Harare - The Harare government Saturday dismissed the
decision by Canada to impose targeted sanctions as 'misinformed and
unfortunate', saying it will further hit ordinary Zimbabweans.
On Friday Canadian Foreign Minister David Emerson announced that
his country had imposed targeted sanctions against Zimbabwe saying it
was a protest against 'intimidation and state-sponsored violence'
against opposition supporters by President Robert Mugabe's government.
The Canadian government said it was banning arms exports, freezing
the assets of top Zimbabwean officials and banning Zimbabwean aircraft
from its airspace or landing in Canada.
Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, speaking to Deutsche
Presse-Agentur dpa, said: 'It is clear where they are taking a cue
from. It is an unfortunate decision and an unjustifiable action. There
is no opposition that is being intimidated. We are negotiating with
the opposition that Canada claims to be saying is being intimidated.'
It was an apparent reference to the power-sharing talks between the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and ruling Zanu PF
party to which Chinamasa belongs.
The MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he will not agree to any
settlement with Mugabe unless it gives him the authority to govern
Zimbabwe.
Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in a March 29 election but fell short of
enough votes to avoid a June 27 run-off election. Mugabe won the
second round that Tsvangirai pulled out citing massive violence and
intimidation against his supporters. The opposition claimed that Zanu
PF militia killed about 100 of its supporters between the two
elections.
The run-off was not recognized by many countries around the world
and attracted sanctions from Western countries - such as the EU and
the US whose support is pivotal for reviving Zimbabwe's economy that
is on a free-flow.
Responding to the imposition of sanctions by Canada, Nelson Chamisa
the MDC spokesperson said: 'This is strictly a matter between the two
(those targeted by the sanctions and Canada), but we can comment in
detail further only after digesting the statement by Canada.'
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