Amb. McGee speaks at event to commemorate Black History Month
U.S. Embassy, Harare
Public Affairs Section
February 25, 2009
Transcript of Remarks by U.S. Ambassador James D. McGee at Africa University, Mutare on February 24, 2009 during an event to celebrate Black History Month
Thank you very much Dr. Tagwira.
Dr. Tagwira, Dean Chitepo, students, faculty and guests. It’s a pleasure to be able to be with you today. It’s been far too long since I have been to the Mutare area and I am thrilled to be able to speak with you all today as part of Black History Month celebrations. I hope that some of you were able to attend Amb. George Haley’s talk here a few weeks ago. As many have said, getting to hear Amb. Haley is a chance to “touch history” and I’m sure he added a lot to the conversations here on campus.
Following me today is Anne Johnson, our Information Resource Officer who is visiting from South Africa. She will be sharing with you some history about African-American literature. This will give you a complementary perspective on the progression in race relations in America to the one Amb. Haley provided.
Literature remains one of the key ways in which a society can tell its story to both the present and the future. Certainly, great writers such as Ralph Ellison, Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison made a huge impact by depicting the African-American experience in the U.S. By humanizing events and making the abstract concrete they showed all Americans, and the rest of the world, a different view of American society. By doing so, they played a key role in the civil rights movement in the U.S. I hope all of you will take advantage of the American Corner located in the AU library to explore the richness of African-American and, more broadly, American literature and history.
I am not a writer. But I hope you will let me share with you a few stories today. The stories I want to tell are not from my past, but the stories I see playing out all around me every day in Zimbabwe. They are stories of abductions, of cholera and of hunger. But they can also be stories of hope, and your voices are a key part of that story. These stories all share one important element – they are stories of man-made crises.
As I speak with you today 18 people still languish in prison, after having been abducted over 3 ½ months ago. 10 more abductees are still missing. They were supposed to be released many times, yet still remain behind bars. Their release must take place without any further delay. Doing so would be an important sign that the new unity government is taking its pledges seriously and honestly wants to move forward for all of Zimbabwe.
This is certainly an important story for what it represents, but I’d like to remind you that it is also a very human story. You may have heard that among the original abductees was a 2 year-old boy. His name is Nigel. After nearly 2 months in detention Nigel was finally released by the authorities into the care of relatives. Nigel’s parents remain in prison. None of us can imagine the experiences of this small child, but it is certainly high time that he be reunited with his parents. Not just because their release is right and needed as a sign that Zimbabwe is moving forward, but because a 2 year-old boy needs his parents.
Another story that I am sure all of you are far too familiar with is the cholera epidemic that continues to plague Zimbabwe. Despite whatever you may have heard, the outbreak continues and is not under control. Last Friday the UN declared the outbreak “uncontrolled.” As of February 22 there have been 82,130 reported cases of cholera in Zimbabwe. 3,817 people have died according to World Health Organization’s statistics.
The human toll of this epidemic is staggering, and continues to grow. There have already been more cases than the World Health Organization originally predicted. There are new predictions that there could be up to 115,000 cases in a worst-case scenario. And that is just in Zimbabwe. I know that many students here at AU come from the region. While the extent is still to be determined, this epidemic is having a regional impact. For example, two weeks ago USAID staff in Mozambique reported high cholera case numbers in several provinces on the border.
Making these numbers even more tragic is the fact that it did not have to happen. Cholera is easily treated and prevented. Unfortunately, Zimbabwe’s health care system has been allowed to deteriorate, due to mismanagement, corruption and greed, to the point where it is unable to care for the people it is supposed to serve.
Further proof, if any were needed of this, can be seen in the fact that the case fatality rate at the over 300 cholera treatment centers that have been set up with international support is steadily dropping and is now generally under 2%. The overall case fatality rate is still at 4.6%. This shows that when people are able to get the necessary care and treatment in time, we can save them. Sadly, far too many Zimbabweans do not have access to the necessary facilities. Many people are dying at home without ever seeing a doctor or nurse. That is the story they have to tell.
The international side of the story is one of many dedicated individuals working long hours to try to help. The U.S. government is spending $6.8 million to help curb this epidemic. We are working closely with the World Health Organization and UNICEF and other donors and will continue to do so, whatever the political situation in Zimbabwe.
Another oft-heard story here in Zimbabwe is one of hunger. The UN now estimates that up to 7 million people will need food assistance this year. That is close to 3/4 of the population. Once again, this is a story that should not exist. The food crisis in Zimbabwe is not the result of sanctions or drought. It is the fault of a group of people who put their own desires ahead of their people. Through mismanagement and corruption they destroyed Zimbabwe’s once-thriving agricultural sector.
Wherever I go I hear of hungry people. Equally sad I hear of small farmers who want to farm but can’t because they could not get seed or fertilizer. I hear of farmers whose crops withered because there was no water or electricity to irrigate their fields. This is the story of Zimbabwe’s food crisis. It is not just a story of large farms unable to produce. It’s a story of many individual farmers unable to provide for their families.
Once again, the U.S. and other donors are doing our best to help the suffering. The U.S. is the single largest food donor to Zimbabwe. We gave over $225 million last year to feed the people of Zimbabwe. We will continue to lead the international effort to fight food insecurity in Zimbabwe this year. Since 2002 my country has given more than one billion dollars of aid to the people of Zimbabwe.
Before I get accused of only telling sad stories, let me end by talking about the story of hope that exists. This is the story of countless compassionate and dedicated Zimbabweans working for a better future for themselves, their families and their country. Let me assure you, these people exist. I said before that these issues we confront result from a man-made crisis. And I believe that they must be addressed with man-made solutions. You all play important parts in designing these man-made solutions. I encourage you to use your creativity, your voices, and your actions to help bring these solutions to your leaders.
Despite all the challenges I remain hopeful that true change is coming. I hope that the new unity government represents a beginning. We are watching closely and will judge this new government on its actions. If it takes concrete steps to meet the conditions the international community laid out long ago for reengagement, the United States will be at the forefront in providing assistance. However before that can happen, we need to see restoration of the rule of law, commitment to the democratic process and respect for human rights, a commitment to timely and internationally supervised elections, full and equal access for all Zimbabweans to humanitarian assistance, and commitment to macroeconomic stabilization in accordance with guidance from relevant international agencies. An important and necessary first step is the release of all political detainees. If we see signs that this is taking place our support will expand. If we do not see these signs, we will continue to provide humanitarian relief while pushing for these changes.
Finally, the most hopeful story is yours. The students of Africa University will be the future leaders of Zimbabwe and their many home countries. I urge you to use your education to build a brighter future for your homes and all of Africa.
And I urge you to add your stories to those told in literature. Authors such as Charles Mugoshi and Chenjerai Hove changed history through their works, just like Alice Walker and African-Americans writers changed the U.S. Maybe the next Dambudzo Marechera or Agostinho Neto is in the audience today. It is up to you to tell the rest of the world and future generations what you have seen and experienced.
Thank you.
Ends