SADC concerned over threatened US sanctions

Southern African leaders appeared ready on Monday to rally around Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe against threatened US sanctions. In an opening address to the heads of state of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community gathered in Namibia on Sunday, SADC chairman and President of Mozambique Joaquim Chissano said detractors were trying to humiliate those who brought freedom and independence to their countries. “We cannot in SADC condone these views. We are the democrats and we want democracy to work according to the will of the people in each of our countries,” he said in unscripted remarks which reportedly drew applause from the summit. SADC ministers at the weekend echoed Zimbabwe’s concerns over threatened US sanctions contained in a ‘pro-democracy’ bill passed by the US Senate in June and to be considered by the House of Representatives. Support for Zimbabwe, a key southern African power, is likely to be taken up by the summit on Monday, despite the regional impact of the country’s political and economic crisis. The Zimbabwe Democracy Act 2000 Bill bans US aid to Harare and any debt cancellation. It also instructs US representatives to multinational financial institutions to vote against any assistance to the government “except for assistance to meet basic human needs and good governance”. The bill charges that “deliberate and systematic violence, intimidation, and killings have been orchestrated and supported by the government of Zimbabwe and the ruling ZANU-PF party against members, sympathisers, and supporters of the democratic opposition, farmers, and employees.” It adds that the crisis in Zimbabwe is exacerbated by its military involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). “Those resources could finance equitable and transparent land reform, other programmes to promote economic growth” and what the bill describes as the “spread and effects of the world’s highest HIV infection rate”. The bill, sponsored by Senators William Frist, Jessie Helms and Russell Feingold, states that among the conditions for the restoration of aid are: A return to the rule of law, including “respect for ownership and title to property” held before 1 January, a commitment to an “equitable” and “transparent” land reform programme administered by an independent non-governmental body and involving “market-based compensation to sellers”, and “good faith efforts towards an expeditious” military withdrawal from the DRC. The bill also pledges US $16 million for support to “democratic institutions and the rule of law” which includes individuals and organisations challenging restrictions to free speech and association as well as election results. US embassy spokesman in Zimbabwe Bruce Wharton told IRIN: “It’s a carrot and stick approach to withhold funding for government and provide assistance to democratic forces ... The purpose of the bill as framed by its drafters is to encourage the development of democracy in Zimbabwe.” But in comments reported by the ‘Zimbabwe Independent’ on Friday before leaving for Namibia, Foreign Minister Stan Mudenge said: “It’s a bad bill. It’s really dangerous ... The Americans want to make Zimbabwe their protectorate ... SADC will be directly affected by the sanctions which the US wants to impose on Zimbabwe.” The draft bill can be viewed at: http://www.senate.gov/