Business, Church blast sanctions

Victor Maphosa Herald Correspondent
The Indigenous Business Development Centre (IBDC) has condemned the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States as “grossly iniquitous” and none selective in their impact on the populace in general and the business community in particular.

IBDC secretary-general Mr Bobby Chivaviro, in a statement, said the renewal of the illegal sanctions exposed the United States’ double standards.

“The Zimbabwean economy is being stifled at a time when every effort is required to get the country back on track after many years of the same sanctions. The business community is facing very extreme operating environment due to among other things undue pressures from the United States,” he said.

“Government cannot be left alone in its fight against these forces of regression and indeed his Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa is doing the best he can to lobby the international community to re-engage Zimbabwe yet this American policy on Zimbabwe tends to deflate even the best intentioned countries.

“The IBDC has resolved to lobby America’s black business community, black caucus in Congress, to impress upon the United States Government the need to immediately reverse the resolution and ensure a return to normal relations.”

He said it was time to move on and find each other in seeking solutions for the development of Zimbabwe and Africa.

“We must in all intents depart from the rhetoric and name calling of the past administrations and urge both governments to seek dialogue without conditions so Zimbabwe and Africa can prosper,” he said.

UK-based businessman and Nottingham International Business ambassador Mr Trusty Gushure, who has started a petition against sanctions, said they were designed to collapse the country’s economy.

“A delegation of my organisation has just returned to the United Kingdom from Zimbabwe following a couple of months of travel around the country, and it is safe to say we experienced the havoc and impact of these sanctions on Zimbabwe. Sanctions are   a crime against humanity and in the case of Zimbabwe should be now, not tomorrow or in a fortnight,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Council of Churches on Friday handed over petitions calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe to the United States and British embassies and the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe.

The council gave the embassies and the EU delegation a 21-day ultimatum to respond to their petitions.

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