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Harassment of aid groups continues as state agents descend on offices
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa
June 12, 2008

http://www.swradioafrica.com/News120608/harassment120608.htm

A week after ordering non-governmental organizations to cease operations in the country, state agents have been descending on the offices of many NGOs to make sure they are complying. Hearing about this some organizations decided to close early on Thursday. Eileen Sawyer, director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, said they had closed the office in Harare early and sent staff home, unsure of the nature of the operation. Earlier this week police and intelligence agents raided the Ecumenical Centre which houses many faith based groups. Several officials were arrested and equipment was confiscated.

Sawyer said the word was put out to ZANU-PF's rural structures to close down NGOs, and this is being acted on. She says the harassment of civil groups is having a very negative effect on their employees. "The staff are apprehensive and productivity is at its lowest. This madness probably won't end before the elections. Insanity is prevailing at every turn. Humanitarian groups are the last bastion of democracy in this country. In advance of this runoff election they are trying to close down democratic space as much as possible" said Sawyer.

State agents descended on the offices of the umbrella National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (NANGO) and their chairperson, Cephas Zinhumwe, confirmed that his group had suspended field operations until further notice. He said they were not going to close their offices because the order was specifically to suspend field operations. He added that he understood several other organizations had been visited on Thursday.

There are unconfirmed reports that the offices of Bulawayo Agenda, Gweru Agenda and Nango Midlands were also raided by police on Thursday. We were unable to reach them for comment.

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