Opinion / Columnist
Sanctions the ultimate disaster
28 Mar 2019 at 23:34hrs | Views
On Wednesday March 20, The Washington Post published an article written by Tatenda Chitagu, Paul Schemm and Siobhan O. Grady entitled; "It was too late . . . Hundreds are dead as rescue efforts stall in Mozambique and Zimbabwe" in light of the Cyclone Idai disaster.
While millions of everyday sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi are emotionally devastated, by the death of their children, parents, grandparents and countless loved ones, the last thing they need is to watch the US-EU media imperialist apparatus attempt to politicise a natural disaster.
In the article published in The Washington Post, the Minister of Local Government July Moyo is quoted as saying "If we closed schools, we would have saved lives".
The article shared two additional quotes from Minister Moyo; "We understand there are bodies which are floating" and "some are floating all the way into Mozambique".
The article then turns its attention to a Zimbabwean mother Nyevero Sinyabuwe who had two children killed when a boulder rolled on top of their hut in a Ngangu township, the next comment by Sinyabuwe was that many Zimbabweans directly affected by Cyclone Idai, were forced to flee their homes and leave the dead behind.
Sinyabuwe also added her children are among those whose bodies may never be recovered and many others may now be buried in mass graves.
Minister Moyo's insightful analysis and emphasis on sanctions, put not only US-EU Imperialism on notice, but our sisters and brothers at home and abroad who are in panic mode because of a natural disaster, but have yet to realise living under sanctions 24/7 for 18 years is even worse.
The article began by discussing how students at the St. Charles Lwanga School huddled in classrooms and their dining hall waiting to be rescued, mourning two of their classmates and a security guard whose lives were claimed by Cyclone Idai.
The article highlights how boulders are blocking roads in Zimbabwe and how people walked for miles with corpses of their loved ones, and fellow citizens until they reached destinations not compromised by Cyclone Idai.
This account while short and immediate, captured the wicked nature of a newspaper, which is one of the main lighting rods of the US-EU media imperialist apparatus. Because Minister Moyo is very close to President Mnangagwa, this explains why a newspaper still seething with anger concerning the outcome of last year's Presidential elections, would not hesitate to make him look not only grossly incompetent and bewildered, but as a hapless observer completely disengaged from the current environmental crisis.
If Zimbabwe had a neo-colonialist government, Minister Moyo would be all over CNN, BBC and the Voice of America with Don Lemon, Chris Cuomo draping all over them pleading with their viewers to help the people of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi.
Lemon and Cuomo might actually welcome the opportunity, primarily because they have run out of angles to discuss Jussie Smolett, R. Kelly and the children of the wealthy and affluent exercising privilege, in order to force their spoiled brats into colleges and universities.
Those who still believe in objective journalistic standards and integrity are more than likely wondering if Minister Moyo shared how his ministry was addressing the situation, and if so why The Washington Post chose not to share it instead of presenting a narrative of doom and gloom.
For all who are curious, the usual suspects IE Humanity and Inclusion, Catholic Relief Services, The Association for the Children of Mozambique, Joint Aid Management, UN International Disaster Relief System, Gift of the Givers, Doctors Without Borders, and CARE are already in position to do their part.
If concerned Africans in the Diaspora, decide to limit their efforts to assist Zimbabweans in need when cyclones and droughts hit, but ignore the devastation of sanctions, they might as well join these organisations who are part of the Humanitarian Relief Industrial Complex.
What we are speaking to is band aid politics, which is the only way the children of Mother Africa can best describe the relief efforts representing the Governments, who feed off not only her rape and plunder, but the extraction of human resources.
Unfortunately, the people of Zimbabwe may not record how many of these humanitarian workers, have used this opportunity to criticise President Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF, amongst the Western-based humanitarian workers who embrace the US-EU Imperialist agenda, some will even go as far as to encourage the cyclone victims to join the efforts of MDC, ZCTU and the 400 civil society groups in their daily cowardly and unpatriotic efforts.
When environmental challenges beyond our control and capacity as mortal human beings occur, we can count on the most genuine patriots who have been fearless in the propaganda war to shield us, from the trappings of utter confusion courtesy of the US-EU Imperialist media apparatus.
The other angle by the US-EU Media Imperialist Apparatus was to highlight the financial offerings by the colonialists and imperialists, who unfortunately feel a momentary act of good will, wipes the slate clean from the countless atrocities them and their forefathers have committed on our sacred motherland.
The European Union donated $3,9 million, Britain $7,9 million and the United Arab Emirates donated $5 million.
As this pertains to Zimbabwe US-EU sanctions have cost the government and people over $50 billion since 2001, therefore the drops in the bucket by British and EU Imperialism are quite frankly a spit in our faces.
The main equivalent that comes to mind, is how inside US borders the fraternity of billionaires and multi-millionaires flood homeless shelters with turkeys on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but virtually ignore the homeless and hungry the other 363 days of the calendar.
We must also let it be known that, concerning natural disasters in Southern Africa, as long as SADC nations stand behind the people and Government of Zimbabwe, US-EU Imperialism's response will always be casual.
It was only a few years ago, when El Nino wreaked havoc in Southern Africa, only to see the US-EU Imperialist media apparatus, all but ignore how droughts had brought Mother Africa's most politically stable and agriculturally fruitful region to a complete standstill.
When we analyse and contextualise how the US-EU Imperialist media apparatus lied to the world, by painting the picture that it was governmental mismanagement not drought that compromised Zimbabwe's Land Reclamation Programme, the hateful and vindictive nature of our enemies was on full display for all to see.
The only aspect of Cyclone Idai that troubles US-EU Imperialism, is their employees in MDC, ZCTU and the 400 Civil Society Groups have to take a break from their fraudulent and opportunist demonstrations and feeble strike attempts, to pose as compassionate crusaders concerned about the victims of Cyclone Idai's welfare.
How many times since Cyclone Idai hit have Nelson Chamisa and Evan Mwarire prayed for the victims? It would not the least bit surprising if Mr Chamisa, pastor Mwarire and Douglas Coltart are given millions of dollars by their sponsors and benefactors, in order to hit the streets for the purpose of upstaging President Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF, because they feel during a disaster Zimbabweans won't care who the relief comes from.
We pose this question because a cyclone doesn't distinguish between ZANU-PF or MDC members, however when you advocate a diplomatic measure rooted in genocide, maybe its best you don't mock anyone's spirituality by uttering the name of the creator.
At the height of so called African Americans heroic fight against lynching, Queen Mother Ida B. Wells wrote two books Southern Horrors and the Red Record, Dr WEB DuBois revealed the names of lynching victims in each publication of the Crisis magazine, and Billie Holliday sang Strange Fruit.
At the risk of being labelled know it all Pan African solidarity workers in the Diaspora, perhaps the time has come to create a publication revealing every Zimbabwean whose deaths can be attributed to US-EU sanctions.
This way Africans worldwide that focus disasters go far beyond the realm of environmental calamities. What better way to honour true patriots like Comrade Judith Makanya.
------
Obi Egbuna Jr is the US Correspondent to The Herald and External Relations Officer to ZICUFA (Zimbabwe Cuba Friendship Association)
While millions of everyday sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi are emotionally devastated, by the death of their children, parents, grandparents and countless loved ones, the last thing they need is to watch the US-EU media imperialist apparatus attempt to politicise a natural disaster.
In the article published in The Washington Post, the Minister of Local Government July Moyo is quoted as saying "If we closed schools, we would have saved lives".
The article shared two additional quotes from Minister Moyo; "We understand there are bodies which are floating" and "some are floating all the way into Mozambique".
The article then turns its attention to a Zimbabwean mother Nyevero Sinyabuwe who had two children killed when a boulder rolled on top of their hut in a Ngangu township, the next comment by Sinyabuwe was that many Zimbabweans directly affected by Cyclone Idai, were forced to flee their homes and leave the dead behind.
Sinyabuwe also added her children are among those whose bodies may never be recovered and many others may now be buried in mass graves.
Minister Moyo's insightful analysis and emphasis on sanctions, put not only US-EU Imperialism on notice, but our sisters and brothers at home and abroad who are in panic mode because of a natural disaster, but have yet to realise living under sanctions 24/7 for 18 years is even worse.
The article began by discussing how students at the St. Charles Lwanga School huddled in classrooms and their dining hall waiting to be rescued, mourning two of their classmates and a security guard whose lives were claimed by Cyclone Idai.
The article highlights how boulders are blocking roads in Zimbabwe and how people walked for miles with corpses of their loved ones, and fellow citizens until they reached destinations not compromised by Cyclone Idai.
This account while short and immediate, captured the wicked nature of a newspaper, which is one of the main lighting rods of the US-EU media imperialist apparatus. Because Minister Moyo is very close to President Mnangagwa, this explains why a newspaper still seething with anger concerning the outcome of last year's Presidential elections, would not hesitate to make him look not only grossly incompetent and bewildered, but as a hapless observer completely disengaged from the current environmental crisis.
If Zimbabwe had a neo-colonialist government, Minister Moyo would be all over CNN, BBC and the Voice of America with Don Lemon, Chris Cuomo draping all over them pleading with their viewers to help the people of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi.
Lemon and Cuomo might actually welcome the opportunity, primarily because they have run out of angles to discuss Jussie Smolett, R. Kelly and the children of the wealthy and affluent exercising privilege, in order to force their spoiled brats into colleges and universities.
Those who still believe in objective journalistic standards and integrity are more than likely wondering if Minister Moyo shared how his ministry was addressing the situation, and if so why The Washington Post chose not to share it instead of presenting a narrative of doom and gloom.
For all who are curious, the usual suspects IE Humanity and Inclusion, Catholic Relief Services, The Association for the Children of Mozambique, Joint Aid Management, UN International Disaster Relief System, Gift of the Givers, Doctors Without Borders, and CARE are already in position to do their part.
If concerned Africans in the Diaspora, decide to limit their efforts to assist Zimbabweans in need when cyclones and droughts hit, but ignore the devastation of sanctions, they might as well join these organisations who are part of the Humanitarian Relief Industrial Complex.
What we are speaking to is band aid politics, which is the only way the children of Mother Africa can best describe the relief efforts representing the Governments, who feed off not only her rape and plunder, but the extraction of human resources.
When environmental challenges beyond our control and capacity as mortal human beings occur, we can count on the most genuine patriots who have been fearless in the propaganda war to shield us, from the trappings of utter confusion courtesy of the US-EU Imperialist media apparatus.
The other angle by the US-EU Media Imperialist Apparatus was to highlight the financial offerings by the colonialists and imperialists, who unfortunately feel a momentary act of good will, wipes the slate clean from the countless atrocities them and their forefathers have committed on our sacred motherland.
The European Union donated $3,9 million, Britain $7,9 million and the United Arab Emirates donated $5 million.
As this pertains to Zimbabwe US-EU sanctions have cost the government and people over $50 billion since 2001, therefore the drops in the bucket by British and EU Imperialism are quite frankly a spit in our faces.
The main equivalent that comes to mind, is how inside US borders the fraternity of billionaires and multi-millionaires flood homeless shelters with turkeys on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but virtually ignore the homeless and hungry the other 363 days of the calendar.
We must also let it be known that, concerning natural disasters in Southern Africa, as long as SADC nations stand behind the people and Government of Zimbabwe, US-EU Imperialism's response will always be casual.
It was only a few years ago, when El Nino wreaked havoc in Southern Africa, only to see the US-EU Imperialist media apparatus, all but ignore how droughts had brought Mother Africa's most politically stable and agriculturally fruitful region to a complete standstill.
When we analyse and contextualise how the US-EU Imperialist media apparatus lied to the world, by painting the picture that it was governmental mismanagement not drought that compromised Zimbabwe's Land Reclamation Programme, the hateful and vindictive nature of our enemies was on full display for all to see.
The only aspect of Cyclone Idai that troubles US-EU Imperialism, is their employees in MDC, ZCTU and the 400 Civil Society Groups have to take a break from their fraudulent and opportunist demonstrations and feeble strike attempts, to pose as compassionate crusaders concerned about the victims of Cyclone Idai's welfare.
How many times since Cyclone Idai hit have Nelson Chamisa and Evan Mwarire prayed for the victims? It would not the least bit surprising if Mr Chamisa, pastor Mwarire and Douglas Coltart are given millions of dollars by their sponsors and benefactors, in order to hit the streets for the purpose of upstaging President Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF, because they feel during a disaster Zimbabweans won't care who the relief comes from.
We pose this question because a cyclone doesn't distinguish between ZANU-PF or MDC members, however when you advocate a diplomatic measure rooted in genocide, maybe its best you don't mock anyone's spirituality by uttering the name of the creator.
At the height of so called African Americans heroic fight against lynching, Queen Mother Ida B. Wells wrote two books Southern Horrors and the Red Record, Dr WEB DuBois revealed the names of lynching victims in each publication of the Crisis magazine, and Billie Holliday sang Strange Fruit.
At the risk of being labelled know it all Pan African solidarity workers in the Diaspora, perhaps the time has come to create a publication revealing every Zimbabwean whose deaths can be attributed to US-EU sanctions.
This way Africans worldwide that focus disasters go far beyond the realm of environmental calamities. What better way to honour true patriots like Comrade Judith Makanya.
------
Obi Egbuna Jr is the US Correspondent to The Herald and External Relations Officer to ZICUFA (Zimbabwe Cuba Friendship Association)
Source - the herald
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