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Civil society key to change in Zimbabwe
Sarah McGregor, Embassy Newspaper Online
March 08, 2006

http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2006/march/8/zimbabwe/

John Schram, Canada's former ambassador to Zimbabwe, says engaging in personal diplomacy is the best way for Canada to be taken seriously in and encourage change in one of the world's fastest collapsing countries.

Canada steps lightly around the Mugabe government to avoid provoking a diplomatic row, and instead targets efforts to win influence with ordinary Zimbabweans, says Canada's recently retired ambassador to Harare, Zimbabwe's capital. "It is civil society that can change things," says John Schram, in an interview. "Canada should be encouraging them to talk to each other inside Zimbabwe."

Mr. Schram says Canada lashing out at Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's regime is counterproductive in that it could flame international tension. Zimbabwe is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis as one of the world's fastest collapsing economies. The policies of Mr. Mugabe are blamed for food and fuel shortages, skyrocketing inflation, an unemployment rate of 70 per cent, violent land seizures, demolition of informal settlements and other human rights violations.

International pressure so far has been unable to weaken Mr. Mugabe's tight grip. Mr. Schram says the situation has evolved into a waiting game for political leaders, but he encourages people-to-people alliances through trade, business and conversation. "I think we have to be patient," says Mr. Schram. "If [Zimbabweans and other outside actors] are prepared to wait then we should be too."

Adekeye Adebajo, a leading African security expert speaking last month at Foreign Affairs' headquarters, agrees. He says international attempts to bring change have proven there are no easy answers. "Nobody knows what to do about Zimbabwe," says Mr. Adebajo, executive director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution in Cape Town, South Africa. Mr. Adebajo says many nations are of the opinion that Zimbabwe's political crisis may persist until Mr. Mugabe's term expires in 2008.

In Zimbabwe, Mr. Schram mounted a campaign of personal diplomacy. He and his wife Alena hosted twice-monthly dinner parties for mostly black religious leaders, judges, academics, journalists, corporate heads and civil society champions. Table talk focused on hot topics that stoked "lively discussion," and exposed some people to entirely new perspectives, says Mr. Schram. "I'd start by saying 'I'm going to ask you to start talking about...' and then pick an issue of relevance. We'd go around the table -- and everyone would have something to say."

Mr. Schram says the conversations were "off the record and out of sight." Proof of their positive impact usually came by phone or email to Mr. Schram in the following days. "People have told us later on that it was a decisive factor for them, a turning point that made a profound difference," he says.

Mr. Schram calls this type of engagement a "worthwhile" way for Canada, a middle power, to be taken seriously and reach its foreign policy aim to help the people of Zimbabwe.

"Confrontation doesn't do any good for ordinary Zimbabweans -- which is our real objective. We would just suddenly find ourselves ineffective," he says. Mr. Schram says Canada "cut ourselves off" by declining to attend the reception marking Mr. Mugabe's re-election in 2002, and also lost traction in 2003 when Zimbabwe pulled out from the Commonwealth. But Mr. Schram says even if bilateral efforts are blocked, there is an enormous role for Canada to affect change at the grassroots.

"I think [Canada] will go further if we can make sure civil society is effective. We can support the people of Zimbabwe. I always felt badly when the impression is given that nothing can be done," he says.

Mr. Schram, a 37-year veteran of the Foreign Service, served in South Africa during the fall of apartheid. He was posted to Africa for 11 consecutive years as head of mission in Ghana, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.

Mr. Schram returned to Ottawa in September and now divides his time as a sessional lecturer at Carleton University in Ottawa and Senior Fellow at Queen's University in Kingston.

Mr. Schram says he discovered the importance of giving people a voice while in South Africa where his wife administered a $2 million dialogue fund. "It is a Canadian way of doing things and it was visionary," says Mr. Schram.

Jim MacKinnon, Oxfam Canada's coordinator for Southern Africa, returned two weeks ago from Zimbabwe. He reports that a tendency towards donor agencies offering only emergency assistance -- the "funding treadmill" -- means long-term development plans are stalled. "The disappointment has been the [low] prioritization of the [former] Liberal government for Zimbabwe. I think the neglect that John Schram lived under in Harare is not good enough," he says.

Mr. MacKinnon says he commends Mr. Schram's diplomatic style, but criticizes the Canadian government for its shrinking financial commitment. In 2005, Canada earmarked $5.5 million for the development work of non-government organizations in Zimbabwe, which is being reduced to $4 million this year.

"I agree that the main focus should be on civil society [but] they've basically squeezed it off," he says, adding has high hopes the Tory government will boost the Canadian presence.

Foreign Affairs declined to comment on whether the future government will tweak its policy stance on Zimbabwe.

Currently, Canada refuses to distribute aid dollars through government channels, and has imposed a travel ban on senior government officials. It has also restricted the sale of military equipment to Zimbabwe.

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