Churches’ body petitions Britain on sanctions
THE Zimbabwe Amalgamated Council of Churches (ZACC) yesterday called for the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on the country.
Speaking soon after handing over an anti-sanctions campaign letter to the British Embassy, Zimbabwe Amalgamated Council of Churches (ZACC) patron and leader Mr Jimayi Muduvuri said the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the European Union and its allies were not targeted as implied, but were hurting ordinary people.
He said the sanctions were hindering the country’s economic turnaround and causing untold suffering to the majority of people
“These sanctions must be removed as they are in fact an unfinished colonial project of the West meant to weaken our Government and its control on our natural resources,” said Mr Muduvuri.
“Sanctions have also limited development and raised the risk profile of the country thereby scaring away investors which is tantamount to blackmail and stigmatisation.
“In any democratic set-up sanctions are imposed chiefly for those who would have violated laws, but in our case the question that begs answers is what laws have been broken?”
ZACC head of communications Dr Davison Gomo said apart from affecting the majority of Zimbabweans, the sanctions were also stifling efforts to mitigate the effect of Cylone Idai, which also affected Mozambique and Malawi.
“We have told the British that it is high time sanctions are removed because, as we speak, our country together with Mozambique and Malawi are battling to recover from the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai, but our situation in particular has been further worsened by the sanctions,” he said.
“These sanctions were imposed after the land redistribution programme, which was carried out to address land ownership imbalances within the statutes of our laws.
“ZACC is, therefore, advocating and demanding the immediate removal of these unwarranted and devilish sanctions that are not at all supported by international law.”
The letter was received by British Embassy head of Political and Public Affairs John Culley on behalf of the British ambassador.