US slams Zim price controls
17/07/2007 21:56  - (SA)  

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Washington - The United States on Tuesday sharply denounced Zimbabwe's price controls as "reckless" and counterproductive, and announced it would send 47 400 tons of additional food aid there.

In a blistering statement, White House spokesperson Tony Snow also condemned Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's "violent crackdown" on democratic opposition and accused him of abducting, detaining, and torturing democracy activists.

"Many brave Zimbabweans from all spectrums of society are fighting to secure freedom and a better life, and we stand ready to engage a new Zimbabwean government committed to democracy, human rights, sound economic policy, and the rule of law," Snow said.

Retailers and manufacturers, grappling to cope with an inflation rate now believed to be well over 5 000%, had been raising their prices several times a day until the government ordered prices to be cut in half on June 26.

"The regime's reckless attempts to address self-imposed hyperinflation have resulted in the arrest of at least 2 000 businesspeople, widespread hoarding and profiteering by police and government officials, and shortage of basic staples," said Snow.

"Its irresponsible economic policies will only worsen inflation, unemployment, growing food shortages, and poverty," he said, adding that more than four million Zimbabweans were projected to go hungry absent foreign aid.

Snow said Washington would provide 47 400 tons of additional food assistance to ease the suffering of roughly half a million Zimbabweans, and that total US aid would feed about 1.4 million until Zimbabwe's 2008 harvest.

Snow said: "The Mugabe regime also continues its violent crackdown against the democratic opposition in advance of the March 2008 elections, including the imprisonment, abduction, and torture of democracy activists.

"This raises significant questions about the regime's commitment to the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) mediation effort led by President Mbeki of South Africa."

- AFP

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