ZIMBABWE POLICY STUDIES INSTITUTE

 

Introduction:

The Zimbabwe crisis has been raging since the early 1990s, and has, inter alia, resulted in the migration of millions of Zimbabweans to such countries as South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, the UK, USA, the EU, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, to mention a few. The departure of so many Zimbabweans has resulted in a serious problem of brain drain from the Zimbabwean economy. In a government commissioned study, Professor C. J. Chetsanga, the chief executive of the SIRDC observes:

 

 

Since the early 1990s, a small number of Zimbabwe's valuable human resources have been leaving the country in search of "greener pastures" in the region and the world over. During the last four years, this brain drain trend has escalated in magnitude to levels that have serious implications for the country's capacity to deliver on the sustainable development front.

 

For the majority of Zimbabweans in the Diaspora, their absence from their motherland seems to have also weakened their resolve to contribute to and participate in the resolution of the crisis back in their homeland. Perhaps some of them take rather seriously the adage out of sight, out of mind, which would be very unfortunate. It is my sincere hope that this is not the case. Allow me to give you Diasporans, the benefit of the doubt, and to believe that at heart you would appreciate and utilise opportunities to contribute to the numerous efforts that are being made to return our beloved country to the status of the Great Zimbabwe that it once was. The purpose of this brief paper is to outline, albeit crudely, some of the steps that I challenge you to pursue as Zimbabweans committed to the normalisation of the abnormality in Zimbabwe.

 

Fora:

I realise that your forum or association, the Association of Zimbabweans Based Abroad (AZBA), USA seems to have started on the right footing. If I may quote from your President’s invitation letter to me:

 

Our association has been in existence since 2002 and…as a non-partisan entity, we are in the formative stages of a think tank organization, devoted to [the] nation building of Zimbabwe through research, analysis, and public education.  This can be achieved in part by ensuring a vibrant civic society that fully participates in the political life of its country.

 

This is commendable as a first step in the right direction. Perhaps what may need to be added to the proposed activities of AZBA is the need for the dissemination of some of the outputs of your association. This could be done through lobbying key policy actors and participants in the Zimbabwe body politic. Lobbying such key participants can be done on a regular basis through e-mails, through your website, through direct approaches to the relevant structures and organisations both inside and outside of Zimbabwe. It is obvious that to be successful, your organisation will need considerable amounts of resources of all kinds. While approaches can be made to several philanthropic, democratic and human rights focused groups and individuals, the need for your own contributions to this effort cannot be over-emphasized.

 

Lobbying US and other International entities:

I am aware that MDC supporters staged demonstrations in Washington DC yesterday afternoon. It is my considered view that such action needs to be intensified and focused on both US based Zimbabwean officials and the relevant US officials so that they increase their pressure against the despotic regime in Zimbabwe. But while timely demonstrations may serve to highlight the plight of Zimbabweans, there is need for strenuous face-to-face discussions with such bodies as the Congressional Black Caucus, the senior officials in the US State Department and coalitions of civic groups in the US and further a-field. Some of these groups and individuals have the capacity to apply pressure against the dictatorial regime in Zimbabwe and intensify the regime’s isolation from the international community.

 

Efforts also need to be made to lobby such African regional groupings as the SADC and the AU so that they become better informed about the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe. There is considerable ignorance about the truth regarding the Zimbabwe crisis, and it is our responsibility to erode such ignorance by providing accurate information and analysis of the situation, as well as provide sound recommendations for the resolution of the crisis. There is no shortage of well-meaning well wishers for Zimbabwe in the countries to where Zimbabweans in the Diaspora have emigrated.

 

First, the SACC led Coalition Statement on the recent elections in Zimbabwe is critical and demonstrates the growing disapproval within the continent of the Mugabe dictatorship. But also, the African Union Statement is highly instructive. The AU delegation refused to declare the election free and

fair and refused to comment on the pre election phase declaring that it

was not present during that time. It raised the problems raised by the

MDC and acknowledged them. For the first time, the African Commission on

Human and People’s Rights has taken a positive stance, so has Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal. Botswana is on the right side. So there is a definite increase in the number of critical voices in Africa.

 

Zimbabweans based in the US also need to harass, not just the Zimbabwean representatives, but also the African representatives in the US, while supporting those who are taking a more activist position on Zimbabwe and lobbying those who are destructive like South Africa and Namibia. Over and above, the CBC, the broader Congress, USAID and other international key organizations need to be lobbied. We must not fall into the trap of blaming the victims back at home. The struggle has to continue, at the national sub national and international level. Zimbabweans have to drive the agenda. 

 

Zimbabweans in the Diaspora need to understand the nature of the problem now, discredit Mugabe amongst the African American community, discredit Mugabe's henchman and key pillars of support and generally be seen to be a strong lobby like the Jews in the US. There are very successful Zimbabweans in the US who should be donating to the cause, making a contribution to the cause, working through the churches to donate food to lobby the religious community in the US and organize rather than agonize about the Zimbabwe crisis.

 

The United Nations (UN) has hitherto done very little in relation to the crisis prevailing in Zimbabwe. There is an urgent need Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to actively lobby the relevant authorities at the UN to facilitate the normalisation of the Zimbabwe political and economic situation. The UN can, on the invitation of the government of a member state, assign the human rights rappatuer to visit Zimbabwe and make an assessment of the human rights situation in that country, and then report back to the Secretary General. No such an assessment has been made by the UN to date. This explains why Mugabe is still able to attend all UN meetings without being questioned on the crisis that is prevailing in Zimbabwe.

 

Task Teams:

In order to undertake some of these activities, there is need to create several task teams with specific responsibilities in accordance with the specialisation or skills base of the many Zimbabweans in the US and elsewhere in the Diaspora. These task teams can focus on specific areas of research, policy formulation and analysis, and feed their outputs into the larger Association for adoption and systematic dissemination to the relevant government and non- government bodies and individuals. A lot of this work can be undertaken through the use of modern technology, which provides easy communication with little hindrance from time and space.

 

Linkages:

Zimbabweans in the Diaspora need to recognise the tremendous work being undertaken by the majority of the citizens of Zimbabwe who are still resident in that country. It is therefore crucial that the various fora of Zimbabweans in the Diaspora forge linkages with progressive civic groups in Zimbabwe. Such linkages will not only facilitate the meaningful exchange of ideas, but will also ensure that maximum pressure is brought to bear on the dictatorial regime for the good of the nation. Thus while the regime has demonstrated its capacity to effectively neutralise scattered pockets of democratic resistance both inside and outside Zimbabwe, it is very unlikely to have the capacity to surmount political, economic and diplomatic pressure from a closely knit network of progressive civic groups, including churches. It is unfortunate that there has not been any visible public statement from any progressive civic or professional organisation in support of Archbishop Pius Ncube’s condemnation of the alleged abuse of drought relief for political purpose by the Mugabe regime prior to and during the recent elections.

 

Conclusion:

Many years ago, one notable Zimbabwean nationalist stated that as Zimbabweans, we are our own liberators. It is obviously necessary for us to seek the support and assistance of as many friends as we can get in the noble fight for the emancipation of our motherland. But at the end of the day, it is our own efforts that will count for the resolution of the crisis facing our country. The few possible activities discussed in this brief paper are not new, neither are they innovative. Rather, what may be new is the challenge to us all to commit ourselves to the task of contributing to the return of our country to the people. We have a unique situation in Zimbabwe, where those that once upon a time, sacrificed tremendously are the same ones now repressing us, destroying the very people and economy that they fought to liberate. Those of you in the Diaspora have the special responsibility to seek to influence the international community to actively pursue policies that will result in the resolution of the crisis in our country. The question I ask you is whether you are prepared, able and willing to pay the price of restoring our nation to its former glory. Freedom is neither free nor, is it cheap.

 

This is the transcript of professor Makumbe's presentation in Atlanta, GA in May 2005 at the Association of Zimbabweans Based Abroad's Policy Forum.