Southern African Church Opens Relief Fund for Zimbabwe

In light of the UN Report on Zimbabwe, the Anglican Church in Southern Africa has started a relief fund for all victims of the Zimbabwe Government’s shanty-town demolition programme ‘Operation Murambatsvina’.

The Anglican Church has donated R250,000 already to the fund, which will be used to provide food and other basic necessities. The Church has also expressed interest in hooking up with other faith communities in Southern Africa to build a more effective response effort to the demolitions.

Archbishop Ndungane said: "While I support the UN’s condemnation of those responsible for the operation and the call for them to be brought to book for their inhumane actions, my major concern now is with the well-being of people so terribly affected by this humanitarian crisis."

The Archbishop said the international community was in the position especially to provide at least the very basics for life, such as food, water, shelter and healthcare.

He also urged the Zimbabwean Government to support aid agencies in helping evictees: "I appeal to the Zimbabwean Government to facilitate international humanitarian operations within the country since it has limited capacity to address these needs fully at present. I also appeal to President Mugabe and the Zimbabwe Government to stop the Operation immediately and to focus on rebuilding and reconstruction."

Archbishop Ndungane also reiterated U.N. recommendations when he called for negotiations to be stepped up, saying, "I therefore call on all resourceful Zimbabweans to gather around the negotiating table and to work together to resolve their economic problems and political tensions."

The South African Government has pledged financial assistance to Zimbabwe, saying, "We engage with them because we don’t want Zimbabwe collapsing next door. South Africa would inherit all the consequences of Zimbabwe collapsing."

Despite South Africa’s clear reluctance to get involved with Zimbabwe’s economic mess, Archbishop Ndungane welcomed their financial support, and showed enthusiasm to meet with South Africa’s religious leaders again to formulate a coordinated aid effort.

"I am happy to hear that the South African Government will engage with the U.N. on their recommendations regarding Zimbabwe and I look forward to meeting with President Mbeki again, together with the South African Council of Churches and other religious leaders to continue our discussions on how best to help the Zimbabwean community."

The UN report said Operation Restore Order in disregarding international guidelines on evictions had breached both national and international human rights, as well as precipitating a humanitarian crisis.

The report said: "Many of the sick, including those with HIV and AIDS, no longer have access to care. The vast majority of those directly and indirectly affected are the poor and disadvantaged segments of the population. They are, today, deeper in poverty, deprivation and destitution, and have been rendered more vulnerable."

The UN has also expressed concern over reports that demolitions are still taking place, despite the Government assurances they have stopped.

U.N. Resident Coordinator Agostinho Zacarias said: "The U.N. country team welcomes the statement by the foreign minister that the Operation Murambatsvina/Restore Order has now been concluded.

"But we are still getting reports that, for instance, in Chipinge area, demolitions have continued, and we are very concerned with that."

Mr Zacarias said it was urgent that all demolitions of unapproved residential and business buildings be halted in order to mobilise humanitarian assistance for the tens-of-thousands displaced, according to U.N. statistics.

A Member of Parliament in Zimbabwe reacted to the UN envoy, led by Ms Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, as "whipping up the international community’s emotions and sending a wrong message about Zimbabwe."

Archbishop Ndungane concluded, saying, "I appeal to the international community to assist in any way possible to bring relief to those hundreds of thousands of affected people and to help work towards restoring their living conditions to acceptable standard," the Archbishop said.