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A View of Zimbabwe from Within
The country of
Zimbabwe,
situated in south central Africa, borders with Zambia, South Africa,
Mozambique, and Botswana. With a population of 11.8 million,
Zimbabwe
covers an area about three times the size of
England
or nearly as big as California. Since its independence from Britain in
1980, the ruling ZANU party has been at the helm of the country.
For a number of
years allegations of human rights violations have been brought out by the
main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Both
political parties have complained about supporters being kidnapped, raped,
tortured, or beatings. Allegations of basic human rights being interfered
with or even denied have become common. The travel documents of certain
individuals have been confiscated. A “luxury tax” has been placed on
newspapers printed outside the country, restricting access to information.
Opposition and civic groups have raised questions about arrests and the
unwarranted detention of opposition leaders, journalists, and labor
leaders.
Other abuses of
human rights have come in the areas of social, economic, and religious
environments. The right to shelter in Zimbabwe is only but a dream for the
majority. ‘Operation Murambatsvina’ which focused on cleaning out
urban areas, led to the heartless destructions of well-built homes as well
as shanties. At least 700,000 people were left homeless, according the
United Nations. Despite the government’s attempts to alleviate the
problem, many Zimbaweans remain homeless today.
UN Efforts
Various agencies of the United Nations have called
upon the Zimbabwean government to work to improve the human rights
situation in the country. In early August, the
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), attempting to carry out a
nationwide child health campaign in Zimbabwe, said it was seriously
concerned about an ongoing ban on non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
operating in the country’s communities.
The ban, imposed on June 4, poses serious problems
for the humanitarian community amid galloping inflation and Zimbabwe’s
serious food crisis, according to a spokesperson for UNICEF.
On August 5, the Assistant Secretary-General for
Political Affairs, Haile Menkerios, headed to
South Africa for talks
with the African
Union and the Organ on Politics, Defense and Security of the Southern
African Development Community (SADC)
on the mediation process to resolve the
political crisis in neighboring
Zimbabwe.
Responding to comments by Zimbabwe’s Permanent Representative to the UN
that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was not impartial in dealing with
Zimbabwe, Mr. Ban’s spokesperson released a statement which said in part
“There is nothing
one-sided about defending the right of the people of Zimbabwe to choose a
legitimate government in a free and fair election,” according to a
statement issued yesterday by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.
Mr.
Ban
had criticized the outcome of the June 27 run-off presidential election as
illegitimate saying “The outcome did not reflect the true and genuine will
of the Zimbabwean people or produce a legitimate result. Conditions were
not in place for a free and fair election and observers have confirmed
this from the deeply flawed process.”
In early August, the
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), attempting to carry out a
nationwide child health campaign in Zimbabwe, said it was seriously
concerned about an ongoing ban on non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
operating in the country’s communities. The ban, imposed on June 4, poses
serious problems for the humanitarian community amid galloping inflation
and Zimbabwe’s serious food crisis, according to a spokesperson for
UNICEF.
On August 5, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs,
Haile Menkerios, headed to South Africa for talks with the African Union
and the Organ on Politics, Defense and Security of the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) on the mediation process to resolve the
political crisis in neighboring Zimbabwe.
Responding to comments by Zimbabwe’s Permanent Representative to the UN
that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was not impartial in dealing with
Zimbabwe, Mr. Ban’s spokesperson released a statement which said in part
“There is nothing one-sided about defending the right of the people of
Zimbabwe to choose a legitimate government in a free and fair election,”
according to a statement issued yesterday by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson. Mr.
Ban had criticized the outcome of the June 27 presidential run-off
election as illegitimate. He said, “The outcome did not reflect the true
and genuine will of the Zimbabwean people or produce a legitimate result.
Conditions were not in place for a free and fair election and observers
have confirmed this from the deeply flawed process.”
Education
The government’s goal at independence in 1980 of
making education a fundamental human right for all has become only a more
distant dream. The 1992 Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP)
which privatized education was a failure. The situation only worsened with
the privatization of essential services in the education sector in 1997.
Education is becoming accessible only for the elite.
Poor Health
Facilities
The government’s slogan “Health for All by the Year
2000” degraded into empty rhetoric. Many health institutions have
collapsed due to the drain of skilled people, a poor infrastructure, and
the chronic shortage of drugs and equipment. Although the government is
credited with addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the deterioration of
health services has threatened any further developments.
Economic Situation
The economy
shrunk by 60% in ten years. In May, inflation soared to the one million
percent level. It is predicted that inflation will reach five million
percent by October. While the government contends that unemployment is
holding at 9%, other estimates place it at 70-85%. A tax rate of 60% has
failed to provide needed services to the people. The 60% drecrease in the
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) caused the collapse of the road, rail, and
aviation infrastructure.
Collapse of infrastructure
The decrease of the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) by 60% has also resulted in the collapse of road, rail and
aviation infrastructure as well as the parastatals and national
authorities being broke. A massive brain drain of 3,5 million Zimbabweans
in the diaspora has also contributed towards the collapse of
infrastructure and services to be rendered to the people.
Electricity problems
The foreign currency
crisis has also affected electricity supplies, 35 percent of which the
state power utility the Zimbabwe Electricitty Supply Authority (ZESA) has
to import from neighbouring countries. The cash-strapped ZESA hasstruggled
to import enough power from its neighbours leading to frequent power cuts
that have disrupted industrial production and damaged household appliances
after freak electrical surges are pumped into domestic appliances when
supplies are restored.
Eratic
water supplies
Across poor
townships, citizens are struggling with erratic water supplies. Residents
fear the outbreak of diseases as electrical pumps fail at times to provide
an adequate water supply to some parts of the townships.
Transport
problems
A shortage of both
petrol and diesel fuel forces motorists to resort to the black market in
order to obtain necessary supplies. This, in turn, has resulted in the
increase in transportation fees. Workers reach their work stations late
and return home very late due to the transport blues. The transport costs
alone faced by the workers normally exceed by far their monthly income,
making it very difficult for the workers to provide for their families.
Commodity shortages
Price distortions,
caused by governmental controls as well as other factors, have resulted in
shortages denying the people their right to basic food.
Religious
environment
Great strides have
been made towards freedom of worship in Zimbabwe. Various religions,
including the various Christian traditions, Islam, traditional African
religions, Hinduism, and Judaism are practiced by followers without
tensions. The religions easily coexist.
The Carmelites in Zimbabwe are working in Harare, the capital
city of Zimbabwe, and in Mutare. The Carmelites have ministered in the
Diocese of Mutare since 1955, bringing God’s word to the lives of many
Christians in the diocese’s 23 parishes. The Order has been very involved
in the peace and justice ministry, grounded in the social teachings of the
Church. The Carmelites have promoted good health and education for both
the poor and the marginalized since the creation of the Diocese. The men
and women of the Order are witnesses of Christ, living in the midst of
many difficulties in the country. They are listening to the ‘cries’ of the
people of Zimbabwe and they are also suffering economically, socially, and
emotionally due to the problems in Zimbabwe. The Carmelites are working
very hard despite the difficulties they experience on a daily basis. By
their love for God and their lives in the midst of the people, they are a
sign of hope and love.
Although the Zimbabwe
government is striving to affirm human rights in some areas, there is need
for it to reaffirm human rights in political areas where allegations have
continued to be raised by the opposition and the civic groups. Human
rights on social and economic issues also need to be addressed.
A Zimbabwean Carmelite |