“The EU shouldn’t be ordered about by Mugabe and not wait any longer to impose smart sanctions” stated by Wiep Bassie, co-ordinator for Zimbabwe Watch, a co-operation between the Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa (NiZA) and seven other Dutch organisations, which are concerned with the situation in Zimbabwe.
De European Union decided January 28th that they would impose sanctions unless Zimbabwe would invite election-observers by February 3, give access to international press, and restrain the political violence against the opposition. The fifth day after this deadlines the admittance of the election observers is still not arranged. There are no promises that foreign journalists can safely visit the country, and the political violence has never been worse.
Zimbabwe Watch co-ordinator Wiep Bassie: “That Mugabe is not keeping his promises is not a big surprise. Last year Zimbabwe agreed upon keeping free and fair elections. Otherwise measures against him would be imposed, according to Article 96 of the Cotonou agreement. The president however ignored every agreement. With his promises he tries to put off these sanctions against his regime.”
Smart sanction would mean that his and 20 of his nearest ZANU-PF associates’ assets and foreign bank account would be frozen. Furthermore he will be banned from travelling in the European Union. Finally these sanctions would end the export of arms to the country.
These sanctions are necessary to end Mugabe’s dictatorial behaviour. In the running up to the presidential elections on 9 and 10 March he is acting more and more as a despot. So called ‘war veterans’ en youth militias intimidate, torture and murder members of the opposition. Mugabe kills the independent media by making it punishable to criticise the president and the government.
Wiep Bassie, co-ordinator for Zimbabwe Watch, a co-operation between the Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa (NiZA) and seven other Dutch organisations, which are concerned with the situation in Zimbabwe.
