Former Movement for Democratic Change policy coordinator Eddie Cross, who is now on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisory council, today said, if he were still alive, the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai would have joined forces with those calling for the lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe by the West because they are hurting the ordinary people.
Writing on his personal blog, Cross said while the West continued to argue that sanctions on Harare were targeted at a few individuals and entities accused of gross human rights violations, they were hurting the very people that brought about an end to one-party rule in Zimbabwe and were affecting the entire country economically.
“We cannot hope to compete or to grow our economy until such constraints are removed and the main casualty of this process is not those targeted but the poor and the marginalized – the very people who have fought a brave and tough campaign to end the one Party State and bring us back to democracy under a half decent Constitution,” he wrote.
“If he had lived to this day, Morgan Tsvangirai would have joined forces with those who have argued for a change in strategy by the West. Have sanctions changed Cuba one iota? No! Obama was right by opening up Cuba to trade and tourism, change would inevitably come to Cubans – who in the meantime be able to make a better living.
“Sanctions are a blunt instrument that seldom produces change in the countries so targeted. One thing history tells us is that opening up societies and raising living standards and building up the middle class is a better way.”
Zimbabweans across the country marched against sanctions on Friday which was declared by the Southern African Development Community as anti-sanctions day.
The MDC, under Nelson Chamisa, refused to participate in the campaign saying sanctions were not the cause of the current crisis in the country. Rather it was the stolen election of last year which it claims its leader won.
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