United States President Barack Obama on Friday issued a new sanctions regime on Zimbabwe, banning essential drugs and food assistance to the...
United States President Barack Obama on Friday issued a new sanctions regime on Zimbabwe, banning essential drugs and food assistance to the country.
In a statement on Thursday, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it had adopted as final rule, the interim rule originally issued in July 2004 with changes to implement two more recent executive orders and update the regulations.
“The president (Obama) determined that the making of donations of certain articles, such as food, clothing, and medicine intended to be used to relieve human suffering, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked.
“The president, therefore, prohibited the donation of such items unless authorised by OFAC,” the statement read in part.
Zimbabwe’s economy has been in tailspin for a decade and half after relations with the West soured over the land dispute as well as allegations of human rights abuses. Mugabe has accused the Europeans and Americans of following a regime change agenda against his administration.
Obama’s latest regulations are aimed at “freezing” properties owned by President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle in the US Mugabe has insisted he does not own a “needle” outside Zimbabwe.
“New section1(a), as amended blocks, with certain exceptions, all property and interests in property that are in the United States, that come within the United States, or that are or come within the possession or control of United States persons, including their overseas branches,” read part of the statement.
The US said property blocking will affect ‘the persons listed in the Annex to amended E.O. 13288; and any person determined to have engaged in actions or policies to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions,” or as well as linked to ruling Zanu PF.
OFAC also widened sanctions to immediate families, spouses and direct dependents of those listed, insisting that the property and interests in property of these persons may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in.
The new amended regulation replaces old section and provides that the prohibition on any transaction or dealing in blocked property or interests in property includes, but is not limited to, the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person on the sanctions list.
“A person who wilfully commits, wilfully attempts to commit, or wilfully conspires to commit, or aids or abets in the commission of a violation of any license, order, regulation, or prohibition may, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1 million or if a natural person, be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both,” further contends the statement.
The US pronouncement of sanctions comes as Zimbabwe’s relation with the European Union block appears to be thawing following years of acrimony triggered by Harare’s move to embark on a land redistribution exercise that at times turned violent. Mugabe has argued that the reforms were necessary to redress colonial land imbalances skewed in favour of less than 4000 whites who controlled more than 70% of the country’s agricultural land until the turn of the century.
The Zimbabwean government since the elections last year indicated its willingness to engage the West to normalise relations with Finance and Economic Development minister Patrick Chinamasa saying “the country is too small for confrontation with the world”.
However in an indication of the deep sited acrimony between the West and Mugabe’s government, the veteran former guerrilla leader last month declared there will be no land “for a white man in Zimbabwe” as the policy discord that has blighted his administration since winning another term last year continues.
The US’s latest list has ballooned from 77 to 128 individuals and 33 entities.
In February this year, the EU decided to lift restrictive measures on all but Mugabe and his wife Grace as well as maintaining an arms embargo on the Zimbabwe Defence industries after 12 years. The block is set to resume direct government to government relations with Harare as including budgetary support after its meeting set for the beginning of November.
The EU imposed “sanctions” on Mugabe and members of his cabinet as well as connections and ruling Zanu PF top brass over alleged rights atrocities and electoral fraud in 2002 following polls marred by violence.
Article Source:Zim Mail
In a statement on Thursday, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it had adopted as final rule, the interim rule originally issued in July 2004 with changes to implement two more recent executive orders and update the regulations.
“The president (Obama) determined that the making of donations of certain articles, such as food, clothing, and medicine intended to be used to relieve human suffering, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked.
“The president, therefore, prohibited the donation of such items unless authorised by OFAC,” the statement read in part.
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| US President Obama |
Obama’s latest regulations are aimed at “freezing” properties owned by President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle in the US Mugabe has insisted he does not own a “needle” outside Zimbabwe.
“New section1(a), as amended blocks, with certain exceptions, all property and interests in property that are in the United States, that come within the United States, or that are or come within the possession or control of United States persons, including their overseas branches,” read part of the statement.
The US said property blocking will affect ‘the persons listed in the Annex to amended E.O. 13288; and any person determined to have engaged in actions or policies to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions,” or as well as linked to ruling Zanu PF.
OFAC also widened sanctions to immediate families, spouses and direct dependents of those listed, insisting that the property and interests in property of these persons may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in.
The new amended regulation replaces old section and provides that the prohibition on any transaction or dealing in blocked property or interests in property includes, but is not limited to, the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person on the sanctions list.
“A person who wilfully commits, wilfully attempts to commit, or wilfully conspires to commit, or aids or abets in the commission of a violation of any license, order, regulation, or prohibition may, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1 million or if a natural person, be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both,” further contends the statement.
The US pronouncement of sanctions comes as Zimbabwe’s relation with the European Union block appears to be thawing following years of acrimony triggered by Harare’s move to embark on a land redistribution exercise that at times turned violent. Mugabe has argued that the reforms were necessary to redress colonial land imbalances skewed in favour of less than 4000 whites who controlled more than 70% of the country’s agricultural land until the turn of the century.
The Zimbabwean government since the elections last year indicated its willingness to engage the West to normalise relations with Finance and Economic Development minister Patrick Chinamasa saying “the country is too small for confrontation with the world”.
However in an indication of the deep sited acrimony between the West and Mugabe’s government, the veteran former guerrilla leader last month declared there will be no land “for a white man in Zimbabwe” as the policy discord that has blighted his administration since winning another term last year continues.
The US’s latest list has ballooned from 77 to 128 individuals and 33 entities.
In February this year, the EU decided to lift restrictive measures on all but Mugabe and his wife Grace as well as maintaining an arms embargo on the Zimbabwe Defence industries after 12 years. The block is set to resume direct government to government relations with Harare as including budgetary support after its meeting set for the beginning of November.
The EU imposed “sanctions” on Mugabe and members of his cabinet as well as connections and ruling Zanu PF top brass over alleged rights atrocities and electoral fraud in 2002 following polls marred by violence.
Article Source:Zim Mail
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