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Regime change talk: is it love for the locals?
Mavis Makuni, The Financial Gazette (Zimbabwe)
October 14, 2004

http://www.fingaz.co.zw/fingaz/2004/October/October14/6770.shtml

DO western nations that call for "regime change" in countries in Africa and elsewhere that have been accused of human rights abuses and undemocratic governance do so out of principle and altruism?

No, says social commentator and historian, Phathisa Nyathi, who believes that external advocates of a change of government are motivated by selfish economic interests and considerations.

"They use politics to pave the way for their economic interests," said Nyathi, stressing that these self-serving tendencies knew no colour and were not peculiar to any particular geographical region of the world.

Far from wanting to show solidarity with local populations no matter what their grievances may be, the main objective of external forces that sought to impose a change of government, which is illegal under international law, was to safeguard their economic interests.

"As a result, such forces are unlikely to be pleased with regimes that block or disrupt their economic agendas and so they want such governments out of the way."

Nyathi cited the example of the abundance of oil in the Middle East as the reason why some western nations found themselves embroiled in local disputes, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They use Israel as a front to legitimize their involvement in regional affairs.

"If there was no oil, do you think anyone would have been interested in invading Iraq ?" asked Nyathi, who, however, said the United States and United Kingdom would never prevail in Iraq.

He said the two industrialised countries had badly miscalculated the single-mindedness of the local population when they deposed ruthless dictator Saddam Hussein last year. Although the people may have welcomed Saddam’s removal, they were fiercely opposed to the occupation of their country by foreign forces.

"They are dealing with people who have strong religious values that they are prepared to die for and I don’t think they will win the war in Iraq," said Nyathi.

He lamented the fact that in contrast, Zimbabweans and Africans in general did not have strong value systems they would be prepared to defend with their lives.

Nyathi said calls for regime change in Zimbabwe that had been made by some foreign nations were linked to the land reform programme that the government has embarked on.

Since multinational corporations were in control of a large portion of the country’s resources, there were fears that they would lose control if the government’s quest to correct historical imbalances and injustices succeeded.

"When they push money through non-governmental organisations, western nations are taking steps to safeguard a good market for themselves."

Local politics could spoil the game for these foreign interests, hence their determination to impose their own agendas on targeted countries.

Citing the case of the suspected mercenaries who were arrested in Zimbabwe while making their way to Equatorial Guinea allegedly to participate in a coup, Nyathi said oil was once again the attraction.

He said as long as indus-trialised countries like America needed crude oil, countries that had an abundance of this resource would continue to attract uninvited attention.

"You cannot say those mercenaries wanted to topple the government of Equatorial Guinea because they love the locals."

Academic and social commentator Jethro Mpofu said while change for the better or worse was inevitable, outsiders should only come in to support what the local people have decided. Democracy should be home-grown rather than imported or imposed.

As no country was an island, the support of other nations had always been a fact of life. While this support was welcome, it was up to the local people to decide their own destiny.

"We should liberate ourselves from the politics of personalities in Zimbabwe and in Africa in general."

Mpofu said a common ill in Africa was the failure of opposition parties to articulate their proposed policy changes beyond the obvious one of replacing the sitting government. Rather than bringing about meaningful change, this approach actually promoted frustration and apathy.

"Politics should be a policy contest rather than a personality contest," he said. He said a political party’s bid to sell its agenda and philosophy to the electorate could be likened to making a love proposal that could either be accepted or rejected.

American president George W. Bush has ruffled feathers in some capitals in Africa, including Harare, by hinting that certain crises such as the one in Zimbabwe could only be resolved through regime change.

In fact the Zimbabwe government has accused Western governments led by Britain and the USA of working with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change to effect regime change in the country.

President Robert Mugabe has, however, said Zimbabwe would escape American machinations because it does not have oil.

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