Dr Matsanga ... 'Why do these sanctions remain in place unchanged?'

By Rajasinghe Bandara, CJA-UK member

London-based journalist and lobbyist Dr David Nyekorach-Matsanga has filed an application with the General Court of Justice of the European Union, seeking that the sanctions against Zimbabwe be declared illegal and lifted immediately.

The Uganda-born, now British, Dr Matsanga briefed journalists in central London, hours after filing his application in Brussels on 24 April, criticizing the West and international organizations for not having eased or lifted any sanctions after the Government of National Unity was formed in 2009.

Until 2000, Zimbabwe was known as ‘the breadbasket of Africa’, exporting wheat, tobacco, and corn to the rest of the continent and beyond. Zimbabwe contains the most fertile farmland on the continent and until recently was one of the greatest tourist attractions, home of Victoria Falls, one the seven natural wonders of the world, and numerous game reserves, now nearly emptied by poachers and starving rural people.

Dr Matsanga said: “Because of the Western sanctions against the regime, Zimbabwe cannot sell its precious diamonds; and innocent people of the country are dying from hunger and deadly diseases like cholera. Yet, the minister of health cannot travel abroad to seek help from the world for the people.”  

He continued: “The unity government has the support from the vast majority of people. Despite forming the Unity Government with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, not a single sanction has been removed. Not a single goodwill approach has been given. Africa needs to stand up now. Why these sanctions? Why do they continue to kill people? Why do these sanctions remain in place unchanged?

“It is in the Western interest of regime change. What is the fate of Iraq? What is the fate of Libya? They were wealthy nations; now people have to beg for food, beg for jobs. Unemployed Libyans with arms might go to the Mediterranean Sea as pirates when they do not have food to eat and jobs to do. The West, including Britain, wants to remove President Mugabe from power. But they failed to remove Mugabe.”

He added: “Think of the unity government; President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF represents nearly 51% of the voters and his rival Morgan Tsvangirai’s party, The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) represents 49%. If the West supports democracy why do they still need sanctions? Their ally Morgan Tsvangirai is travelling around the world begging help. He has not been able persuade the West to remove even a single sanction.”

He criticized the West’s sanctions pioneered by the United States as a ‘killing machine of innocent people’ while defending President Mugabe’s political leadership.

In his application to the EU General Court of Justice he has named the EU member states, including Great Britain, France, Germany and Belgium, as dependents. He also named multilateral lending agencies including the International Monitory Fund, World Bank and Africa Development Bank, the UN, and other individual countries such as Norway and Australia.

Dr Matsanga’s application also seeks to have international travel bans against some Zimbabwe officials annulled and for Zimbabwe to be given compensation against economic loss suffered because of sanctions.

To read Dr Matsanga’s full application to the court, visit his web site at http://africaworldmedia.com