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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Post-election violence 2008 - Index of articles & images
Statement
on civil society operations in Zimbabwe
Legal
Resources Foundation
June 19, 2008
The Trustees
of the Legal Resources Foundation are concerned at recent developments
with regard to civil society operations in Zimbabwe. On 4 June 2008,
the Minister of the Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare, Nicholas
Goche, addressed an open
letter to all private voluntary organisations/non Governmental
Organizations. He stated that it has come to his attention that
a number of NGOs involved in humanitarian operations are breaching
the terms of their registration, though he did not specify how they
were doing so. He then gave an instruction that all PVOs/NGOs should
suspend all field operations until further notice.
The Minister
has no power, in terms of the Private
Voluntary Organisations Act, to issue such a Directive. Only
the Board of PVOs has powers to withdraw or suspend a registration
certificate, and that only on notice and after affording the PVO
concerned, an opportunity to be heard.
Further, the police and
other state agents and quasi Government agents, have been instructing
NGOs, even those not involved in humanitarian work, to close their
offices and cease operations. In some instances, NGOs have been
told that they must re-apply for registration. We have been compelled
to close down some of our advice centres in this manner. This certainly
does not appear in the Minister's unlawful directive. There
is no legal basis for such actions, and they can only be intended
to prevent NGOs carrying out the work they are mandated to, and
to deny beneficiaries much needed humanitarian and other assistance,
and cause them severe prejudice, in furtherance of a political cause.
We deplore these actions
by State and Quasi-Government agents, and call upon the Government
of Zimbabwe to uphold the laws of Zimbabwe, to protect the interests
of Zimbabweans, and to cease interference in the work of NGOs operating
in this country.
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