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On
eve of election, RI warns of discrimination against former farm
workers in Zimbabwe
Refugees
International
March
30, 2005
http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/article/detail/5537/
On the eve of
tomorrow’s general elections in Zimbabwe, Refugees International
urges the government of Zimbabwe to cease discrimination against
former farm workers. There are reports that the government has denied
food assistance to vulnerable populations on the basis of their
perceived political affiliation with the opposition party. These
actions contribute to the already extremely vulnerable situation
of the former farm workers.
RI also urges the U.S. Congress to continue to bring pressure to
bear on the Government of Zimbabwe in regards to humanitarian assistance
for its internally displaced people and other vulnerable groups
in the country. Governments and inter-governmental bodies that have
sent teams of election monitors must record and report of any discrimination
that might occur. In particular, RI is concerned about the likelihood
of post-election reprisals, including forced evictions and displacement,
of those suspected of voting for the opposition party.
The Fast Track Land Reform Program and politically-motivated intimidation
and harassment have created an internally displaced population of
more than 150,000 former farm workers and have also caused thousands
of Zimbabweans to flee their country. With a considerable portion
of the former farm worker population trapped on farms and in urgent
need of humanitarian assistance, RI is concerned that politically
motivated food distribution campaigns in the weeks before tomorrow’s
elections have further traumatized this vulnerable population.
The Government of Zimbabwe refuses to acknowledge that the land
redistribution program has caused forced displacement. The crisis
has an important political dimension as the ruling party, ZANU-PF,
has targeted the farm workers as a potential political base for
the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. There
have been reports of government-implemented special political re-education
programs targeted at former farm workers.
In addition, the government of Zimbabwe has impeded humanitarian
access to organizations deemed to be part of the political opposition
to consolidate their political strength in anticipation of the upcoming
parliamentary elections. The government of Zimbabwe has made provision
of food to vulnerable households dependent on proof of allegiance
to ZANU-PF, making food assistance a tool to manipulate voters.
In a statement made on March 30, 2005, Rev. Pius Ncube, the Bulawayo
Archbishop, charged the Government of Zimbabwe of deliberately refusing
food to people it suspects of collaborating with the opposition
party.
A considerable portion of the former farm worker population is in
urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Many have little or no access
to food, shelter, medical care, clean water, sanitation services,
and education. While international and national humanitarian agencies
are willing and able to provide assistance, national and local authorities
are actively closing down any avenues of access to this vulnerable
population.
Read Refugees International's full
analysis on the situation of displaced farm workers.
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
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