03/30/2005

On the eve of tomorrow’s general elections in Zimbabwe, Refugees International urges the government of Zimbabwe to cease discrimination against former farm workers. There are reports that the government has denied food assistance to vulnerable populations on the basis of their perceived political affiliation with the opposition party. These actions contribute to the already extremely vulnerable situation of the former farm workers.

RI also urges the U.S. Congress to continue to bring pressure to bear on the Government of Zimbabwe in regards to humanitarian assistance for its internally displaced people and other vulnerable groups in the country. Governments and inter-governmental bodies that have sent teams of election monitors must record and report of any discrimination that might occur. In particular, RI is concerned about the likelihood of post-election reprisals, including forced evictions and displacement, of those suspected of voting for the opposition party.

The Fast Track Land Reform Program and politically-motivated intimidation and harassment have created an internally displaced population of more than 150,000 former farm workers and have also caused thousands of Zimbabweans to flee their country. With a considerable portion of the former farm worker population trapped on farms and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, RI is concerned that politically motivated food distribution campaigns in the weeks before tomorrow’s elections have further traumatized this vulnerable population.

The Government of Zimbabwe refuses to acknowledge that the land redistribution program has caused forced displacement. The crisis has an important political dimension as the ruling party, ZANU-PF, has targeted the farm workers as a potential political base for the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. There have been reports of government-implemented special political re-education programs targeted at former farm workers.

In addition, the government of Zimbabwe has impeded humanitarian access to organizations deemed to be part of the political opposition to consolidate their political strength in anticipation of the upcoming parliamentary elections. The government of Zimbabwe has made provision of food to vulnerable households dependent on proof of allegiance to ZANU-PF, making food assistance a tool to manipulate voters. In a statement made on March 30, 2005, Rev. Pius Ncube, the Bulawayo Archbishop, charged the Government of Zimbabwe of deliberately refusing food to people it suspects of collaborating with the opposition party.

A considerable portion of the former farm worker population is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Many have little or no access to food, shelter, medical care, clean water, sanitation services, and education. While international and national humanitarian agencies are willing and able to provide assistance, national and local authorities are actively closing down any avenues of access to this vulnerable population.

Read Refugees International's full analysis on the situation of displaced farm workers.