Harare - Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday made his first call for an end to international sanctions, part of his bid to start rebuilding the
shattered economy.
Tsvangirai, who joined President Robert Mugabe in a unity
government last month, said in his maiden speech to parliament
that Zimbabwean efforts to solve the country's political crisis
through power sharing needed to be recognised.
"I therefore urge the international community to recognise
our efforts and note the progress that we make in this regard
and to match our progress by moving towards the removal of
restrictive measures," Tsvangirai said.
The United States and European Union have put in place
targeted sanctions against certain individuals close to Mugabe
and some Zimbabwean companies.
Inflation is rampant and there are chronic food and fuel
shortages.
Tsvangirai said Zimbabwe, in the grips of a cholera epidemic
which has killed nearly 4 000 people and infected almost 87 000, needed to re-establish relations with international donors.
"What we need is to fully re-establish relations with
the international donor community, which will be respectful of
our sovereignty, not a relationship essentially based on
humanitarian assistance."
No more abuses
He warned Zimbabwean government officials that any future
human rights abuses could lead to arrest and prosecution and
said the days of police violently breaking up demonstrations and needlessly arresting people had to come to an end.
"In future such activities could bring the threat of
prosecution not only on those arresting or interfering with such activities but also on those that ordered such interference and arrests," Tsvangirai said.
He added that the new unity government will start training
programmes for police and the security forces to ensure respect
for human rights.
Tsvangirai, himself a victim of police brutality after he
was injured when riot police broke up a gathering of his
opposition Movement for Democratic Change in 2006, pulled out of a presidential run-off vote against Mugabe last year, citing
violence against his supporters.
Tsvangirai said last month the cost of repairing the economy
could be as much as $5bn. The regional Southern African
Development Community plans to hold a heads of state summit to
consider financing proposals presented by Zimbabwe.
The new Zimbabwean prime minister said invasions of farms
had to stop and that the action to seize farms threatened $150m worth of crops.
"We must halt the wanton disruption of productive farming
activities that are continuing as I speak," Tsvangirai said.
Thousands of white farmers have fled Zimbabwe since land
seizures began in 2000, and the country's farmers' union said
some white farmers were still being forced off land or being
prosecuted for refusing to leave.
- Reuters