• Mugabe 1- 0 Amanpour
Below I have posted a few paragraphs from the official US State Department website. The State Department openly explains the extensive American propaganda effort to destabilize Zimbabwe. You can read the entire report here. Scroll down to the heading "Zimbabwe." NB: Of course this is only what the US govt. admits to doing. The subversive effort is likely far more intense.
"To further strengthen pro-democracy elements, the U.S. Government continued to support the efforts of the political opposition, the media, and civil society to create and defend democratic space and to support persons who criticized the government. U.S. officials observed parliamentary by-elections and rural district council elections in several towns and cities throughout the country during the year. The observers concluded that the ruling parties? restrictive registration procedures, partisan distribution of government food aid, and inappropriate pressure by traditional leaders served to unduly influence the election results.
The United States promoted freedom of speech and of the media during the year. U.S. officials participated in ceremonies commemorating World Press Freedom Day and delivered remarks on the relationship between freedom of expression and economic prosperity. The U.S. Government sponsored programs and supported organizations that promoted the free flow of independent and objective information, including several township newspapers that disseminated reports and advised residents of their rights. Voice of America's Studio 7 radio station provided uncensored and balanced news to citizens throughout the country and worked to expand its listener base during the year. Citizens had access to independent information through the U.S.-sponsored American Corners program, which operated libraries throughout the country, and a newsletter that provided information and articles on key U.S. policies and priorities. U.S. programs provided funding to NGOs that collected and circulated information on civil society, human rights, and government actions. The United States sponsored two Fulbright scholars during the year: one helped improve a leading undergraduate journalism program by facilitating workshops designed to foster freedom of the press, while the other taught conflict resolution and mediation at one of the country's top universities. Two journalists participated in U.S.-sponsored professional exchanges in the United States.
The United States supported the efforts of civil society to create and defend democratic space. The U.S. Government funded international and local NGO programs that promoted a wide variety of causes, including social welfare, democratic processes, human rights, peace-building, women?s and youth empowerment, and public advocacy. For example, a recipient organization involved members of all political parties, traditional leaders, and other local leaders in the establishment of peace committees that encouraged open dialogue on local issues by all community members. One grantee hosted a series of community forums in rural areas that provided a platform for discussing women?s issues. Another grantee supported workshops to develop youth leadership skills necessary to confront social injustice through nonviolent strategies. The U.S. Government also sponsored an NGO leader on an exchange program to learn about activism by civil society groups in the United States."
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This recent newspaper article covers some of the same ground: A US congressional meetings wherein US govt. officials openly disclose US monetary support for the opposition party, MDC. Additionally, according to the article, Obama has pledged $73 million to the MDC:
US openly admits funding Tsvangirai's office
Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:46:00 +0000
THE United States government has openly admitted that it is directly funding a parallel government in Zimbabwe to effect regime change in the country.
THE United States government has openly admitted that it is directly funding a parallel government in Zimbabwe to effect regime change in the country.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson has openly admitted that the US is funding the MDC-T’s parallel government by providing funds to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), through its acting assistant administrator for Africa, Earl Gast, also confirmed that the US government has been funding the PM’s Office.
In his testimony to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Sub-committee on Africa on September 30 2009, Carson pledged his support to advance US interests in Zimbabwe.
“Our assistance to Zimbabwe seeks to lay the groundwork for a return to democracy and prosperity by supporting democratic voices and civil society, including support to the Prime Minister’s Office for communications and other capacity building,” said Carson.
In his paper entitled “Exploring US Policy Options Towards Zimbabwe’s Transition” that he presented to the same sub-committee, Gast said: “In addition, funding has included support for civil society strengthening, support to help fulfill the terms of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) (e.g resources for the constitution-making process); programmes to demonstrate responsible governance (eg improving the public outreach capacity of the Office of the Prime Minister); assistance to non-governmental monitoring of compliance of all parties to the GPA; and support for independent media”.
It is understood that Nango (National Association of Non-Govermental Organisations) has already lined up seminars where it will start the process to monitor all the parties in the GPA.
Gast added: “The US$73 million in funding for Zimbabwe pledged by President Obama during Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s recent visit to the US includes significant inter-agency funding for HIV and Aids programmes in: parliamentary strengthening, (US$2,4 million); elections and constitution making (3,2 million); rule of law (3,8 million); consensus-building (2,7 million); media (1,5 million); victims of torture (1,9 million); civil society/local government capacity building (5,8 million); maternal and child health, including tuberculosis ($4,1 million); and family planning (1,2 million).” [Source]
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Below is a letter i received from a MDC supporter who lives in Zimbabwe. They were in Ghana blasting Mugabe and advocating "regime change." We had several debates on the topic.
From: ***@yahoo.com
Subject: Ideas on Zimbabwe
Date: July 13, 2007 10:59:19 AM EDT
To: kwameshabazz@gmail.com
Video: The Truth about Robert Mugabe
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson has openly admitted that the US is funding the MDC-T’s parallel government by providing funds to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), through its acting assistant administrator for Africa, Earl Gast, also confirmed that the US government has been funding the PM’s Office.
In his testimony to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Sub-committee on Africa on September 30 2009, Carson pledged his support to advance US interests in Zimbabwe.
“Our assistance to Zimbabwe seeks to lay the groundwork for a return to democracy and prosperity by supporting democratic voices and civil society, including support to the Prime Minister’s Office for communications and other capacity building,” said Carson.
In his paper entitled “Exploring US Policy Options Towards Zimbabwe’s Transition” that he presented to the same sub-committee, Gast said: “In addition, funding has included support for civil society strengthening, support to help fulfill the terms of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) (e.g resources for the constitution-making process); programmes to demonstrate responsible governance (eg improving the public outreach capacity of the Office of the Prime Minister); assistance to non-governmental monitoring of compliance of all parties to the GPA; and support for independent media”.
It is understood that Nango (National Association of Non-Govermental Organisations) has already lined up seminars where it will start the process to monitor all the parties in the GPA.
Gast added: “The US$73 million in funding for Zimbabwe pledged by President Obama during Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s recent visit to the US includes significant inter-agency funding for HIV and Aids programmes in: parliamentary strengthening, (US$2,4 million); elections and constitution making (3,2 million); rule of law (3,8 million); consensus-building (2,7 million); media (1,5 million); victims of torture (1,9 million); civil society/local government capacity building (5,8 million); maternal and child health, including tuberculosis ($4,1 million); and family planning (1,2 million).” [Source]
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Below is a letter i received from a MDC supporter who lives in Zimbabwe. They were in Ghana blasting Mugabe and advocating "regime change." We had several debates on the topic.
From: ***@yahoo.com
Subject: Ideas on Zimbabwe
Date: July 13, 2007 10:59:19 AM EDT
To: kwameshabazz@gmail.com
Greetings brother Kwame,
Hope you are doing well, thanks for the email link you sent me, I got busy with the routine of life back in Zimbabwe but have not forgotten for a day our conversation outside that hall. I guess I'm at a point of introspection, on one hand I live in a society that is so polarized that little room is left for objectivity on both the side of civic groups (of which I'm a part of) and the ruling government. The history of Western manipulation, human rights abuses and many disgraceful deed is very long. What do we do when faced with these truths and the reality of life under Mugabe, we're caught between a rock and a hard place. I ask this because the positions of civil society presented in Ghana were flawed, my discussion with you showed this. I'm looking for a way to structure our arguments and positions in a way that is not ahistoric and in a way that speaks to the harm visited on African all over the world by the global governance agendas of Western powers.
All the best***
Video: The Truth about Robert Mugabe
Tags: mdc, morgan tsvangirai, neo-colonialism, geopolitics, propaganda, robert mugabe, zimbabwe
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