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The
United Kingdom's resettlement scheme is not an "airlift"
British
Embassy, Harare
June 02, 2009
It is disappointing that, amidst the debate on creating a free media
environment in Zimbabwe, The Herald continues to peddle gross distortions
and misinformation. Its front-page article on 2 June - "Sanctions
hit local British pensioners" - blames imaginary "western-imposed
economic sanctions" for the plight of ordinary people in Zimbabwe.
In fact:
- There are
no United Kingdom or European Union economic sanctions against
Zimbabwe.
- Current EU
measures are carefully targeted against 243 individuals and organisations
responsible for the worst excesses of the previous regime, in
terms of human rights abuses, political violence, corruption,
hate speech and undermining the rule of law.
- These measures
have no adverse effect on ordinary people.
- The economic
collapse of Zimbabwe and its infrastructure is the result of the
ruinous policies of the previous regime.
The United Kingdom's
Resettlement Scheme is not an "airlift". It is a voluntary
programme intended to help older and vulnerable British people who
can no longer support themselves in Zimbabwe and who are unable
to move to the UK without assistance. The suggestion that British
policy is racially motivated is offensive and inaccurate. This year,
the United Kingdom is running its largest ever aid programme to
Zimbabwe, worth £49 million ($74 million). British funding
has supported a comprehensive set of programmes for all Zimbabweans,
including food aid and health. Our assistance has helped:
- avert widespread
hunger through the provision of timely food aid;
- support over
2 million people to grow more food and improve their harvest yields;
- enable 1
million people get access to clean water and home based care for
the chronically ill;
- assist 700,000
urban poor with food vouchers, shelter and access to education;
- treat people
with HIV and reduce the rate of infection.
The United Kingdom
is fully committed to helping the Inclusive Government implement
the democratic and economic reforms essential to improve the lives
of ordinary Zimbabweans. The Herald's obsession with bogus
issues is not the road to the future.
For further
information, please contact: Keith Scott, First Secretary Political/Communications,
British Embassy Harare, Tel: +263 912 125 160-7
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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