RSS 2.0 FeedFebruary 2010 Vol 3, National News
Mutambara Blasts PM Over Sanctions
Harare — DEPUTY Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara yesterday criticised Prime Minister Tsvangirai and British Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary David Miliband over their handling of the removal of the illegal economic sanctions on Zimbabwe reports the Herald, a Zimbabwe government mouthpiece.
Harare — DEPUTY Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara yesterday criticised Prime Minister Tsvangirai and British Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary David Miliband over their handling of the removal of the illegal economic sanctions on Zimbabwe.
In apparent reference to PM Tsvangirai, DPM Mutambara likened calling the sanctions "restrictive measures" to hiding behind a finger.
"It is nonsensical to call them restrictive measures, these are sanctions and they must go, not today, not tomorrow but yesterday. The phrase 'restrictive measures' is nonsense, let us stop it," he said.
DPM Mutambara said this while addressing Miss Tourism Zimbabwe finalists at a local hotel after journalists quizzed him on the sanctions issue. Mr Miliband, last week, revealed that the British government was waiting for direction from the MDC on how to proceed on the issue of sanctions.
Turning to PM Tsvangirai's recent suggestion that "some of the sanctions" be removed, DPM Mutambara said no aspect of the embargo should be maintained.
"At the moment and time of the history of this country, there is no justification for any sanctions. They must be removed in full. It is like a woman who says I am half-pregnant. No! There is no half-pregnancy; either you are pregnant or not. So to suggest that some of the sanctions be removed is to say, we are half-pregnant. When we joined the GPA, we got into a marriage and we got pregnant, I don't' know by what means, but we are not half-pregnant," DPM Mutamabara said.
He added: "President Mugabe, Tsvangirai and yours truly entered into an agreement to chart the way forward for our country. It is a journey to the Promised Land and to prosperity and sanctions are a major impediment." He said the 40 companies put under sanctions employed Zimbabweans and not Britons or Americans.
"The sanctions are hurting our people who are employed by these 40 companies. These are Zimbabweans," he said.
The sanctions, however, do not only relate to companies but also cut Zimbabwe's lines of credit from all multilateral lending institutions with dealings with the United States and the European Union.
