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Zim-Bob Beats Arms Embargo
THE Zimbabwean government has found a way around the arms embargo imposed by its former suppliers in Europe and America and has entered into massive secret deals with neighbours South Africa and Malawi. Highly placed sources said the government - scrounging around for almost US$420 million needed to import grain - has splashed millions of rands on military hardware, mainly to replace its obsolete equipment. At least R1 million was forked out to buy military equipment from Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor). The government is also reported to be purchasing tear gas canisters from Malawi. Reports from South Africa suggest the government purchased helicopter spares in a deal which had the blessing of that country's National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), which gives permission before military hardware can be sold to any country. Armscor is a quasi-state institution established by an Act of Parliament. The spare parts, military experts say, will be used to repair the Airforce of Zimbabwe's Alloutte helicopters, which have been grounded due to a shortage of spare parts. Armscor spokesperson, Bertus Cilliers confirmed to The Financial Gazette that the Zimbabwean government had taken delivery of military spares to repair its ageing Alloutte helicopters, originally manufactured in France in the mid-1960s. Cilliers brushed aside concerns that Harare was under an arms embargo, saying South Africa was not "part of the EU" adding that the door will always be open for more arms trade with the Zimbabwean government. "The EU has imposed sanctions, but South Africa is not part of the EU, we are not bound by any sanctions from the EU. As long as the South African government approves an export of arms to Zimbabwe, we will continue to do business. The only time we will stop is when there are United Nations (UN)-imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe," Cilliers said in a telephone interview from South Africa. Cilliers said the Airforce of Zimbabwe has previously taken delivery of unspecified quantities of spare parts from Armscor. Government spokesperson George Charamba declined to comment on the reported arms purchases, citing national security considerations. "These are issues of national security and I will not comment. This government has every right to take measures it deems necessary to protect its citizens from any form of aggression," Charamba said. "We know you are trying to perpetuate issues which are being pushed by foreign powers. The British have every reason to be worried and to want to know what is happening regarding our arms imports," Charamba charged. Government has reportedly set its sights on acquiring Russian-made Mig-29s as well as Chengdu PAC FC1 combat aircraft jointly manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft of China and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. The government bought six Hongdu Karakorum-8 state-of-the-art jet trainer aircraft from China for US$120 million. ". . . We bought some Hawks from Britain and we now need spare parts for them but Britain has said no. That's why we have now grounded all our Hawks and Britain is losing because we have resorted to the "Look East Policy" and we now have similar planes from China", President Robert Mugabe is quoted as having said in the current issue of the New African Magazine. Posted by: Steve 2005-06-09 |
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