SW Radio Africa (London)
Alex Bell
6 August 2008
As the secret power sharing talks continue between the MDC and ZANU-PF in South Africa, Zimbabweans are fighting a day to day battle to feed themselves and their families, in a situation that is increasingly desperate.
Although the Zimbabwean government this week announced a partial lifting of the ban on international food aid, to permit the resumption of feeding programs for people living with HIV/AIDS, the wider NGO distribution ban remains in effect and continues to block the flow of food aid to an increasingly distressed population.
As a result, food security for millions of Zimbabweans is deteriorating rapidly. The population has also been forced into a situation where basic food is already a luxury, with hyperinflation driving prices beyond the means of the majority of people. The country's most vulnerable, with no money to even consider making food purchases, have been left completely helpless without crucial aid needed to survive.
Last week, disaster relief officials for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) made an urgent appeal to the Zimbabwean government to rescind it's ban and guarantee the safety of humanitarian workers. It came after a visit to the country, which USAID described as "extremely alarming".
Fambai Ngirande from the National Association of NGO's, told Newsreel on Wednesday that at least 5 million of the country's population are facing starvation, and called the situation a "hidden crisis". He said the government's refusal to lift the ban is "complicating an already dire situation" that will have ripple effects well into the future. He said the food crisis is forcing people to become criminals or "enter prostitution for food and money", and added that "an entire generation is being wasted away".
Ngirande also labeled the continuation of the talks between MDC and ZANU-PF "ridiculous" given that millions of people are starving in the country. But he added, that if the government cannot be pressured to aid its own people in the face of such suffering, "what else can be done?"
Meanwhile, the Red Cross said on Wednesday it was launching a multi million US dollar emergency food security appeal, to help the Zimbabwe Red Cross deliver food aid to "particularly vulnerable people" and for the organisation to import over 350 000 tons of food. It said it's concerns are based on future figures that "5.1 million people could face food insecurity by the beginning of the year if the current harvest projections are accurate".
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 SW Radio Africa. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
