ZIMBABWE:AT LEAST two million of Zimbabwe's most vulnerable citizens have been stripped of essential support following the ruling regime's decision to ban all NGO operations in the country ahead of this month's presidential runoff.
Thursday's decision to sideline every aid agency and charity until after the June 27th poll, when each can reapply to have its operations reinstated, will put a wide variety of people at risk, according to relief agencies.
A senior United Nations source confirmed that although the number of Zimbabweans receiving food aid at present was much lower than at other times of the year, the numbers put at risk by the ban stretched into the millions.
"While we are only feeding 300,000 vulnerable people now because it is the harvest season, and food is available for most over the next few months, there are many others who need medicine for HIV and shelter," he told The Irish Times.
The source added that if the ban remained in place over the lean season, which officials estimate could begin as early as August, nearly four million people could be left without the aid they need to survive.
The government's deputy information minister, Bright Matonga, told local reporters yesterday that NGOs were banned because they were "behaving like political parties" and trying to sway people ahead of the crucial vote.
"As we speak there are no NGOs," he said, "As it appears that they veered from their normal work, we want them to clearly state what they intend to do, so that they will be bound by that."
However, many observers say the ban effectively means President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF regime has decided to use mass hunger as his latest political weapon to ensure he wins against his challenger, Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Since his return to Zimbabwe 13 days ago Mr Tsvangirai has been continuously harassed - he was detained yesterday for a second time this week by authorities - and prevented from holding rallies in the rural areas by police and militias. Earlier in the week US and British diplomats claim they were attacked by police.
The head of Trócaire's international department, Mike Williams, said the regime's decision, which halted their €1.5 million local operation, was "absolutely appalling".
"It has been nearly impossible for our people to operate in the rural areas for a number of weeks now, so people were already getting hungry.
"We frequently get told by African leaders the [ Zimbabwe] situation is an African problem and that they will solve it. Well, now is time for them to step in and do so," he said.
The UN confirmed yesterday the banning of NGOs had cast doubt over its ability to deliver the €203 million worth of aid earmarked for Zimbabwe in 2008.
"Non-governmental organisations are key implementing partners of UN agencies, and curtailing operation affects the implementation of UN programmes in Zimbabwe," UN spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said in Geneva.