Saturday, 4 October 2008

Zimbabwe Update - Commitment for Life/Christian Aid

Political and economic instability continues to worsen in Zimbabwe, making the work of Christian Aid partners even more crucial. Though Government restrictions on this work has been damaging since March, the Dabane Trust managed to complete vital emergency work providing water points for drought-prone areas.

The United Nations estimates that by March 2009 - the height of Zimbabwe's dry season – approximately 45 per cent of the population will not have enough food to eat. Dabane Trust's work helping communities' access water to drink, grow crops and water livestock will save lives as the food and water crisis heightens.

The rural district of Gwanda was recently identified by Dabane Trust as one of the most in need. More than 3000 households there rely on unsafe water sources as much as 10km from their homes. Despite increasing difficulties importing cement and pipes, the Trust have restored twelve boreholes, and plan to continue this work through this year.

City dwellers are also experiencing a water crisis with running water provision failing. The Combined Harare Residents' Association (CHRA), the focus of our July materials, has criticised the government's decision to hand water supply management from city councils to ZINWA, an arm of the government who CHRA say 'does not have the financial and technical capacity to run and manage the water supply for the city of Harare'.

The humanitarian situation is particularly grave. Curbs on aid agencies imposed in June 2008 prior to the presidential election run-off mean that fewer than 20 per cent of the more than four million people in need have received help. 'It is a deeply serious situation, so many people desperately need food,' says Useni Sibanda, coordinator of the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA), a Christian Aid partner organisation. Mr Sibanda said the deal could 'change the landscape in Zimbabwe'. While there are urgent economic and political measures which must be taken, he says the church also has a very important role to play.' We are keen that the process of national healing starts immediately. We need a framework for a truth telling process that will bring peace and reconciliation to Zimbabwe.' Mr Sibanda says the church in the community has a major role to play; the recent electoral violence has caused a significant population displacement which has resulted in a high degree of mistrust.

'We must start the process of restorative justice at the community level. So many of our communities are broken; people have been displaced by their neighbors. There is a lot trauma amongst our people. The make-up of the commission on the new constitution must also be transparent and inclusive. 'We have to start working on the framework for the new constitution, it is essential to ensuring we are truly on the road to recovery.'

Basic foodstuffs, including maize meal and bread, are often in short supply in Zimbabwe, which was once one of Africa's leading agricultural producers. About 80 per cent of the country's 12.3m people are unemployed and many depend on food aid. Prior to the food aid ban, many Zimbabweans were already suffering from food shortages and rampant inflation. Millions of dollars in western-donor aid is expected, if President Mugabe proves genuine about sharing power and beginning to end Zimbabwe's economic and political crisis.

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