Posted on 03/15/2002 7:03:06 PM PST by Clive
THE food crisis in Zimbabwe is worsening by the day as it emerges government does not have the capacity to purchase enough stocks to feed the population.
Reports from non-governmental organisations distributing food under the auspices of the World Food Programme (WFP) indicate that in the rural areas the situation has deteriorated.
"In Lower Gweru, Matabele-land, Muzarabani and Midlands the situation is worsening by the day and some children are collapsing," said a programme officer with one of the NGOs.
"The number of children attending school every day continues to decline. The food being distributed so far is not enough."
The United States government, in a bid to avert widespread hunger in the country, has provided money to buy food for starving Zimbabweans under the WFP emergency food aid programme.
"As part of its ongoing support for the people of Zimbabwe, the United States government is pleased to announce its contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme's Emergency Operation in Zimbabwe," the United States Information Service said.
"The United States is providing 8 470 tonnes of fortified maize meal and the associated transport and handling costs. The value of the contribution is US$4,6 million ($253 million at the official exchange rate)," said the USIS.
The US government is also working with World Vision Inter- national to provide more assistance to villagers in the Midlands and Matabeleland South.
"In addition to the US contribution to the UN World Food Programme's food relief effort in Zimbabwe, the US is now finalising an assistance agreement with the World Vision International," the USIS said.
"This programme will provide for 14 310 tonnes of fortified maize meal and other commodities for some 75 000 of the most vulnerable people in Matabeleland South and Midlands provinces over the coming year," it said.
The total US contribution is expected to be 34 430 tonnes.
"This amount will meet the needs of approximately 170 000 vulnerable people in rural Zimbabwe during the next 12 months. The total value of this assistance is about US$20 million ($1,1 billion)," said the USIS.
Officials at the WFP however said only a few countries had so far responded to the appeal for assistance.
"The funding and pledges we have received so far constitute only 30% of what we actually needed," said an official. "Japan, Britain and now the US have given us assistance. Some organisations though have just made pledges and these include US$5 million by the Department for International Development, a multilateral donation of US$500 000, and US$11,6 million from USAid," said the WFP official.
There must be some way to stop this madman Mugabe.
I wouldn't be surprised to see the three nations send a joint Olympic Ass-Kicking Team there to set an example for any other tinhorn despots who think they can use the current global chaos as an opportunity to consolidate their little pockets of stalinist hell.
If we don't nip that murderous thug in the bud, I think we'll be looking at him and a few others like him as the next round of saddams and osamas that we'll have to deal with.
Some weeds need to be mowed down pronto. Mugabe seems to be trying to convince the world he's one of 'em.
Well, great! Now since the United States has provided support, ol' Mugabe can be just as nasty as he wants to be. All this food can now be used by him for his political advantage by withholding it from all opposition. Way to go, America! (/rant)
Of course. Prior to the election, Mugabe would only allow the food to be distributed by government hacks,
giving full credit to the then current "president".
Wait a minute, that would have been Mugabe.
Our tax money should be put to better uses.
What might be of better value would be a complete evaluation of just what WE did that allowed this to come about. Not to absorb blame (guilt - the American drug of choice) but to understand what we need very much to STOP doing to otuers in the name of a utopian new world.
Maybe we ought to include Yugoslavia and Mexico into that evaluation since they seem to be the two opposing poles in our recent activities.
My FReeper name is a hint. ;^)
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