EU's duplicity exposed

The European Union spokesperson, Catherine Ray, announced on Tuesday that they were easing the travel ban imposed against President Robert Mugabe in 2002 for a year to allow the African statesman, who assumed chairmanship of the African Union (AU) recently to travel in Europe in his capacity as AU chair.

Following this proclamation, the European Union delegation in Harare attempted fruitlessly to refute the suspension of the travel restrictions.

The nameless spokesperson of the delegation was quoted in the media saying there was no decision taken on lifting the measures against President Mugabe. The spokesperson reportedly said the decision would be taken on 20 February 2015. He or She further said that Ray was simply referring to Article 3.2-4 of the EU Council, which allows for the lifting of travel bans on persons under travel measures under specific circumstances.

The lifting of the travel ban on President Mugabe must have knocked the socks off that spokesperson. He or She never imagined that this would ever happen during his or her tenure at the mission. This is more so with the brief they obviously received when coming here to consolidate the regime change efforts. Thus, he must have said this while smarting from that shock. How could he deny that the sun rises from the east?

Whatever the case, Zimbabweans have made their statement. The sanctions must be removed in entirety.  Zimbabweans and Africans in general, save for some western pawns, have described the lifting of the travel ban as trivial and inconsequential.

The EU imposed the illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe and its leadership in 2002 with the hope that they would inspire a regime change. More than a decade now, the sanctions have proved ineffective and instead, the targeted revolutionary icon and his party have become more formidable.

They tried to scupper the ascension of Cde Mugabe to AU chairmanship on the pretext that he was on the sanctions. Ironically, AU does not recognise the illegal sanctions. Africa has a strong conviction that the sun rises and sets on President Mugabe, thus they elected him against the EU's spirited opposition.

It is then that the EU must have realised that the illegal sanctions were unrewarding. As ‘big brothers,' they cannot easily swallow their pride and admit that they have failed in the regime change project. The AU chairmanship has only provided them with a cover to make an about face. However, the EU can salvage modicum esteem by eating a humble pie and remove the sanctions in toto.

Other countries from the east are enjoying good trade relations with Zimbabwe while the EU maintains its useless sanctions. As a result, these countries especially China, now have bigger economies than those of the EU member states.
Some member states have realised that they are losing out because of the sanctions that will never benefit them. Thus, they are exerting pressure on the bloc to remove the sanctions. They have realised that maintaining sanctions is a wild goose chase.

Belgium for instance, has since called for the removal of sanctions on state-run Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC). This put it at odds with countries such as Britain. It was, however, rewarding as the Zimbabwe diamonds were auctioned at its Antwerp World Diamond Centre in Belgium.

Last month, Zimbabwe received a high profile French business delegation that is seeking to explore business opportunities. Obviously, such countries want the sanctions removed.

Zimbabwe had a life before the lifting of the travel ban. We survived for 13 years under these evil sanctions that cost us US$42 billion in revenue loss. Whether they lift the travel ban or not, life will go on for Zimbabwe and its revered President. The President himself holds this view.

"What the West will say or do is not my business. My business is to ensure the decisions we take here are implemented. My concern is on uplifting the life of our people, giving them something that will raise their standard of living," President Mugabe told journalists in Addis Ababa.

Indeed that is his concern. He is not concerned about whether the travel ban is lifted for a year or remains in place.

The lifting of the travel ban also exposes the duplicity of the EU. The EU used to tell the world that it only imposed restrictions on targeted individuals. It refused to accept that it slapped the sanctions on the country as a whole.

If the restrictions were targeted on President Mugabe as it were, the EU should have invoked Article 3.2-4 whenever the President Mugabe wanted to travel on his country's business. One would expect that the ban could only apply when President Mugabe is on his personal business.

The ban is lifted when he is travelling on AU business, but not when he is travelling on Zimbabwe business. This exposes their denial that they imposed indiscriminate sanctions on Zimbabwe. The EU's sanctions were meant to hurt the ordinary Zimbabweans. If not, one then wonders why the travel ban is not eased when President Mugabe is travelling on his country's business.