Russia petitioned to stop aiding illegal regime in Harare

By Tichaona Sibanda
15 January 2009

The Revolutionary Youth Movement of Zimbabwe on Thursday submitted a petition to the Russian government at its Pretoria embassy in South Africa, urging them to suspend support for Robert Mugabe’s regime.

Russia is one of several countries that the state media says has promised Mugabe a massive financial rescue package. Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba also said the regime had already struck a deal with Indian investors to pour billions into the diamond sector, after government took sole control of the lucrative Chiadzwa diamonds fields in Marange.

It has been reported that Mugabe is expected to fly to Russia on Saturday to negotiate the economic rescue package, underwritten by diamond rights. Simon Mudekwa, president of the youth movement told us their petition also called upon the Russian Federation to desist from using it’s veto in the Security Council to block targeted sanctions against the regime.

‘The (veto’s) obviously delay a quick resolution to country’s problems. If they could desist from blocking UN resolutions on Zimbabwe, perhaps we could see a quick end to the crisis,’ Mudekwa said.

Russia and China have religiously protected Mugabe and last year blocked a US draft resolution in the UN Security Council that would have slapped sanctions on the ZANU PF leader over his disputed re-election.
The Chinese and Russian joined their colleagues from South Africa, Libya and Vietnam in opposing the draft which would have imposed an assets freeze and a worldwide travel ban on Mugabe and 13 of his cronies, as well as an arms embargo.

Mudekwa said they were not against the Russians providing humanitarian assistance to the country, but were worried about reports suggesting they would prop up Mugabe’s regime by providing US$10 billion.
Analysts have long accused Mugabe of mortgaging the country’s national resources, in exchange for foreign loans.

The Chiadzwa diamonds fields seem to have given the regime some breathing space as it is anticipated that almost US$200 million can be realized per month from selling the precious gems.
Apparently the military operation that was launched last year at Chiadzwa, to flush out illegal diamond dealers, was in preparation for the Indian and Russian investors. There are reports that over 200 people were killed in this brutal crackdown, that also targeted women and children. Many of whom were shot down from helicopter gunships.