Page 21 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 32
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Leadership
parastatals, financial institutions, and any For Zimbabwe and SADC, Trump will
entities conducting business with them. This be preoccupied with Israel and Ukraine,
economic coercion contributed to Zimbabwe’s presenting a strategic window of opportunity.
acceptance of a government of national unity Therefore, the region should leverage the
(GNU), which led to the 2013 Constitution Congressional and the UN Human Rights
mandating compensation of white farmers for Council reports on Zimbabwe sanctions, by
improvements made on sequestrated land. submitting a formal demand for reparations
to the U.S. Congress, the Department of
Then, in the 2013 election, ZANU-PF secured State, and the President, for the sanctions that
a two-thirds majority which kicked the brought deaths (genocide: they deliberately
opposition out of government. In response, in killed a part of our people -over a million
2018, Republican President, Donald Trump, people) and human rights violations
amended ZDERA and extended the previous (depriving of basic services and displacement
executive orders, to maintain sanctions on of over 3 million refugees) upon Zimbabwean
Zimbabwe. civilians and the region.
May 2021, a Democratic Congresswoman, The demand should make clear that if the
chairing the Subcommittee on Human Rights, U.S. does not address these crimes against
Health, and Organization, conducted a human SADC civilians, they will take the case to the
rights impact assessment on U.S. sanctions International Court of Justice (ICJ). At a time
on Zimbabwe, as requested by ZASM. This when the U.S. is seeking to bolster its position
assessment concluded that U.S. sanctions were and western rules based system to offset
depriving Zimbabwean civilians of healthcare BRICS, the last thing it needs is an ICJ ruling
and other basic human rights. Based on this, against it for crimes against humanity.
the Subcommittee issued a report to Democrat
President, Joe Biden, urging him to lift the In addition, those listed under Magnitsky
sanctions which were violating human rights, sanctions imposed on 11 designated nationals
if not perpetuating crimes against humanity, in by Biden on the 4th of March, 2024 when
Zimbabwe. he removed the executive orders, should file
petitions with the Office of Foreign Assets
On March 4, 2024, President Biden finally Control (OFAC) to be removed from sanctions
lifted sanctions on Zimbabwe, influenced by that punish them without trial. Zimbabwe and
the Congress subcommittee’s human rights its SADC partners have this one window to
impact assessment report, the September 2022 press the U.S. to honor its role as a defender
UN Human Rights Council’s report on the of human rights, before Trump settles down.
negative impact of sanctions on Zimbabwe
and the March 2022 case: ZASM vs South The U.S. has pressing challenges that depend
African and U.S. banks, the US President and on it preserving its image as a global human
others in South African court. rights protector to prevent its rules based
system collapsing. This moment offers an
In my view, a Trump victory would likely opportunity to urge the U.S. to reaffirm its
have minimal impact on Zimbabwean commitment of being a champion for human
sanctions because the same Congress that rights by addressing reparations and restoring
once requested Bush to impose executive humanity of Zimbabweans that were eroded
sanctions through ZDERA, requested their by illegal sanctions.
removal, citing violations of civilian human
rights.
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