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afrol News, 20 February - Even in Europe, discussions are widespread whether it was a wise step to withdraw all election observers and impose soft sanctions on Zimbabwe shortly before the presidential elections. It might even help President Mugabe win the elections scheduled for 9 and 10 March, some argue. The 15 ministers of foreign affairs of the European Union had met on Monday after its election representative to Zimbabwe, Pierre Schori, had been expelled. Yesterday, the EU informed it was to "close the consultations between the EU and the Government of Zimbabwe, to impose sanctions against the country's ruling elite and to withdraw all the European observers who had travelled to Harare to follow the electoral process leading up to the elections." The "smart sanctions" by the EU are to hit against the Zimbabwean ruling elite, defined as President Mugabe and 19 of his closest collaborators, including the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Stan Mudenge; of Information, Jonathan Moyo; of Justice, Patrick Chinamasa; and of Defence, Sidney Sekeramayi. These will be denied to travel to the EU and have their bank accounts and other assets in the EU frozen. Further, weapon exports and development aid is banned - only emergency aid may still be granted Zimbabwe. The US government has decided to impose the same sanctions, spokesman Richard Boucher said yesterday. The sanctions however need to be approved by President George W. Bush - currently travelling in the Far East - before they can take effect. "We're moving rapidly toward the final implementation of that plan but I don't have a formal announcement," Boucher said in Washington. EU doubts The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hubert Védrine, clearly opposed the majority view, saying the EU should wait to impose sanctions until after the elections, as no African countries supported these actions. Further, imposing sanctions and withdrawing observers could only strengthen President Mugabe at this point. "We should not help him winning the elections," the Danish Foreign Minister agreed. Pressure by the British government - already humiliated by the refusal of the Commonwealth to impose sanctions - however gained the upper hand. The recent broken promises by the Zimbabwean government - including the expulsion of EU coordinator Schori and rejecting the applications for accreditation by foreign media to cover the elections - gave weight to UK minister Jack Straw's allegations, that it was proven that Mugabe's promises of free elections were "entirely bogus." It was however noted that the countries associated to the EU did not go along with the Union's sanctions, as they usually do in such cases. EU associate Norway, for example, yesterday announced it would not impose sanctions and was to try to have its number of election observers increased from the present four. Observers believe this seldom "unilateral" move by Norway - which already last year cut its aid to Zimbabwe - was made in agreement with the EU, to assure some European observers remained in the country. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed it would seek to coordinate its observers with the Commonwealth's observers, but if they were not to "obtain proper working conditions," they would also consider withdrawing.
Africa disagrees South Africa was to send more election observers and to "spare neither strength nor effort in assisting the people of Zimbabwe to create a climate conducive to free and fair elections." South Africa, Southern African Development Community (SADC) and OAU observers were further to "add to the momentum of creating a climate for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe." Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa today vigorously criticised the EU decision to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe, saying the action equated to "Berlin Conference of 1884, where Africa was divided," according to Tanzanian newspapers. "This is neo-colonialism and economic colonialism," said President Mkapa, addressing a public rally in northern Kilimanjaro. Also Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo found himself surprised by the EU and US moves. He asked what the democratic principles were, that Mugabe was "flagrantly abusing." Obasanjo reminded the Europeans and Americans that President actually was allowing for multi-party elections to be held and that he had "asked for observers from all over the world to come." Even Amnesty International held the withdrawal of EU observers might only "send the wrong signal" and "encourage further violations." The human rights group fears the situation already has grown worse due to the EU withdrawal, referring to the storming of the Harare headquarters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The riot police had even assisted in the attacks on the building. The attack on the MDC staff members in Harare "exemplifies the pattern in which partisan policing is involved in assaults on opposition supporters by ruling party militia or arbitrary arrests by police officers," Amnesty said yesterday. The group appealed to the other remaining observation teams to send a larger number of observers to make up for the absence of the EU. The Zimbabwean government condemns the EU sanctions strongly. Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said; "It is very clear that what we are now dealing with is organised economic terrorism whose aim is clear and is to unseat a legitimately elected government, which has decided to defend its national independence and national sovereignty." The opposition MDC welcomed the sanctions, although stating they come too late and are too mild to have any influence on the election.
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