Mutambara blasts Britain, US
Herald Reporter
IN the clearest sign yet that relations between the two MDC factions have
irretrievably broken down, MDC faction leader Professor Arthur Mutambara came
out with guns blazing against the partys Western backers the US and Britain
in his Heroes Day message.
The two countries appear to have gone with the Morgan Tsvangirai-led faction in
the wake of the MDC split.
Prof Mutambara blasted Britain for reneging on the Lancaster House Agreement
that bound it to fund the land reform programme and the US for wrongfully
supporting Britain over the Zimbabwean land question in a rare broadside
against countries he once dubbed strategic partners and allies."
"In Zimbabwe, we believe there was a case to redress the grave historical
injustices in the distribution of land. One of the reasons for the liberation
war was access to land by the African majority. Hence, there was a clear case
for a land revolution in Zimbabwe.
"The fact that at Lancaster House the terms of reference, processes and funding
(including UK and US assistance) for agrarian reform were verbal and not
written means that this fundamental issue was not taken seriously. The British
and their US colleagues acted in bad faith," Prof Mutambara said.
He said the West was responsible for providing compensation for the land
repossessed by the Government and allocated to the landless black majority.
"As regards the question of compensation for farmers whose land or properties
were expropriated, we believe that the international community must contribute
funds for this purpose, in particular the UK and USA.
"There will be no such money from the Zimbabwean fiscus," said Prof Mutambara.
He said assessment of the quantum of compensation should be based on a number
of factors such as the history of the ownership, use and occupation of the land
and the price paid for the land when it was last acquired.
Other factors, he said, are the cost or value of improvements on the land; the
current use to which the land is put; investment which the State or the
acquiring authority may have made which improved or enhanced the value of the
land. "We stand opposed to any forms of imperialism. We condemn Western double
standards, duplicity and hypocrisy. For example, while we appreciate Western
pronouncements on the democratic deficits in Zimbabwe, we condemn the
democratic exemption they extend to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait," said
Prof Mutambara.
"There is need for consistency if the West is to be effective in its support
for democratic and progressive movements. We note that when we were in
Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa were fighting for our freedom.
"We received no arms of war from Britain and the USA."
He questions why the Western countries failed to provide logistical support to
liberation movements in Southern Africa when insurgents erupted in their
countries.
"Why did they not provide weapons to the Frelimo, Zipra and Zanla, and APLA
freedom fighters and yet they found it appropriate to arm and support Mobutu
Sese Seko, Jonas Savimbi, Saddam Hussein (in his war against Iran) and Osama
Bin Laden (in his skirmishes with the Soviets in Afghanistan)? This begs the
question what really informs Western foreign policy?" asked the opposition
leader.
He accused the West of practising double standards.
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