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US: Zim is 'obscene'
21/06/2005 09:25 - (SA)
Washington - The United States on Monday accused Zimbabwe of imposing an "obscene" tragedy of "crime" and "horror" on its people after the government extended a purge against illegal structures.
Fresh US criticism, which coincided with a joint statement of concern on Zimbabwe with the European Union, came after President Robert Mugabe's government extended the programme to business offices in Harare suburbs.
The blitz, which has left hundreds of thousands of poor people homeless in winter, was a "tragedy, crime, horror - that the government of Zimbabwe is perpetrating on its people," said state department deputy spokesperson Adam Ereli.
"It really is obscene what's going on there where the government destroys homes and businesses of Zimbabwe's poor in some perverse, misguided move to respond to political opposition or to respond to economic factors.
"It defies explanation, but it's clear that it's wrong and that it's objectionable and that it's condemnable."
The United States and the European Union earlier expressed concern about the human rights situation in Zimbabwe and said they stood ready to provide help in the event of food shortages.
"The US and the EU note with deep concern the continuing governance and human rights crisis in Zimbabwe, which has led to a near breakdown of the economic situation of one of the most promising economies in Africa and caused huge flows of Zimbabweans to flee to neighbouring countries," according to a joint statement released here after the annual US-EU summit.
"We call upon the Government of Zimbabwe to reverse anti-democratic policies and to open a genuine dialogue with all stakeholders," they said.
"We also note that serious food shortages are looming in Zimbabwe, and we stand ready, as in the past, to assist the Zimbabwean people with food aid and other humanitarian assistance," they said.
Washington had earlier strongly condemned the urban clean-up campaign in a statement last week.
Hordes of armed police have gone on the rampage over the past month in major towns across Zimbabwe, demolishing and torching backyard shacks and makeshift shop stalls in a campaign that has drawn global condemnation.
The operation has so far left between 200 000 and 1.5 million people homeless, according to the United Nations and the opposition respectively.
The crackdown, code-named Operation Murambatsvina, which means "Get rid of trash," and referred to as "tsunami" among urban dwellers, comes against the backdrop worsening food and fuel shortages.
The Herald newspaper on Monday said the Harare municipality had over the weekend closed several office blocks which were "overcrowded, filthy and unhygienic."
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