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Blessing Zulu
Washington – Senior figures in the Movement for Democratic Change of Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai gathered in Harare on Friday to discuss the way forward as tension rose within the unity government over the lack of progress in talks to resolve issues that have long troubled power sharing. The meeting of the Tsvangirai MDC formation’s standing committee was called after the party’s lead negotiator, Tendai Biti, secretary general of the grouping as well as Finance Minister, declared a deadlock after another round of talks on Thursday with the Zanu PF party of President Robert Mugabe. But Patrick Chinamasa, lead negotiator for the former ruling Zanu PF and the minister of justice, told VOA that the talks will resume February 8.
Many MDC insiders say, however, that they want to refer the unsettled agenda to the Southern African Development Community for arbitration – SADC is a guarantor of the power-sharing arrangement along with the African Union. Another option is to call for free and fair elections, though Mr. Tsvangirai himself has indicated he thinks it is early days for a new ballot. Some political analysts have suggested that the MDC position in the talks was undermined by comments from British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in the House of Commons this week. Miliband said Britain wants to see real progress in Harare, adding: “We have to calibrate our response to the progress on the ground, and, above all, to be guided by what the MDC says to us about the conditions under which it is working and leading the country.”
Zanu PF hardliners seized on those comments as evidence that the MDC could exert more influence in bringing about the lifting of European sanctions, and urging their negotiators concede nothing until that is obtained. US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray told reporters in Harare that the power-sharing principals should be more flexible to make progress. South African President Jacob Zuma, mediator for SADC in Zimbabwe, urged Mr. Tsvangirai to compromise rather than waiting for Mr. Mugabe to give way. But Ray said Mr. Mugabe, Mr. Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, the third principal, must all make concessions. Harare political analyst Philip Pasirayi told VOA that it is Zanu PF which is blocking progress in the talks, as Western sanctions can readily be lifted once fundamental reforms are embraced.
VOA
If the MDC has the ability to lift the sanctions, then ZANU pf must be OK with that too. Why else would they say remove sanctions first before we return the rule of law? If sanctions where really hurting zimbabwe as zanu wants us to belive why cant they just return the rule of law and democracy and then have the sanctions removed. Why should the sanctions be removed while the rule of law is not being respected??
WHY ARE THEY ACTING LIKE THEY HAVE NORTHING TO LOSE. THEY MAKE DEMANDS WHEN THEY ARE THE ONES CONERED. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE
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Baba Tee,this shows one thing,they are not really cornered.One day u are going to notice the difference,when they really get cornered.They won’t even have any demands by then.
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Milliband never said they put sanctions at the behest of the MDC. As a sovereign govts, the British and most of their allies applied those sanctions on their own. In the same manner they applied the sanctions on Rhodesia in the 60s, South Africa in the late 70s-80s, Togo around 2005, etc. If they wish to take off the sanctions in consultation with MDC, it’s still their right. They removed the sanctions on South Africa after 1991 in consultation with the ANC. Such is the reality regardless of your spirited attempts to suit your tune.
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T Musango. Their time is up and they know it. Its a shame their cheerleaders are in denial.
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T.Musango we will support MDC all the way and all the zanu support has been taken away from them except for beneficiaries of zanu corruption, if sanctions continue we will not feel them with the dollar and rand as the official currency. The people that will suffer the sanctions are zanu officials and we want that to be maintained till they agree to fully implement the GPA.
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Mugabe believes that the talks are aimed at regime change. The MDC, unlike ZAPU, does not want to be swallowed and Mugabe is very worried. Mugabe will play every trick possible in order to derail the talks.
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mugabe has come out on the herald saying we are masters of our own destiny true that we voted MDC he should go, he mentions that the liberation heroes fought for our freedom, but we are not experiencing that under his rule. He is against the spirit of the freedom fighters. Will the herald editor stop this name calling of mugabe head of state, government, chief of ZRP, commander in chief, chairman of dimbare, first secretary of corrupt zanu. We are tired of this nonsense please read other professional newspapers in other countries for instance in SA they call the President, CDE JZ Zuma or President Zuma.
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