Zim Vigil urges EU to stop aid to SADC countries

By Tichaona Sibanda
18 November 2009

The UK based pressure group, Zimbabwe Vigil, has sent a petition to the European Union urging the grouping to suspend aid to all SADC states for ‘blindly’ supporting Robert Mugabe.

Since October 2002 the ZimVigil has met outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in the Strand in London every Saturday, to protest the human rights abuses by the regime.

Rose Benton, coordinator for the organisation, said by not applying pressure on Mugabe to stop human rights abuses, all SADC leaders stand accused of complicity in the torture, maiming or killing of Zimbabweans by ZANU PF.

Benton said there was no better time than now for the SADC leaders to announce they would not use their veto power during SADC summits to defend ZANU PF crimes.

‘I’m glad to announce the EU’s Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Karel De Gucht, received our petition in Brussels this week. We handed the petition to Geoffrey Van Orden, an MEP for the East of England, last month during the Vigil’s seventh anniversary,’ Benton said.

Benton said their argument was that SADC countries have been derelict in their duty to Zimbabwe and why should countries which support Mugabe’s tyranny receive money from EU taxpayers.

‘All we are saying in the petition is that the UK government and the European Union in general should suspend government to government aid to all 14 SADC countries until they abide by their joint commitment to uphold human rights in the region,’ she said.

She added that most vigil members were in favour of a situation where that aid be diverted to feed the starving in Zimbabwe.

SADC has recently come under much pressure for contributing to the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe by failing to enforce compliance with its stated commitment to democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

Analysts say because of its bias in favour of Mugabe, the regional bloc refuses to criticize, condemn or even mention the ongoing crackdown on MDC activists, civic society and lawyers attempting to defend the victims.