Harare — THE people of Zimbabwe, and not the leaders, have always been the target of the sanctions imposed by the West on Zimbabwe, a Cabinet minister has said.

Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Dr Stan Mudenge, who is a former minister of Foreign Affairs, yesterday said the originators of the sanctions spelt out their objective from the onset -- to make the people of Zimbabwe suffer until they revolted against President Mugabe's Government.

He made the remarks in a very candid contribution to a workshop on debt repayment strategies which Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy PM Arthur Mutambara also attended.

Minister Mudenge revealed that former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook told him in 1999 after failing to strike consensus on the land issue: "Stan, you made the worst decision and your people will suffer until they hate you."

Minister Mudenge was then heading the Cabinet Foreign Affairs portfolio.

He added: "In Davos, I met Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper who told me his country will not lift the sanctions until President Mugabe is removed.

"This is someone who still holds to the past even when Zimbabwe has made so many strides."

He said the people of Zimbabwe should know they were the target and the intention had always been to squeeze them until they hated their leaders.

In an interview afterwards, Minister Mudenge said the sanctions project was not originated by the MDC and that party was merely supporting the "master's project".

"As we go forward the master is in control. The MDC leaders are merely supporting the master's project. The originators of the sanctions spelt out their objectives clearly. Sanctions are a weapon to make the people suffer. They are meant to hurt ordinary Zimbabweans."

At the workshop on repaying Zimbabwe's US$5,7 billion foreign debt, Minister Mudenge said PM Tsvangirai should be vocal in denouncing the embargo.

He said any debate on debt repayment should take cognisance of the sanctions' effects.

"Please say something about the total removal of the illegal sanctions. Prime Minister Tsvangirai should speak against these sanctions so that Zimbabweans are speaking from one side. We don't expect something new from the West. The PM must wash his hands. He must show that he does not share their ideas. Let him not be part of these people. These illegal sanctions are hurting ordinary people hence there is need for everyone to call for their removal.

"We know the West will not lift these illegal sanctions in response to that call but there is need for all parties to the Global Political Agreement to speak against them," he said.

PM Tsvangirai did not speak on sanctions and instead chose to dwell on debt repayment.

After the workshop, he again declined to answer questions on the impact sanctions were having on debt repayment.

"Zimbabwe does not have the resources to repay the debt and even if we had them there are a number of challenges that need to be attended to by this Government.

"The resources we have now give us little fiscal space to maneuver," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara said it was difficult for Zimbabwe to seek debt forgiveness from the very countries that imposed sanctions. Government is working on a debt repayment strategy ahead of the African Development Bank meeting in South Africa later this month.