Page 42 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 29
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Leadership
shortages of qualified medical staff due to brain government officials - who included the
drain caused by displacement. Right now President, his Vice, ministers, his wife, business
Zimbabwe has the highest cancer death rate in people, and three companies - meant the
the world at 144 deaths per 100 000 people perpetuation of U.S. impunity.
according to the World Health Organisation.
Nevertheless, it was clear that the lifting of
After this extensive advocacy by ZASM and sanctions, while significant, was only the first
other organisations, and the thorough assessment step in addressing the long-term damage inflicted
by the U.S. government’s own Congress on our nation. With the sanctions lifted, the U.S.
subcommittee, it was recommended by U.S. government has begun an extensive propaganda
advisors that the sanctions on Zimbabwe be campaign over the past month of May 2024, to
lifted. The subcommittee’s findings highlighted convince the Zimbabwean people that its twenty-
the severe deprivation and human rights three years of sanctions were not targeted at the
violations caused by the sanctions, which led 16 million people. For us, this is a clear attempt
them to conclude that their continuation was by the U.S. government to escape culpability for
unjustifiable. Consequently, on April 4, 2024, the collectively punishing, persecuting, killing, and
United States President and government were underdeveloping the Zimbabwean people for the
pressured to lift the executive order sanctions on past 23 years, as they know that the people they
Zimbabwe. collectively punished, are entitled to reparations
for their gross human rights violations.
In the statement made by Joe Biden when
removing the sanctions, he stated that they were Our focus now, as ZASM, has shifted to seeking
removing the executive order sanctions and the reparations for the suffering endured by the
Zimbabwe Sanctions Program to “refocus” the Zimbabwean people. The legal and moral basis
sanctions “away from the people of Zimbabwe, to for this pursuit is grounded in international
target specifically those who violate human human rights laws, specifically the principle of
rights.” This statement was exceptionally the Right to Remedy and Reparations for Gross
damning for the U.S., as they were openly Human Rights Violations, as recognized by the
admitting that the Zimbabwean Sanctions International Court of Justice. The Zimbabwe
Program can no longer continue because it was Anti-Sanctions Movement, in collaboration with
affecting Zimbabwean citizens and therefore a coalition of international lawyers, is preparing
needs to be “refocused.” to take legal action to demand reparations.
This decision was met with widespread relief and These reparations are essential not only for
cautious optimism among the Zimbabwean acknowledging and addressing past injustices but
populace. However, the fact that the U.S. also for providing the resources necessary to
government then went on to impose rebuild our nation and ensure a better future for
extrajudicially and extraterritorially the Global all Zimbabweans. I invite all of you to join us in
Magnitsky Act sanctions on eight Zimbabwean our fight for justice and reparations. Stand with
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