Africa News Summary : News Headlines : Discussion Forums

HARARE - Proposed American restrictions on Zimbabwe were aimed mainly at pressuring the ruling elite to restore democratic freedoms and law and order, Washington's top official on Africa said Tuesday.

The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Bill, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Dec. 4 but still has to be signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush, followed failed diplomatic efforts to persuade the government to change course.

Travel and diplomatic embargoes proposed in the bill would be worked out by the State Department and other U.S. executive departments, said visiting Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Walter Kansteiner.

"It has potential restrictions that would be imposed on the government elite only. People of Zimbabwe would not be affected, and in that sense it is not a sanctions bill," he said.

Most of the bill's terms offered American incentives to Zimbabwe to return to an orderly land reform program and ensure free and fair presidential elections early next year.

"Zimbabwe can be put on the right path. There is time to put it right," Kansteiner told reporters at the end of a four day visit.

"We are eagerly waiting to see how Zimbabwe government officials and civil society reacts."

The bill also proposes a freeze on new investment in Zimbabwe and compels U.S. representatives to international financial institutions to try to block aid, loans or debt relief.

Kansteiner said the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank had already frozen their support for Zimbabwe.

Most Western investment, aid and loans have dried up since last year.

To date militants have seized more than 1,700 white-owned farms, demanding they be redistributed to landless blacks, while the government has listed some 4,500 properties - about 95 percent of farmland owned by whites - for nationalization without compensation.

Last month it warned about 800 farmers they had three months to vacate their land. Kansteiner said the United States recognized the need for land reform in Zimbabwe and throughout Africa but "the process of how land reform is done is critical."

"Today the rights and freedoms in Zimbabwe are being threatened," he said.

"We have a nation's laws that are not being applied equally and fairly."

Zimbabwe has accused the United States of imposing sanctions as part of an international conspiracy led by Britain, the former colonial power, to isolate the country.

The government insists it has observed land reform and electoral laws and says Western nations are interfering in Zimbabwe's internal affairs.

Kansteiner said he met with Zimbabwe's foreign and finance ministers and other political and business leaders.

A requested meeting with President Robert Mugabe did not take place.

The U.S. bill allows the U.S. Treasury Department to help find debt relief for the country.

It would also allow the release of dlrs 20 million to help fund land reform and dlrs 6 million for election monitoring if its conditions are met.

Kansteiner said the package targeted Zimbabwe and not other troubled African nations because of the government's role in the country's political violence.

"There is a difference between sectarian violence, even religious violence, and government support for intimidation," he said.

Kansteiner was scheduled to leave Harare for neighboring South Africa later Tuesday on the last leg of a four nation African trip that has also taken him to Ethiopia and Kenya. Nampa-Sapa-AP

•  Big Brother Africa 3: Hazel's got Africa cooking!
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Goat herder gets the hoof

Advertise | About Us | Contact Us | Guestbook | Privacy | Subscribe