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Aid agencies say Zimbabwe crisis hampering efforts
Agence-France-Presse
April 16, 2008

http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=080416073637.qc8ochv4.php

Aid agencies operating in Zimbabwe say the prolonged political crisis there is hampering humanitarian efforts, with fears of intimidation forcing charities to reduce work in needy communities.

British-based Save the Children said the stalemate over the release of last month's presidential poll results was making it impossible for it to continue its programmes as normal.

"Basically whenever there is a political election like this, and especially in Zimbabwe, it is a very sensitive situation," said spokeswoman Sarah Jacobs.

"Lots of aid agencies have to drastically reduce their actual work on the ground."

Save The Children was caught in the cross-fire, accused both by President Robert Mugabe's government and the opposition of supporting the other side, she said, adding that staff were now restricted to working from the office.

"All our working with our communities, delivering aid, is currently impossible. The reason being STC revolves around workshops and consultations, and big meetings in sensitive times are not to be advised."

Rising tensions and the delay in the poll results have only added to the woes of a country that was already suffering an extreme economic crisis, typified by drastic food shortages.

A leading international aid organization, speaking off the record for the safety of its staff, told AFP there were increasing reports of intimidation in rural areas, particularly previous strongholds of the ruling ZANU-PF.

"Non-governmental organizations in these areas are seen as being sympathetic to the opposition. There is certainly an increasing presence, there have been war veterans," the source said, referring to the loyal Mugabe activists.

Jacobs, who had just returned from a visit to Zimbabwe, said bad harvests meant some families' food may not last more than four months, and many had resorted to eating wild fruits and some even poisonous leaves.

The organization was unable to deliver mosquito nets to malaria-stricken parts of the country, and the economic situation meant seed could not be provided to families to give them the chance of growing their own food.

"Being active at this time can affect our work. It is safer for us to be office-based. It can't go on forever. Communities are suffering. Children are suffering," Jacobs told AFP.

"The longer this political stalemate continues and we have the world focused and waiting, behind the scenes the humanitarian crisis is worsening. It is not an option to just wait and wait."

Zimbabwe, reeling from the effects of inflation well into six figures and massive shortages of basic goods, has the world's highest number of orphans per capita, according to Jacobs.

Oxfam spokeswoman Caroline Hooper-Box said while the international agency itself could still function normally, the smaller local groups it relied upon heavily had scaled back their work for fear of retribution.

"Many of our local partner organizations are struggling with limited access to various areas or concerned about their work being perceived to be sympathetic to a particular political party."

Hooper-Box described the crisis facing the country as dire.

"The reality is even if economically things were back to normal, it's going to take at least three years before the humanitarian situation is under control."

Another international agency, which asked not to be named, said it had launched a programme of extra food distribution ahead of the election, fearing its operations could be suspended.

"If it goes on a lot longer, it could be a serious problem," a spokeswoman for the organization said, referring to the ongoing uncertainty.

UN children fund (UNICEF) spokesman in Harare, James Elder, told AFP the lingering crisis in the country had forced some NGOs to "work underground."

"It is a real setback for us. There is the issue of security. There are also issues of fuel availability and access to delivery services, especially in the rural areas," he said.

Faced with 80 percent unemployment and the runaway inflation, almost one third of Zimbabwe's 13 million population have left the country, both to find work and food as even basics such as bread and cooking oil are now hard to come by. Average life expectancy is down to about 36 years of age.

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