UN official slams charity ban

2008-06-04 20:27

Rome - The top United Nations human rights official on Wednesday said she was deeply concerned at reports that Zimbabwe has banned three aid groups from working in the country.

The director of a national NGO association said earlier that Harare had ordered charities Save the Children UK, CARE International and ADRA to stop work in the country immediately.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, who is attending a summit on the food crisis, said she was deeply concerned at reports the aid agencies had been ordered to halt their operations until after presidential elections later this month.

"If true, this would be an unconscionable act," she said shortly after addressing the summit.

"To deprive people of food because of an election would be an extraordinary perversion of democracy, and a serious breach of international human rights law," Arbour added.

Violence mounts

Violence has been steadily mounting in Zimbabwe ahead of the presidential run-off which will pitch veteran incumbent Robert Mugabe against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader is only participating in the run-off under protest, arguing that he won an outright majority in the first round and Mugabe's regime is now trying to ensure it stays in power by attacking and intimidating opposition supporters.

Although Mugabe has accused the MDC of terrorising backers of his Zanu-PF party, the UN has said the opposition has borne the brunt of the post-election violence.

In his speech at the food summit on Tuesday, Mugabe accused the West of trying to "cripple" Zimbabwe's economy and "effect illegal regime change".

Mugabe's presence at the summit was attacked by critics who accused him of wrecking the country's economy and depriving its people of food through his policies.

- AFP