US magazine lays into Tsvangirai

THE choice Zimbabweans face at the elections is a simple one, continue on the path of revolution and true independence espoused by Zanu-PF or regress to the counter-revolutionary politics of puppetry in the MDC-T, the leading American left-wing magazine, Counterpunch, has said.

In an article titled 'Zimbabwe: The Revolution Continues" published in its June edition, Counterpunch magazine's Eric Draitser said under President Mugabe's leadership Zimbabwe had managed to maintain its independence despite spirited efforts by Western powers to destabilise the country and slammed Tsvangirai's policy of western appeasement.

"The coming elections in Zimbabwe are no mere referendum on the leadership of the coalition government. Instead, the decision before Zimbabweans is a clear one: continue on the revolutionary path of Mugabe and Zanu-PF or follow Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T and their pro-US, neoliberal economic agenda.

"While much of Africa has been turned into a chaotic, war-ravaged continent stuck in the destructive cycles of violence, terrorism, and dependence on imperial powers, Zimbabwe has managed to maintain the fierce independence and commitment to revolution espoused by President Mugabe stretching all the way back to the post-colonial liberation struggle," he said.

Draitser said the fast track land reform programme was the reason imperial powers imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe.

"It was precisely this policy shift that earned Mugabe the ire of the imperial powers, particularly the British, which then sought to punish Mugabe and the people of Zimbabwe by instituting crippling sanctions that destroyed the Zimbabwean economy," Draitser said.

Over 300 000 households were resettled on land formerly owned by 6 000 white commercial farmers and have done well despite shortages of resources and long term financing that are a result of the illegal sanctions.

"This incredible accomplishment of land redistribution has far-reaching implications for the people of Zimbabwe.

"Not only are they finally able to enjoy the fruits of their revolution, but they have charted a course of self-sufficiency that allows the country and its elected officials to be less dependent on foreign powers, giving them a greater degree of autonomy in political and economic matters. However, the significance of the land redistribution goes much further than simply its impact on the people of Zimbabwe. The successful redistribution of land provides a "dangerous" model for other African nations still struggling with the legacy of colonial rule," he said.

He added that other policies adopted by Zimbabwe like the indigenisation programme have also riled most Western nations who view Africa's resources as theirs to exploit.

"Perhaps one of the most shocking to financiers and capitalists in the West was the decision to nationalise the mining sector, as the Government took majority stakes in most mining companies operating in the country.

"Naturally, this was yet another slap in the face to corporate interests that saw in Zimbabwe yet another African cash cow to be milked dry. The imperialist mentality in Africa views the resources as belonging to white Europeans and Americans rather than the people of Africa.

"This fundamental divide is what distinguishes Mugabe and Zanu-PF from many other leaders in Africa who, at every turn, grovel at the feet of their former oppressors," he said.

Draitser took a swipe at Tsvangirai and the MDC-T for their subservience to corporate imperial power and their intentions to reverse the gains made by Zimbabweans under President Mugabe's rule.

"In 2011, as the land redistribution and indigenisation programs were beginning to take root, Tsvangirai stated publicly that, "We don't support grabbing property and seizing companies. We support a process of willing seller, willing buyer."

This revealing statement illustrates clearly the degree to which Tsvangirai and MDC-T represent the interests of the British and the imperial-corporate powers who themselves created the "willing seller, willing buyer" concept in the Lancaster House Agreement.

"Essentially then, when Tsvangirai speaks it is the voice of London, Washington and Wall Street," Draitser said.

He said even cables released by WikiLeaks showed that Tsvangirai is against the interests of Zimbabwe by privately urging the US to maintain sanctions on Zimbabwe while speaking against them in public.

"The intimate relationship between the MDC-T and US intelligence illustrates the degree to which Tsvangirai is not merely compromised but, in many ways, an outright agent of the United States and the other imperial powers.

The MDC-T would seek to transform Zimbabwe into little more than another compliant African client state where the needs of the poor majority would be trumped by the power of the wealthy minority serving the needs of multi-national corporations," he said.

He added that the MDC-T is a counter-revolutionary movement specifically designed to destroy the tremendous gains made by Zanu-PF and Mugabe since liberation.

Draitser said the Western nations had already started their destabilisation efforts by already discrediting the harmonised elections even before they are held to foment civil strife.

Such a strategy, he said had been adopted in such countries like Venezuela and Iran where the Western nations have interests.

He urged Zimbabweans to remain vigilant as the imperial powers would seek to destabilise the country in the event that the MDC-T lose the elections.