as well, who in 2001 came five votes short of unanimously voting for US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe. It appears that the AU and SADC are following the lead of President Mugabe and ZANU-PF, who through extremely difficult times, have demonstrated incredible resolve as they have responded to every political and economic challenge they have been forced to confront since the beginning of US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe.

It is disappointing to take into account President Obama’s crusade to assassinate the character of President Mugabe and ZANU-PF that began when he was a Senator, serving on the Foreign Relations Committee in the US Senate.  His appeal to President Bush not to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe until the dark cloud of Robert Mugabe is removed from power was an embarrassment to Africans who have decided that history and culture, not a passport or birth certificate determine where our patriotism lies.

 As 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the assassination of the former President of Burkina Faso Thomas Sankara, in the information age the attempts by our former colonial and slavemasters attempting to assassinate the character of President Mugabe is just as repulsive as knowing that Sankara’s assassin Blaise Comporare still presides over Burkina Faso.

The position taken by Mr. Mbeki concerning how Africans born in the US and others who claim to be in solidarity with our struggle should engage the Obama administration on the questions of the sanctions, forces us to view ourselves as daughters and sons of Africa first, as opposed to Democrats aligning ourselves with the lesser of two evils.

We must realize that Mr. Mbeki reminded Africans in the US to remember that SCLC and SNCC under the leadership of Dr. King and Kwame Ture was not the least bit concerned that former US President Lyndon Johnson’s feathers would be ruffled because they condemned the Vietnam War. What SCLC and SNCC did was on the heels of W.E.B DuBois informing the leadership of the NAACP that he would not be part of their efforts to campaign for the re-election of President Harry S. Truman.

In hindsight, since it was Truman who desegregated the US Military and created the CIA, we can say he paved the way for those amongst us like General Colin Powell, Condolezza Rice, Ambassadors Johnnie Carson and Susan Rice, all who have worked tirelessly in the diplomatic arena seeking regime change in Zimbabwe.

As Africans all over the world celebrated President Mugabe’s birthday on February 21st, they also commemorated the life and work of Malcolm X, who died on the battlefield of Harlem on February 21, 1965, at the hands of the FBI-CIA and the New York City Police Department. It was none other than Brother Malcolm that warned us that “the Democrats were foxes and the Republicans were wolves and in the final analysis both belonged to the canine family.” This is further ammunition at our disposal when alerting the African family in the US that it is historically irresponsible to let President Obama function from the understanding that it is ok to maintain US-EU sanctions on the government and People of Zimbabwe. By responding to Mr. Mbeki’s call, we also put the US-EU alliance on notice that the US blockade on Cuba and the 2 million innocent people going to an early grave in Iraq because of sanctions engineered by former US Secretary Of State Madeline Albright, is not water under the bridge. If we heed the call of Mr. Mbeki and seek to maximize our potential in the fight to lift US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe, we show the world that while Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah made his transition from the physical world 40 years ago, he shall never be forgotten and we honor his memory by fighting to lift US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe.

Because this year marks not only the 20th anniversary of the passing of Amai Sally Mugabe, but also the 25th anniversary of the Unity Accord established between President Mugabe and late Vice President and national hero Joshua Nkomo, on behalf of ZANU and ZAPU, it is difficult to think of a better historical moment to unite with our extended family in the African Union and SADC and echo these exact words, “Zimbabwe Forever Sanctions Never!”

Obi Egbuna, Jr., is the US Correspondent to The Herald and a US-based member of the Zimbabwe-Cuba Friendship Association.  He can be reached at obiegbuna15@gmail.com

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Why  Zimbabwe  and  Jamaica  Will  Always  Be  One

By

Obi  Egbuna, Jr.

For  the  last  few  weeks   it   has  been  reported  that  both  the  leadership  and  people  of  Jamaica  have  been  insulted by  comments  allegedly  made  by  President  Mugabe about  the  men’s  behavior  and  social  habits.

One  of  the  most  interesting  articles  pertaining  to  this matter  was  written  in  the  Jamaica  Observer  on  September 16,  2012, titled  ‘Did Patterson’s  Comments  Enrage  Robert  Mugabe?’  The  article  quotes  the  former  Prime Minister  of  Jamaica  saying,  “We  feel  certainly  the  rest  of the  world  has  supported  Zimbabwe  all  along  in  the  struggle, we  would  wish  that  even  this  late  hour  we  would  see  some sort  of  shift  back  towards  the  fundamental  principles  of freedom  particularly  for  the  press  and  respect  for  the judicial  process.”  Because  the  initial  article  that  stirred  this  controversy  was  written  by  the  Zimbabwean  Daily News,  we  hope  Brother  Patterson  would  be  pleased  to  know the  reporter  who  penned  the  story  has  not  been  terminated from  duty,  tortured  or  murdered  in  cold  blood.  The  entire African  world  both  on  the  actual  continent  and  diaspora,  must  be  challenged  to  identify  an  African  nation  where  the  head of  state  is  lambasted  for  being  a  dictator,  yet  so  many opposition  newspapers  function  continuously  year  after  year.

We must begin by analyzing the dynamics  surrounding  how  Jamaica’s  Prime  Minister,  H.E. Portia  Simpson-Miller  responded.  It was  reported  that the  Prime Minister  and  her  Foreign  Affairs  Minister, H.E.  AJ  Nicholson,  made  five  exhaustive  checks  to  verify  if President  Mugabe  made  those  statements.  Since  Jamaica  doesn’t have  an  Embassy  in  Zimbabwe, the  specific  measures  that  were taken  by  both  the  distinguished  lady  and  gentleman  should  be made  public  for  all  to  see.  This  approach  not  only neutralizes  the  opportunism  in  the  political  and  media  circles  in  Jamaica,  who  appeared  to  have  jumped  the  gun  since  many of  them  are  open  detractors  of  President  Mugabe  and  ZANU-PF, it  forces  Prime  Minister  Simpson-Miller  to  explain  why  she didn’t  contact  President  Mugabe  directly  and  get  verification straight  from  the  source.  When  this  story  originally  broke  it  was  no  secret  that  the  Jamaican  Labour  Party  could  not resist  the  opportunity  to  express  their  feelings  in  order  to  score  points  with  the  US-EU  alliance  that  a  regime  change in  Zimbabwe  is  the  best  solution.   The  former  Prime  Minister Andrew  Holness  stated  that  Prime  Minister  Simpson-Miller  should  demand  an  apology  from  President  Mugabe,  the  Former Minister  of  Agriculture  and  Fitness Commerce.  Minister of  Industry  Investment  and  Commerce,  Christopher  Tufton,  even went  further  saying  President  Mugabe’s  Order  of Jamaica (Jamaica’s  Highest  Honor)  should  be  rescinded.

We  are  living  in  a  fantasy  world  if  we  believe  Mr.  Tufton does  not  wake  up  in  a  cold  sweat,  hoping  the  people  of Jamaica  don’t  snatch  him  out  of  bed,  demanding  he  marches with  them  to  the  state  house  and  demand  the  government implement  an  indigenization  bill  to  ensure  they  become  like Marcus  Garvey  said, “masters  of  our  own  destiny.”  If  Prime Minister  Simpson-Miller  contacts  President  Mugabe  she  can  get pointers  from  him  about  how  ZANU  and  ZAPU  established  a Unity  Accord  to  prevent  a  Civil  War  in  order  to  prevent the  children  in  Jamaica  from  waging  war  on  behalf  of  PNP and  JLP,  like  they  did  in  the  70’s  and  80’s.

Because the Jamaican Labor Party is part of the Neo-Colonialist circle that masquerades as champions of exploited workers, in the same manner Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai before he received western financing to start MDC did as the Secretary General of ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unionists), it come as no surprise that they relished the opportunity to take a cheap shot at President Mugabe and ZANU-PF.  Since we as Africans have learned through the years to speak to each other in a language we can understand, the JLP should know that supporting Prime Minister Tsvangirai in Zimbabwe instead of President Mugabe and ZANU-PF is no different than having aligned yourself with another pro-labor fraud Sir Eric Gairy and the Mongoose Gang in Grenada, instead of Maurice Bishop and the New Jewel Movement.

It would be a fundamental mistake if Mr.  Tufton’s  statement is  dismissed  as  an  angry  response  to  President  Mugabe’s alleged  remarks.  We  cannot  forget  that  in  December  2006,  the pro- western  newspaper  Jamaica  Gleaner  wrote  an  editorial titled “Mugabe  Not  Welcome  Here.”  This  article  was  written after  the  paper  claimed  they  had  discovered  the  President  was  considering  visiting  Jamaica  for  a  sporting  event.

What  makes  the  Zimbabwe  question  a  potent  weapon  in  the African  Liberation  Struggle,  is  there  is  no  middle  ground whatsoever.  You  either  are  going  to  fight  to  defend  its sovereignty  or  openly  work  with  the  US-EU  alliance  and  help them  achieve  their  goals  and  objectives.  The  people  of Jamaica  are  no  strangers  to  this  type  of  political  dichotomy. Let  us  not  forget  the  Honorable  Marcus  Mosiah  Garvey  was not  declared  a  national  hero  in  Jamaica  until  nearly  25 years  after  his  passing.  If  it  took  Jamaica  that  long  to  give  the  man  who  the Vietnamese  Revolutionary  Ho  Chi  Minh  claimed  motivated  him  to go  and  wage  revolution  in  Vietnam,  then  President  Mugabe  and  ZANU-PF  clearly understand  it  will  take  the  political  elite  in  Jamaica an eternity  to  understand  Zimbabwe’s historical  significance  and value.   Osagyefo  Kwame  Nkrumah  to write in  his  autobiography that  “. . . of  all  the  literature  that  I studied,  the  book  that  did  more  than  any  other  to fire  my  enthusiasm  was the Philosophy  and  Opinions  of  Marcus Garvey  in  1923.”

 If the Jamaican government’s snail  like response  to  honoring  the  Honorable  Marcus  Mosiah  Garvey  is appalling,  it should come as no surprise that the  brave  warrior  and  leader  Paul  Bogle,  who  led the  Morant  Bay  Rebellion  in  1865,  was  not  declared  a  national  hero  by  the government  until  the  1960’s.  This  is  the  equivalent of  Zimbabwe  ignoring  Mbuya  Nehanda  who  just  like  Comrade Bogle  was  executed  by  a  hanging,  and  just  like  the  warrior sister,  Bogle’s  bones  rose  on  1962  when  Jamaica  attained independence.  As  we  know  the people of Zimbabwe  will  never  forget  when Bob  Marley performed  his  song  ‘Zimbabwe’  at  the  independence  celebrations at  Rufaro  Stadium  on April  18, 1980.  They must  remember  his song  ‘So  Much  To  Say,’  when  he  sang  “I’ll  never  forget,  no  way they  turned  their  backs  on Paul  Bogle,  so  you forget  no  youth and  who  you  are  stand  in  struggle.”

If  these  two  examples  fail  to  make  our  African  blood  boil hotter  than  a  pot  of  stew,  on  October  15,  1968,  the  Prime  Minister  of  Jamaica, Hugh  Shearer  declared  the  Pan  African  Revolutionary  Walter Rodney  persona  non  grata  and  barred  him  from  Jamaica.  At  the  time  of  this  banning  Brother  Rodney  was  a  guest  lecturer  at  the  University  of  The  West  Indies.  The  irony  of  this banning  was  Rodney  graduated  from  UWI  in  1963  and  was returning  from  a  Black  Power  conference  in  Canada.  It  was right  around  this  period  that  the   Rhodesian  Government  banned the  book  Black  Power  written  by  Kwame  Ture  and  Charles Hamilton,  penned  when  Ture  was  the  National  Chairman  of  the  Student  Non-Violent  Coordinating  Committee.

In  Jamaica  today,  at  that  same  University,  there  is  a  radio show  called  “The  Breakfast  Club,” that  trashes  President  Mugabe  and  Zimbabwe  every  opportunity they  get  and  pretend  to  be  objective  by  inviting  those qualified  to  dispel  their  attacks  after  the  damage  has  been done.

What  we  should  be  discussing  is  why  Jamaica  idly  stood  by and  watched  Zimbabwe  suspended  from  the  Commonwealth  earlier this  century,  or  why  they  haven’t  urged  Caricom,  as  a diplomatic  body,  to  join  SADC  and  aggressively  lobby  for  the lifting  of  US-EU  sanctions  on  Zimbabwe.  We  hope  Jamaica’s leadership  doesn’t  use  President  Mugabe’s  alleged  remarks  as an  excuse  not  to  defend  Zimbabwe,  a  country  known  for  its creativity.  Instead we expect that a more  innovative  response is warranted  from  the face  and  voice  of its nation.  We  are  grateful  that  the  Reggae  Artist  Sizzla Kalonji  has  not  postponed  his upcoming  trip  to  Zimbabwe  because  of  these  remarks.  He  will demonstrate,  on  behalf  of  the  everyday  African  in  Jamaica, that  the  people  of  Zimbabwe  and  Jamaica  will  always  be  one  in  spirit,  body  and  struggle.  The  day  will  come  when  the  people  of Jamaica  will say  to  President  Mugabe,  Tino  Tenda  Makata  Kura  Basa Re  Africa  Pam  Soro  Penuy,  which  means  in  colonial  English, thank  you  for  carrying  Africa  on  your  head.

Obi  Egbuna,  Jr.,  is  the  US  Correspondent  to  The  Herald.

^^^

How  Zimbabwe  and  Africa  Fit  Into  The  Rule  Of  Law  Debate

By

Obi  Egbuna.,  Jr.

On  Monday,  September  24, 2012,  one  day  prior  to  the  UN General  Assembly  officially  opening,  a  high  level  meeting titled  “The  Rule  Of  Law”  at  the  national  and  international levels  was  convened  at  the  UN  headquarters.  Prior  to  the meeting,  the  Secretary  General  Ban  KiMoon  proposed  in  a  report  that  the  GA  adopt  a  programme  of  action  for  the  rule  of law,  agree  to  a  process  to  develop  clear  rule  of  goals  and adopt  a  programme  of  action  of  the  rule  of  law .  The  SG also  encouraged  member  states  to  take  occasion  of  the  high level  meeting  to  make  individual  pledges  to  the  rule  of  law,  clear  rule  of  law  goals  and  adopt  key  mechanisms  to  enhance  dialogue  on  the  rule  of  law.

According  to  the  United Nations,  for  the  last  20  years  the  rule  of  law  has  been  a deliberate  focus  with  a  renewed  interest  since  2006,  and the areas  of  concentration  are  children  in  armed  conflict,  peace and  security,  context  of  women  and  their  protection  in  armed conflict.  If  the  United  Nations  will  remain  loyal  to  the established  framework  aforementioned  by  the  SG,  the  government and  people  of  Zimbabwe  are  standing  on  extremely  solid ground.  If  the  UN  has  over  40  entities  engaged  in  rule  of law  issues  in  110  countries,  with  the  largest  presence  on the  African  continent,  then  it  is  safe  to  say  their  ears are  to  the  ground.  What  this  exposes  is  the  UN  cannot  turn deaf  ears  to  the  demands  of  SADC, and that  the  time  has  come to  lift  US-EU  sanctions  on  Zimbabwe.  Equally  as  important, Zimbabwe  is  more  than  capable  of  resolving  its  differences without  external  interference.  This  is  nothing  for  UN officials  to  sneeze  at,  especially  when  these  demands  came from  Malawi’s  former  President  Mutharika  at  the  GA  when  he was  chairing  the  African  Union.  The  SG  also  knows  when Comrade  Mutharika  put  the  entire  world  on  notice  about lifting  US-EU  sanctions  on  Zimbabwe.  He  was  by  no  means  a trailblazer.  On  the  contrary,  he  was  reminding  them  what  had already  been  stressed  and  emphasized  by  former  South  African President  Thabo  Mbeki  and  Tanzanian  President  Kikwete.  In terms  of  making  individual  pledges  and  adopting  key mechanisms,  President  Mugabe,  each  year,  like  clockwork, comes to  the  general  assembly  and  campaigns  for  the  lifting  of these  sanctions  and  reminds  the  SG  and  his  staff  that  the African  entire  continent  and  diaspora  and  the  international community stands  firmly  with  Zimbabwe.

Because  the  SG is  a  man  of  Asian  ancestry,  it  has  to  bother  him deep  down  inside when  he  witnesses  the US-EU  alliance  white  supremacist  disposition as  they  blatantly  continue  to  pose  and  masquerade  as  the  international community in its  entirety.  In  March  of  this  year,  Zimbabwe’s Minister  of  Women  Affairs,  Gender  and  Community  Development, the  Honorable  Dr.  Olivia  Muchena,  when  addressing  the  UN during  the  UN’s  Conference  on  Women  titled “ The  Empowerment of  Rural  Women  and  Their  Role  in  Poverty  and  Hunger Eradication,  Development  and  Current  Challenges,”  shared  that  in  the  rural  areas  of  the  country  women  now  make  up  65%  of the  farmers.  This  had  to  send  shockwaves  throughout  the international  community  because  pro  regime  change  advocates like  WOZA (Women  Of  Zimbabwe  Arise)  or  Jestina  Mukoko,  who  is kept  alive  politically  by   the  Voice  Of  America,  have  spent the  entire  21st  century  sharing  a  memoirs  worth  of  nightmares,  however,  conveniently  overlooked  this  groundbreaking development.

Because  The  Rule  of  Law,  objectively  speaking, addresses  Peace  and  Security,  the  UN  Security  Council  must answer  for  allowing  the  African  countries  who  last  year casted  votes  in  favor  of  the  no-fly  zone  in  Libya when they  already  knew  the  collective  vote  of  the  African  Union was  in  diametrical  opposition  to  this  measure.  For  Africans raising  the  issue  of  permanent  seats  on  the  Security  Council, it is  only  scratching  the  surface.  The  real  issue  at  hand  is  if  the  countries  at  the  table  will  promote  neo-colonialist policies  and  overtures.

The  decision  to  accept  renegade  diplomacy  resulted  in  the cowardly  and  brutal  assassination  of  Brother  Muammar  Qaddaffi, and  the  wholesale  slaughtering  of  women  and  children by mercenaries  who  western  media  till  this  day  mockingly  refer to  as  rebels  and  freedom  fighters.  Because  this  year  marks  the  25th  anniversary  of  the  assassination  of  Thomas  Sankara,  Burkina  Faso’s  1st President,  while  the  man  responsible  for  this  atrocity  still presides  over  that  country, this  raises  the  question  whether peace  and  security  efforts  include  investigation  and  analysis of  those  who  truly  are  the  most  violent  forces  on  earth,  or  are  these  blatant  crimes  against  humanity  dismissed  because the  US-EU  alliance  have  declared  the  Cold  War  as  ancient history.

As  Zimbabwe  is  approaching  their  third  Presidential  election this  century,  the  SG  and  his  staff  are  once  again  in  a rather  precarious  situation.  How  will  they  formulate  an analysis  of  what  is  really  transpiring  on  the  ground.  If  the  Southern  African  Development  Community  and  the  African  Union emphatically  state  the  electoral  process  is  in  compliance  with  the  rule  of  law,  then  how  seriously  should  the  rhetoric  of Western-based  NGO’s  be  taken  if  they  sound  more  like  well-trained  US-EU  intelligence  officers  who  are  there  to  sabotage the  elections.

The  SG  and  his  staff  are  well  aware  that  recently  the oldest  Civil Rights  organization  in  the  US,  the  NAACP,  recently visited  Geneva  asking  the  UN  to  send  a  delegation  to  the US  to  investigate  a  coordinated  attempt  by  key  players  in the  US  Congress  that  will  result  in  the  disenfranchisement of  African (African-American)  and  Latino  voters  in  the  upcoming  US  Presidential  election  in  November.  The  focus  was on  19  laws  in  15  states  that  make  up  63%  of  the  270 electoral  votes  necessary  to  win  the  Presidential  elections  in  November.   The  irony of  the  NAACP’s  visit  to  Geneva  to  raise this issue on a UN platform  is that 10  years  ago  the  US  State  Department  was guilty  of  twisting  the  NAACP’s  arm,  which  resulted  in their  report  of  Zimbabwe’s  Presidential elections  in  2002 not being published.

The  Zimbabwean  Government  has  complained  on  numerous occasions  that  these  NGO’s  have  been  under  the  guise  of humanitarian  work,  urging  the  indigenious  people  to  advocate regime  change  instead  of  supporting  the  inclusive  government.  The  SG  and  his  staff also  have  to  raise  an  eyebrow because  in  Zimbabwe  certain civil  society  groups  like  the  Crisis  in  Zimbabwe  Coalition and  the  Zimbabwe  Election  Support  Network give  the appearance  they  are  non-aligned,  but  are  openly  financed  by the  Open  Society  Initiative  and  National  Democratic  Institute, meaning  they  answer  to  George  Soros  and  former  US  Secretary of  State  Madeline  Albright.  The  SG  in particular  understands these  dynamics  as  the  former  Foreign  Policy  advisor  to  South Korean  President  Roo  Noo-Hyun recently observed  Reverend  Sun  Nyung  Moon,  founder  of  the  Re-Unification  Church  laid  to  rest.  This  network  was  created  to neutralize North  Korea, but to  prevent  the  rise  of  Socialism  in all of Asia.  These  experiences  should  make  the  SG  and  his  staff feel  a  sense  of  duty  and  obligation  to  address  reckless US-EU  driven  propaganda  aimed  at  de-stabilizing  Zimbabwe.

Since it  was  discovered  that  Zimbabwe  has  25%  of  the  world’s diamonds  under  its  natural  soil,  the  country  now  has  the distinction  of  being  accused  of  blood  diamonds,  even  though there  is  no  war  or  military  conflict  taking  place  in  the country.  Because  the  US  and  London  based  NGO  Global  Witness  has  had immense  difficulty  peddling  this  falsehood,  during  the  Kimberly  Process  meeting  in  Washington,  they  have  now  resorted to using  the  term  “conflict  diamonds,”  when  describing  Zimbabwe’s efforts to  empower  their  people and reverse  the  cycle  of  rape  and plunder  in  Africa,  courtesy  of  DeBeers  and  the  Anglo-American Corporation.

What  is  defined  as  peace  and  security  reminds  people  of the  quote  by  former  UN  Secretary  General  Dag  Hammarskjold when  he  said  “The  UN  was  not  created  to  bring  us  to heaven,  but  to  save  us  from  hell.”  At  some  point  an investigative  study  must  be  done  into  the  damage  that sanctioning,  when  initiated  by  countries  guilty  of  colonialism and  slavery,  against  countries  who  are comprised  of  their  former colonial  subjects  and  slaves.  If  they  are  2  million  people  dead  in  Iraq (500,0000 children) because  of  this  diplomatic  aggression, and since 1962 Cuba has lost  almost  100  billion  dollars,  which  would  help  secure  the free  education  and  free  health  care  programs,  the  Zimbabwean people should  not  be  allowed  to  suffer  because  the  SG  and his  staff  don’t  want  to  rock  the  boat.  The  SG  and  his staff  also  know  that  former  UN  Secretary  General  Kofi  Annan stated  there  was  no  international  crisis  in  Zimbabwe,  on  the contrary  what  existed  was  an  unresolved  bilateral  dispute between  a sovereign  country  and  its  former  colonial  master.

Since  the  Rule  of  Law  debate  deals  with  national  and international  levels, it  would  be  interesting  to  hear  the  SG and  his  staff’s  feelings about  a  study  conducted  by  the  Malcolm  X  Grass  Roots  Movement  that so-called  African Americans  are  murdered  every  40  hours  by  some  form  of  law enforcement  inside  US  borders.  The  SG  and  his  staff  were  also  invited  to  the  US  by  grass roots  organization  to  investigate  the  escalation  of  police terrorism  by  the  US  Homeland  Security  apparatus.  The  backdrop of  this  appeal  was  the  murder  of  a  teenager  named  Deonte Rawlings who  was  shot  in the  back  of  his  head  by an off-duty  police officers  who  claimed  Rawlings  was  riding  a  bike  he  had stolen  from  the police department.  The  autopsy  was  attached  to  the  document and  addressed  to  the  SG  personally and  verified  there  was no  way  possible  that  a  shootout  could  have  occurred  between Rawlings  and  the  two  officers.

While  US  President  Barack  Obama  approaches  the  UN functioning  from  the  understanding,  like  all  his  predecessors before  him,  that  he  is  the  star  of  the  show,  1.7  million people  in  New  York  City,  where  the  UN  is  located,  live  in poverty.  This  is  higher  than  the  rates  of  poverty  in  Burkina  Faso,  Brazil  and  India. If  the  SG  and  his  staff  appear  befuddled  by  mixed messages  on  the  question  of  Zimbabwe,  to  a  degree  it  is understandable.  The  MDC-T  representative  of  the  Ministry for  Reconciliation  of  Healing  and  Integration,  Minister  Sekai Holland,  compares  Zimbabwe today  to  Rwanda  at  the  height  of  the  conflict  between  the Hutsis  and  Tutus. The  SG  and  his  staff  are  also  familiar  with  the  laundry list  of  US-EU  attempts  to  isolate  Zimbabwe  at  the  UN  this century, including the  efforts  to  force  Zimbabwe  into  LDC  accepting  and status,  in  addition  to  attempting  to  block  Zimbabwe  from chairing  the  Committee  For  Sustainable  Development.  As  the  SG and  his  staff  stress  the  importance  of  dialogue, there were  attempts  to  prevent  President  Mugabe  and  ZANU-PF  from addressing  the  Food  and  Agriculture  Organization  on  two occasions this  century.

If  the  SG  and  his  staff  understand  that  lifting  the  US-EU sanctions  on  Zimbabwe  is  inextricably linked  to  defending  the country’s  sovereignty,  and  this  is  in  harmony  with  the richest  continent  on  earth,  who  when  voicing  its  displeasure concerning  this  policy  are  putting  the  UN  on  notice,  they must  respect  the  “Rule  of  Law.”

Obi  Egbuna,  Jr.,  Is  The  US  Correspondent  to  The  Herald

^^^

Interview with Mr. Reuben Barwe, Chief Correspondent for ZBC (Zimbabwe Broadcasting Company)

During his Trip to New York City for the purpose of covering the Zimbabwean Governmental Delegation at the UN General Assembly, Mr.  Barwe was detained by US Custom Officers at JFK Airport for two and a half hours. After he came to Zimbabwe’s UN Mission, Mr. Barwe sat down with Mr. Egbuna, Jr., the US Correspondent to The Herald, to explain what occurred not only at the airport, but his interaction with the US Embassy in Zimbabwe.

OE: Mr. Barwe, please share with me exactly what took place both at the airport, but with the US embassy in Harare?

RB: You know Brother Egbuna, the problems I had with the Visa section of the US embassy in Harare is repetition of the 2010 scenario, when I followed the Presidential delegation to New York of which I am part of the journalistic sector.  After they delayed giving me a Visa to enter the country with no hassle or complications, I was at my farm on Saturday and received a call from the US embassy that my Visa was ready.  As you know, just like in the US, embassies are supposed to be closed in Harare on the weekends.  I had to then scrounge around for money and other logistical necessities in order to catch my flight on time. I was assured by the US embassy in Harare that I would have no problems entering the country this time.  They also stated that no journalist would be hindered by the sanctions. The newspapers in Zimbabwe reported that the US Government would not hinder anyone’s efforts coming to the US for UN business.  What surprised me was when I initially applied for my Visa in August and it was not ready until September 22nd. When I arrived in New York City at JFK airport I was detained for two and a half hours by US custom officers who wanted to know the purpose of my trip. The irony of this is my Visa clearly

Stipulated I was coming to cover the UN General Assembly.  They informed me that I was not allowed to enter the US under Section 221.  I asked what crime had I committed? I went on to share with them that I have been coming to the US since the 1980’s. They know we only come here for UN business, and we are all monitored very carefully because no member of our delegation from President Mugabe on down can travel 25 kilometers outside Manhattan.

OE: Since one of the attacks against Zimbabwe by the US-EU alliance is that press freedom is non-existent in the country, isn’t it a coincidence that inside US borders you were subjected to this sort of treatment because of the country you represent?

RB: According to our Foreign Minister, H.E. Simabarashe Munebengegwi, this was political mischief because our delegation appealed to none other than the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to ensure that no one who is part of our delegation would be hassled by US custom officials when attempting to enter the country for UN General Assembly business.  The US has no right to dictate who accompanies President Mugabe when he comes here for the UN General Assembly. It is the prerogative of all nations that are members of the UN to choose who travels with their delegation. These people are playing games and attempting to flex their diplomatic muscle in their neck of the woods. I can’t tell you why they chose to target me personally, only Washington can answer that.  As long as they masquerade as the citadel of democracy and free  speech, these actions will be hard for them to explain. This happened two years ago to our colleague at The Herald, the political editor, Casear Zyayi, who was not allowed to come to New York.  This time he was fine and I was the target.  I guess since they targeted the newspaper this time they felt they should focus on television. Our Foreign Minister also stated if the US is growing weary of hosting the UN General Assembly, it wouldn’t be hard to find other country who is willing to take on this responsibility.

OE: Lastly how do you feel all this transpired when the Rule of Law is one of the main points of discussion this particular session?

RB: These are exciting times.  African nations and so-called Third World Nations are aggressively campaigning for the democratization of the UN Secretary Council, while the big powers see the UN as their token to solidify their domination of the Globe. You have countries like India who have one billion people, but don’t have a permanent seat on this council.  You have Brazil with an enormous population who is also excluded. The entire planet will not idly sit by and let five countries decide the faith of entire globe. The bullies that went into Libya with a “with us or against us mentality,” which is a carryover from the Bush administration.  The topic is good, but in the final analysis the question remains. But will the bullies listen to reason and good will?

OE: Thank you for the opportunity Mr. Barwe.

RB: You are welcome Mr. Egbuna.  You are partly responsible for this (laughs) because of the tone of your writng and the interviews you give on our behalf.

^^^

Interview with Mr. George Charamba, Spokesperson for President Robert Mugabe and permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information and Publicity.

During their visit to New York for The UN General Assembly President Mugabe’s Spokesperson, Mr. George Charamba, who also serves as the Permanent Secretary of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information and Publicity, for the fourth year in a row, granted Mr. Obi Egbuna, Jr., the US Correspondent to The Herald, an interview to discuss the political and social climate in Zimbabwe.

OE: Mr. Charamba, as we rap up our trip here at the UN General Assembly, I would like you to address a few topics.

1. The US-EU alliance focusing on the health status of President Mugabe as part and parcel of their propaganda attacks on Zimbabwe.

2. The upcoming elections in Zimbabwe and how ZANU-PF and both factions of MDC are preparing.

3. How this debate at the UN General Assembly concerning the Rule of Law applies to the political developments on the ground in Zimbabwe.

4. As this year marks the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Thomas Sankara, the former President of Burkina Faso, how did President Mugabe feel about Sankara’s vision and commitment to Africa?

The President’s Health: If you are familiar with the tricks of Imperialism you will discover that the health of African and other so-called Third World leaders who refuse to kowtow to the West has never been off limits. We can just go back in history and look at the Presidencies of Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Salvador Allende of Chile, in both scenarios Imperialism aggressively zeroed in on the health of both of these revolutionary giants.

In the case of Nkrumah they actually said he had gone mad and the CIA stated Allende was no longer mentally stable enough to preside over Chile.  The task of imperialism is to get the citizens of a nation to question the sound state of their Presidents’ ability to oversee the day to day affairs of the nation.  In the case of Zimbabwe we have news for them; it is a constitutional requirement that the President must have periodic checkups to ensure he is of sound body, as well as mind. The President is very fit and when his God is ready to call him home, we will accept that.  But it will not be an American God or British God, and of that we assure Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa and the diaspora as well. It is ironic that the West is not questioning the health status of President Mugabe’s opposition in both factions of MDC since they could be his successors.  Shouldn’t that be part of the discussion or is this inquiry only confined to the unwanted?

The upcoming elections: On behalf of President Mugabe and ZANU-PF, I say to you we are definitely ready for elections. The inclusive government has run its course, meaning our political system has become dysfunctional. Isn’t it ironic that those who, in name, have led the world to believe that their sole purpose for existence is to safeguard against human rights abuses and fight for democracy, are the ones trying to delay democratic elections. It is only general harmonized elections that will clear the air in Zimbabwe once and for all.  We are lumbered by a dysfunctional inclusive government. The truth is ZANU-PF is ready for elections and both MDC factions are not, and their internal dynamics are not even the main reason.  Their only program from the very beginning was to agitate against ZANU-PF. When they became part of the government that message lost leverage.  ZANU-PF on the other hand is pursuing completion of the Land Reclamation Program and revitalizing the economy through our mining program. The investor-created jobs MDC have been promising have not come to pass; therefore, they cannot campaign on that promise.  A recent survey from MDC members themselves show they are lagging far behind ZANU-PF in a way that outsiders would deem unthinkable. We are saying come thunder, come rain, we must have elections by June and this mandate comes from the Supreme Court. We are already behind as far as by-elections go, and the MDC continuing to engage in political nitpicking around the constitution is trying the patience of the people.

The Rule of Law: For the President and ZANU-PF this simply means complying with the constitution on Zimbabwe.  We have traveled the entire country and all input has been generated from the bottom to the top. I also have to mention the 2.5 million signatures from everyday Zimbabweans calling for the lifting of US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe.

Both factions of the MDC fail to realize the power they currently enjoy was negotiated power, which has run its course and the Rule of Law dictates that a General Harmonized Election represents the legitimate aspirations of the Zimbabwean people.

On Thomas Sankara: Just one year before his death in 1986, Sankara visited Zimbabwe when we hosted the Non-Aligned Movement Conference.  Sankara made a simple gesture that touched President Mugabe deeply. He told President Mugabe he was deeply saddened by the fact Burkina Faso was not in a position to give more military support to the ANC and PAC.  Sankara presented the ANC and PAC with a single AK-47.  This was hardly significant quantitatively speaking, but it was a far reaching gesture that moved the entire conference in a way words can’t describe. This was the Thomas Sankara the entire African continent came to know and love. If that wasn’t powerful enough, once Sankara was done making head waves on Zimbabwean soil, he ditched our security detail and drove to Beitbridge in order to get an up-close glimpse of South Africa since he was banned from setting foot in the country.

The same forces who assassinated Sankara have worked for the demise of Southern Africa, the most stable region of our continent.  The high rise apartments in the capital of Burkina Faso were built by UNITA and Savimbi. These so-called OAU compounds were to roll back the forces of liberation.  Sankara’s assassins also aided in Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, which President Mugabe and ZANU-PF had a role in fighting against.  In 2008, when the West approached the UN Security Council to impose additional sanctions on Zimbabwe under Chapter 7, it was Burkina Faso who the US-EU alliance coerced through humanitarian aid to echo these sentiments. The loss of Thomas Sankara did not just affect the Burkinabe people or West Africa, but all of Mother Africa.  In Zimbabwe, he was a hero when he was alive, and a bigger hero 25 years after Imperialism stole him from US.

^^^

January 3, 2013

An  Open  Letter  To  Randall Robinson

Brother  Randall,

I  hope  this  letter  finds  you  at the  peak  of  your  resistance  and  the  very  best  of  health.  After  my  interview  with  you  in  Selma,  Alabama,  during  the Jubilee  protest/celebration  on  the  question  of  Zimbabwe,  I decided  not  to  send  the  content  back  to  The  Herald  for publication because  of  the  responses to the questions I asked.  I  feel  it  was  better  to address  the  points  you  raised  in  the  form  of  an  open letter, which  automatically  gives  our  Sisters  and  Brothers, Comrades  and  Friends an  opportunity  to  weigh  in  on  an  issue our  former  colonial  and  slavemasters  would  love  to  see  swept under  the  rug.  Brother  Randall, I  assure  you  my  motivation for  raising  this  issue publically  is  not  to  antagonize  you, nor  is  it  an  attempt  to  enhance  my  political  reputation  at your  expense.  If  there  is  one  thing  for  certain, your place  in  our  people’s  history  and  struggle  is  secure.

I  sincerely  believe  this  approach  would  not  only  stimulate, but  intensify  the  dialogue  Africans  at  home  and  abroad  are having  about  the  future  of  Zimbabwe.  Brother  Randall,  before  I  tackle  your  comments  about  Zimbabwe,  I  would  first  like to touch  on  the  dominant  perception  of  the  anti-apartheid movement  inside  US  borders,  concerning  when  and  how  it  began.

 I   raise  this  to  say  that before  we  deal  with  Zimbabwe, there  is  some  unfinished  business  concerning  the  other  side of  the  Limpopo.  Brother  Randall,  when  Osagyefo  Kwame  Nkrumah  eloquently  stated “A people’s  history  is  too  often  written  by  its  ruling  class,”   it  appears  as  though  he  was  dealing  with  biographical accounts  of  our  movement,  and  also  the  attempts  to  reduce our  history  to  the  autobiographies  of  charismatic  spokespeople.

 At  some  point  it  became  a  common  trend  for  activists  to reduce  the  history  of  critical  issues,  campaigns  and  projects,  to  whatever  contribution  they  made  in  relationship  to  the work.  I  refer  to  it  as  the  Christopher  Columbus  Syndrome, concerning  the  manner  in  how  our  former  colonial  and slavemasters  continue  to  propagate  the  notion  that he  discovered the  Western Hemisphere.

Brother  Randall,  I  have  heard  you  introduced  on  numerous occasions  as  the  founder  of  the  Anti-Apartheid  movement  in the  United  States.  Not  only  is  this  statement  grossly inaccurate,  it  implies  that  only  activity  that  attracts Western  corporate  media  is  worthy  of  note  and  mention.

Brother  Randall,  26  years  before  you  founded  the TransAfrica  Forum in  1977,  the  freedom  fighter  and  protest  artist  Canada Lee raised  the  issue  of  Apartheid  at  the  NAACP’s  convention  in 1951., the same year the civil and human rights icon Bayard Rustin formed the Committee to Support South African Resistance, which later became the American Committee on Africa,  I  believe  you  were  only  10  years  old at the time.

 Brother  Randall,  it  was  an  honor  to  see  you  and  the distinguished  SNCC  alum  Mukasa  Dada,   inducted  into  the  Hall  of  Resistance  at  the  Ancient  Africa  Enslavement  and  Civil  War Museum  in Selma, Alabama last year. I  couldn’t  help  but wondering  if  you  remembered  that  Sidney  Poitier  and  Harry Belafonte  bailed  him  and  other  members  of  SNCC  out  of  jail in  1964  for  protesting  in  front  of  the  Office  of  the  South  African  Consulate  to  the  UN,  which  was  in  solidarity  with the  trial  of  Nelson Mandela, Walter  Sisulu  and  seven  others.  They also  protested  at  the  South  African  Consulate  in  Washington, DC, the  very  next year.  In addition, in 1965 SNCC  co-sponsored  a  protest  in front  of  Chase  Manhattan  Bank (owned by the Rockefellers) for  its  ties  to  Apartheid.

It  is  also  documented  that  in  his  capacity  as  SNCC’s Deputy  Chairman  of  International  Affairs,  the  late  James  Forman  attended  the  International  Seminar  on  Racism,  Colonialism  and Apartheid   in  Kitwe, Zambia  in  1967,  where  he  delivered  a paper  at  the  UN  on  the  role  of  the  US  Government  regarding Apartheid.  We  also  must  not  forget  the  testimony  of  SNCC  to the  Special  Committee  on  the  policies  of  Apartheid  of  the Government  of  the  Republic  of  South  Africa, given  by  Phil Hutchins on  March  18, 1969,  when  he  was  the  National  Program Secretary  of  SNCC.

Attorney Mary Cox, founder of both the Free South Africa and Free Palestine Movements,
organized a boycott of United Virginia Bank every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for one year.  This was right around the time TAF was targeting Coca-Cola on a national level. That work propelled our Sister and she was the State Coordinator for Reverend Jackson’s 1988 Presidential Campaign in Virginia. This is an excellent example of how we must work from the bottom up, as opposed to the capitalist paradigm where people in the national spotlight seek to exploit local activist’s labor for their own personal gain.

Brother  Randall,  because  we  as  men  have  a  responsibility  to fight  against  sexism  it  would  be  sinful  to  ignore  the  work of  Miriam  Makeba,  in  the  anti-Apartheid  struggle, which  resulted  in  her  becoming an  honorary  citizens  in  10 countries  and  9  passports,  To  use  Civil  Rights  lingo,  our sister’s  work  in  this  area  makes  her a  freedom  rider  without question!  We  also  must  acknowledge  the  tireless  work  of  her ex-husband  Kwame  Ture  and  the  AAPRP,  who  openly  embraced  all 3  liberation  movements,  the  ANC, PAC  and  AZAPO,  while  others blatantly  played  favorites.  Their  marriage  also  symbolized  our never  ending  struggle  to  make  our  cultural  and  political expression  synonymous,  and  magnified  not  only  our  struggles  in  the  US  and  what  we  call  South  Africa,  but  the  Guinean Revolution  under  the  leadership  of  Ahmed  Seku  Ture  and  the PDG (Democratic Party of Guinee). Also, Guinee was home to Sister Miriam and Brother Kwame throughout their 10-year marriage.  For  us  to  discuss  the  Anti-Apartheid  movement  and  ignore these  significant  contributions  would  be  the  equivalent  of beginning  the  struggle  for  reparations  with  your  books,  and overlook  the  work  of  Queen  Mother  Moore, Harry Haywood, Imari Obadele,  the PGRNA (Provisional Government of the Republic Of New Afrika), the NOI (Nation Of Islam) and countless others whose blood labor and sweat made it possible  for the issue of Reparations to be discussed  in  every corner of the world today .

Brother  Randall,  I  was  delighted  to  learn  you  were  in  Rufaro stadium  the  night  of  Zimbabwe’s  independence  on April  18, 1980, watching  their  flag  raised  for  the  first  time,  and  jamming to  Bob  Marley  and  the  Wailers  who  performed  at  that momentous  occasion.  I  had  the  honor  of  meeting  the  late Brother  Maynard  Jackson  in  2002  when  I  accompanied  the  former  Zimbabwe  Ambassador  to  the  US,  Dr.  Simbi  Mubako,  to  Atlanta for  a  series  of  activities  organized  by  Brother  Mukasa.  He discussed  how  he  planned  to  return  to  the  US  with  the Zimbabwean  flag  and  how  a  little  boy  pulled  at  his  leg  and asked  for  the flag.  Our  brother  said  he  immediately relinquished  the  flag  to  the  boy  because  on  the  night  of that  country’s  independence  he  was  truly  more  deserving.

Brother  Randall, I  truly  believe  before  any  esteemed  veterans of  the  Anti-Apartheid  movement who has  expressed  displeasure  with how  President  Mugabe  and  ZANU-PF  conduct Zimbabwe’s  political  affairs,  the  conversation  must examine first why they were so  passive  when it came to confronting Reagan for refusing  to  honor  the  agreement  made  at  Lancaster  House negotiated  in  1979  between President Carter and  Prime  Minister and  ZANU and ZAPU. It hurts me to say that in hindsight, it makes the demonstrations in front of the South African embassy look like one big dog and pony show when we also take into consideration that countless drops of blood were shed in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Angola that paved the way for South Africa. The  way I  see this question,  it was  a  combination  of  sentimentality  towards non-violence  and  Cold  War/Red  Scare  flashbacks  that  makes Africans  in  the  US run  in  the  other  direction  when  liberation  movements  who  won  their  independence  taking  up  arms  approach them  in  the  name  of  Pan-African  sisterhood  and  brotherhood.

Brother  Randall,  what  makes  this  strange  is  that even  though  I  am Nigerian, I  have  lived  in  the  US  since  1976,  and  I  have  to say  for  so-called  African  Americans  attacking  the Republicans, it is  just  as  much  of  a tradition  as  eating  Turkey  on Thanksgiving  or watching  fireworks  on the  4th  of  July.  It  is for  this  reason  whether  we  look  at  both  of  Reverend Jackson’s  Presidential  campaigns in  1984  and  1988, or  the Honorable  Minister Louis  Farrakhan’s  World  Friendship  tour  after  the  Million  Man  March, what we discover is that no one in the national spotlight felt the need to push the US Government to honor the Lancaster House Agreement with Zimbabwe. Since many of us have decided  that  patriotism  is determined  by  birth  certificates and  passports  instead  of  culture  and  history, it  would  be wishful  thinking  to have expected a  thorough  investigation of  the  plane  crash  that  took  the  life  of  that  great  son  of  Africa,  Samora  Machel, the President of Mozambique  and  leader  of FRELIMO. I guess if  we aren’t even willing to demand a trial around Dr. King’s assassination, or a retrial around what happened to Malcolm X in the Audubon Ballroom, it would be a stretch politically to make the crashing of Samora Machel’s plane a priority.  Whether  we  realize  it  or  not,  we  have  allowed  the  history  of  Southern  Africa as  a  region  to  be  reduced   to  the  history  of  South  Africa the  country. If  you  decide to respond to my letter,  I humbly request you begin with addressing  this  question first.

Brother  Randall,  if  we  have  learned  anything  at  all about Africa  since  the  anti-colonial  movement  in  the  50s  and  60s, it  is  safe  to  say  that  no  political  or military  force  that  can  contain or suppress  a  popular  uprising.

You stated  that  President  Mugabe  being  in  power for more than  30  years  is  unfortunate,  and  that you  don’t  think he  serves  his  country  as  well  as  he  serves  himself.  Your analysis  implies President Mugabe and  ZANU-PF have betrayed the people  and  revolution. What your statement  actually  reveals  is that you  are, at best, genuinely  misinformed  about  the  positive attributes  of  the  Zimbabwean  Revolution  and  society.  For starters, Zimbabwe  has  a  97%  literacy  rate,  modern  Africa’s  first  woman  Vice  President,  and  women  make  up  65%  of  the  farmers  in the  rural  area  of  the  country.  When  this  information  is exposed, it becomes increasingly difficult  to  make  the  affirmative statement  that  President  Mugabe  is  feathering  his  own  nest.

The Land Reclamation program that  has  been vilified  by  the Western  World  has  given  land  to  350,000  families  in  a country  where  the  average  family  consists  of  six  people.  As we  celebrate  the  100th  anniversary  of  the  ANC,  one  must  ask  why  President  Mugabe  is  greeted  with  thunderous applause  each time  he sets  foot  in  South  Africa.  The answer is simple and plain: 83% of the land is still in the hands of the former Apartheid ruler.

Brother  Randall,  you  used  Julius  Nyerere  in  Tanzania  as  your example  of  one  who  was  the  model  to  follow,  of  one  who came  to  democratic  power, executed  democratic power  and  knew when  to  gracefully  exit.  While  Nyerere  gave  up  the  Presidency in  1985,  he  had  been  in  power  since  1962,  and  since  we  know  that  in  Tanzania,  like in most governments,  the party  is  the main  instrument  of  political  power.  Didn’t  Mwalimu  Nyerere remain  the  chair  of  Chama  Cha  Mapinduzi until his death? We know he  also  handpicked  his successor, but there were no attacks in the West concerning a lack of transparency or democracy in Tanzania.  The other predictable rhetoric from the West is the bash of the one party state in Africa. Can you name the opposition parties in Tanzania? If so good for you because I assure you most people can’t.

As one who is considered by many of your contemporaries as an expert on Southern Africa, I hope you haven’t forgotten that 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the Unity Accord between ZANU and ZAPU, a diplomatic measure that prevented an all-out Civil War in Zimbabwe.  When you combine that with the fact that Zimbabwe is in its third year of an inclusive government that comprises ZANU-PF and both factions of MDC, it completely puts to rest the propaganda angle of the West, which implies that President  Mugabe is a ruthless and inflexible dictator that tramples over all his opposition.

Brother  Randall, your  comments  regarding  the  power  base  of President  Mugabe  and  ZANU-PF  imply  you  question  the authenticity  of  the  electoral  process of  Zimbabwe.  If  that  is the  case,  you  should  have  a  bone  to  pick  with  the  NAACP and  the  Congressional  Black  Caucus.  In  2002,  the  CBC  turned down  an  invitation  from  President  Mugabe  to  come  and  observe the  Presidential  election.  However, the  NAACP  sent  a  delegation to Zimbabwe, returned  to  the  US  and  decided  not  to  publish  their  report after  a  meeting  with  the  US  State  Department.  As
I reflect back on this period, I don’t know which development surprised me more, the NAACP not publishing their report or the CBC turning down a traveling opportunity which would have given them the chance to validate their self-declared slogan that they are “The Conscience of Congress.” When the history of the CBC is written, a significant portion of it should focus on plane tickets and press conferences. The CBC must answer for coming 5 votes short of voting unanimously in favor of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001.  They knew this measure was a cowardly and vindictive response to not only the Land Reclamation Program, but also payback for Operation Sovereign Legitimacy in which the Zimbabwean, Angolan and Namibian militaries prevented a western reinvasion of the Congo to re-establish the Mobutu dynasty in tribute to their favorite military neo-colonialist of all time. That project also represented Madeline Albright, allowing her disciple Susan Rice, who was the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, fly away from the nest and wreak havoc on Mother Africa all by her lonesome.

Brother Randall,  the  most  fascinating  part our  brief  interview was  your opinion  on  the  National  Endowment  for  Democracy  and the International Republican Institute. I enjoyed your analysis of how IRI and NED did everything they could to undermine Democracy in Haiti.  As we witnessed, the Military Industrial Intelligence Police Complex made a paradigm shift from Covert Intelligence and Western Intelligence to organizations such as NED, NDI, USAID and IRI, which are the biggest threats to world peace and stability. It is for that reason no one can understand the relationship of TransAfrica Forum to the Zimbabwe Solidarity Fund, a mechanism where TAF, African Action and a lesser known organization called the Priority For Africa Network, funneling the National Endowment For Democracy money to 14 civil society groups on the ground in Zimbabwe. You made the comment “We don’t serve Africa and the black world’s interest if we decide to give constructive criticism.” It would be interesting to hear you explain what is constructive about TAF establishing and maintaining an alliance with NED and how it helps the situation in Zimbabwe.  On the contrary, what it does is send a message from TAF that Zimbabwe under the leadership of President Mugabe is worse than colonial Rhodesia under Ian Smith.

Whenever the connection between NED and TAF is raised, your leadership, whether it’s James Early, Nicole Lee or Bill Fletcher before he left the organization, become increasingly hostile. They even go as far as to say raising this issue or question makes one an ultra-leftist, as though an antagonistic response will deter us from raising this issue in a public capacity. You could not have been serious when you stated that you are opposed to Western interference in Zimbabwe’s affairs and ignore the fact that the organization you founded has a partnership with NED, who is committed to a pro-Western regime change in Zimbabwe.

I don’t think it was wise for Ms. Lee to testify before Congress sitting next to NED’s leader Carl Gershman and the late Congressman Donald Payne who was on NED’s board for 9 years and TAF’s board as well.  The National Democratic Institute also has a horse in the race because Madeline Albright appointed someone NDI’s director of Southern and Eastern Africa Affairs, as both Susan and Condoleeza Rice demonstrate, if you are politically breastfed by Ms. Albright, the two words that immediately come to mind are sour milk.  Since MDC was created by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, and the money was funneled through the trade union Prime Minister Tsvangirai led called ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unionists).  This is what prompted Mr. Fletcher to always say TAF was aligned with the Trade Unionists in Zimbabwe, as though people were not intelligent enough to see that ZCTU and MDC were one in the same.

The challenge that none of President Mugabe’s detractors in the West want to step up and accept is to identify genuine opposition to ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe.  To be specific, a legitimate political force that is not fed and clothed by Madeline Albright, Carl Gershman or George Soros. I had to include Mr. Soros in the mix because The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition comprises 350 civil society groups that are financed by Mr. Soros who believes he can do to President Mugabe and ZANU-PF what he did to the Communist Parties in Poland and Hungary. It is interesting that TAF had nothing to say about the Chair and Executive Director of Global Fund, Richard Feacham of Britain, and the Former US Secretary of Health, Tommy Thompson, denying Zimbabwe’s applications in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th round this century, which exposes that they were using humanitarian aid as a political weapon.  In case you didn’t know, Zimbabwe had had the most significant decline in HIV-AIDS cases this century. Who would have thought that the former Director of UNICEF, Carol Bellamy, would raise this contradiction before TAF? She called this persecution of the poor.

Brother Randall, on the question of the sanctions you said “I haven’t decided on that yet.” If 11 years have passed since President Bush and Congressman Payne pushed this measure and you have yet to open your mouth about it, your silence speaks volumes.

 On the question of listening to SADC (South African Development Community) and the AU (African Union) you stated that we shouldn’t be lock fed because the AU opposes these sanctions.  You also said our analysis should be independent. That point of view reminded me of the statement that the iconic Dr. W.E.B. DuBois made in Peking on his 91st Birthday, “I once thought of you Africans as children whom we educated Afro-Americans would lead to liberty.  I was wrong.  We could not even lead ourselves, much less you.  Today I see you rising under your own leadership guided by your own brains.” When I had the honor of meeting President Mugabe for the first time in 2003 he said to me his main criticism of so-called African Americans is when it comes to analyzing political developments on the continent, we pay too much attention to assassinations and coups and ignore the dynamics that made a leader and country vulnerable enough to be overthrown in the first place.  After that he discussed the US-EU alliance thinking the time to carry out a regime change was most opportune, because with Mkapa Chissano, Nujoma, Mandela and Kaunda all leaving office, the in-coming heads of state would accept this agenda lock stock and barrel.

Brother Randall, another interesting dynamic concerning the Zimbabwe question is how you, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the one and only Madiba Nelson Mandela have all taken the concept of strange bedfellows to new unprecedented heights. After Archbishop Tutu received the W. Avrell Herriman Award from the National Democratic Institute, he stated that on the question of Zimbabwe, a military option should not be ruled out. During this same time period the Elders group which Madiba Mandela and Archbishop Tutu are a part of attempted to force their way into Zimbabwe claiming to be on a fact finding mission. They were politely informed by Zimbabwe’s Foreign Ministry that in order to enter the country under the guise and auspices of such a mission they was a certain protocol that had to honored, the group their attacks from South Africa.

When the Elders Group first started out they received a financial gift to the tune of $18 million dollars Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire and owner of Virgin Airlines.  This publicity stunt wasn’t too far removed from Madiba Mandela’s birthday party where he stated there was a tragic absence of leadership in Zimbabwe. What is equally as puzzling as the relationship between TAF and NED is how Madiba Mandela and Archbishop Tutu are comfortable working with former US President Jimmy Carter to impose their will on the Zimbabwean people and government. Because Africans are used to white liberals making both spectacles and fools of themselves, there is no need to ask Mr. Carter why over 30 years of silence concerning Reagan sabotaging the Lancaster House Agreement, he out of nowhere decided to weigh in on the situation.

Every time SADC has been challenged on Zimbabwe this century they passed the test with flying colors, whether we look at Zambia’s late President Mwanasasa telling Gordon Brown if President Mugabe didn’t come to the EU-Africa summit no Southern African nation would attend.

The US-EU alliance has also taken lumps at the UN concerning Zimbabwe, their efforts to block Zimbabwe from chairing the Committee For Sustainable Development.  They also tried to get Zimbabwe to accept LDC (Least Developed Country) status. The most considerable victory was when the US-EU alliance attempted to get the UN Security Council to impose an additional measure of sanctions on Zimbabwe, only to see China and Russia veto this feeble and cowardly measure.

Lastly, in terms of the will of the people, a petition that has nearly 3 million signatures of everyday Zimbabweans, representing all 3 political parties calling for the lifting of sanctions has been completed on the ground. I wonder if President Mugabe and ZANU-PF’s biggest detractors will claim people signed the petition because of intimidation and fear for their lives.

Why doesn’t TAF try to get the civil society groups where NED money is funneled to circulate a petition that states lack of transparency and human rights has caused more problems in Zimbabwe than US-EU sanctions? Do you think nearly 3 million Zimbabweans will sign on? We are not psychics but the excuse would be they feared for their lives.

Since Zimbabwe now has 25% of the World’s diamond reserves, the London and Washington based NGO has given Zimbabwe the distinction of becoming the first nation in Africa to be accused of blood and conflict diamonds, where no war or full scale military conflict is taking place. You said in Cuba the US- imposed blockade has done much more damage than US-EU sanctions have done in Zimbabwe. President Mugabe agrees with you and this is why every year at the UN General Assembly he raises the fact the US blockade on Cuba has cost them nearly 100 billion dollars. If you think US policy on Cuba is shameful and we should stand with Cuba because Africans have benefited from the revolution, in particular free health and education, I wonder if these means one is implying that Zimbabwe’s success in the field of education, land and mining empowerment, and women’s empowerment are grossly exaggerated figures. As Zimbabwe prepares for elections, which the opposition (not President Mugabe and ZANU-PF) have been delaying, please ask TAF staff not to give reports to the Washington Post claiming high level ZANU-PF officials told them they would do anything to hold on to power. In case you are not aware that’s exactly what Imani Countess did four years ago, and when she was asked to submit the name of the individual she refused.

 I want to end by saying it was a pleasure spending time with you in Selma.  Maybe we will be fighting side by side to defend the honor of sovereignty in Zimbabwe.

One Unified African People,

One Unified Liberated Zimbabwe,

One Unified Socialist Africa,

One Unified Socialist Planet,

Obi Egbuna, Jr.

US Correspondent to The Herald

Organizer, Zimbabwe Cuba Friendship Association