ZIMBABWE: Socialists reject reliance on sanctions

In a statement released on January 16, the International Socialist Organisation of Zimbabwe — the country's only organised Marxist current — reminded Zimbabweans that "none but ourselves will liberate ourselves".

The European Union is threatening to impose sanctions on the Mugabe regime and the British government has warned that it will move for Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth if Mugabe does not abide by the "rule of law" in relation to the government's land reform program. Washington is also threatening to impose selective sanctions on Zimbabwe.

"The US, EU and other imperialist countries are no friends of democracy", stated the ISO. "They are massacring innocent people in Afghanistan, with Somalia and Iraq next. They are the biggest terrorists who have killed millions in Third World countries from Vietnam and Korea to Angola and supported apartheid in South Africa and Rhodesia."

The West's main concern is not the Mugabe government's anti-democratic and anti-working class policies but its failure to fully impose the neo-liberal economic policies demanded of it.

From Green Left Weekly, February 6, 2002.

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From GLW issue 479