SOUTHERN AFRICA: IRIN-SA Weekly Round-up 325 for 10 - 16 March 2007
18 Mar 2007 19:56:26 GMT Source: IRIN
JO, 18 March (IRIN)
- CONTENTS: ZIMBABWE: Rising frustration brings hardening attitudes
BOTSWANA: Zimbabweans fleeing economic meltdown unwelcome
MADAGASCAR: Food insecurity rises in aftermath of Cyclone Indlala SWAZILAND: Maize prices shoot up as food shortages loom ZIMBABWE: Rising frustration brings hardening attitudes As Zimbabwe's opposition groups vowed on Friday to keep up the pressure on the
government for "democratic change", a defiant President Robert Mugabe lashed out at Western governments for supporting political violence. Opposition leaders and pro-democracy groups at a meeting
issued a declaration committing themselves to a "heightened momentum" of protest action, Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), told IRIN. But the
official newspaper, The Herald, on Friday quoted Mugabe accusing western governments of ignoring what he had said was MDC instigation of the violence. "When they criticise government when it tries to
prevent violence, and punish perpetrators of that violence, we take the position that they can go hang." More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70738 Opposition denies role in
police bombings Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has distanced itself from the bombing of a police camp in the capital, Harare, on Tuesday, while some rights activists are
suggesting that unrest is mounting. Three female police officers were injured and their property burnt at the Marimba police camp, which consists of a police station and residential quarters, in the
populous suburb of Mufakose, an MDC stronghold. State television and the official daily newspaper, The Herald, reported that assailants cut the boundary fence before throwing teargas canisters and
petrol bombs into the lodgings. More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70720 Regional silence on crisis "loud" Pro-democracy activists lashed out at the lack of a regional
response to the "deteriorating human rights" situation in Zimbabwe as two activists were shot and wounded by police in the capital, Harare, on Tuesday, the third day of police crackdowns. "At the
very least they can issue a condemnation of the brutality and torture, and urge the Zimbabwe government to take action against the police," said Brian Raftopoulos, a Zimbabean academic and curently
African affairs specialist at the South African-based Institute for Justice and Reconciliation. More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70677 More arrests, tension rises Zimbabwean police arrested 240 more pro-democracy supporters on Monday as they demonstrated against the killing of an opposition party member and a crackdown on protest over conditions in the country. More than 140 opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters were arrested in the eastern city of Mutare, about 300km from the capital, Harare, on Monday as pressure mounted on the
government to release those arrested and ensure basic freedom of association. Police arrested 110 opposition supporters in Harare, protesting the break-up of a gathering on Sunday the police had
declared illegal. In spite of the arrests, the MDC said the month-old "defiance campaign", launched by a coalition of civil society groups and political parties, would continue. More details: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70653 BOTSWANA: Zimbabweans fleeing economic meltdown unwelcome Zimbabweans trooping across the border looking for jobs in Botswana face hardship, but
would rather stay than return to face the worsening economic crunch at home. That is a problem for an increasing number of Motswana, who believe Zimbabweans have worn out their welcome. Xenophobia
is being stoked by the daily arrival of economic migrants, and the popular belief that Zimbabweans are responsible for increased crime in this diamond-rich middle-income success story. "Coming up
with the exact number of Zimbabweans now living here is impossible because a sizeable amount of them are illegal immigrants who use undesignated crossing points," an immigration official, who asked
for anonymity, told IRIN. More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70678 MADAGASCAR: Food insecurity rises in aftermath of Cyclone Indlala Cyclone Indlala, the sixth storm to
hit Madagascar this season, has halted ongoing relief efforts while further exacerbating food insecurity, prompting the United Nations (UN) and its partners to launch a US$9.6 million Flash Appeal to
respond to the growing crisis. Indlala had been predicted to touch down in the island's second largest city and main harbour, Toamasina. Instead, the storm kept heading northward, and hit the major
agricultural city of Antalaha on the east coast of the island at around 5a.m. (local time) on Thursday. The storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression as it moves south, but bad weather
continues to prevent relief efforts near Antalaha. Reports from the area describe heavy damage to structures and agricultural land, with rice paddies completely inundated. Residents are without power
or communication services. More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70736 SWAZILAND: Maize prices shoot up as food shortages loom In anticipation of what could be the worst
food shortage in 25 years brought on by prolonged dry weather, the price of Swaziland's staple food, maize, has risen by 80 percent in the past month, and is expected to double by harvest time in
April-May. "Variation in weather patterns have seriously affected maize crops at a very critical stage," said Ben Nsibandze, Director of the National Disaster Relief Task Force, which advises
government and the international donor community on the status of the country's food supply. In the last few months, Swaziland has suffered delayed rainfall, heavy winds and hailstorms, followed by
scorching dry spells. Usually only the dry Middleveld, Lowveld and Lubombo Plateau areas are affected, but this year the entire country has experienced poor growing conditions. More details: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70700
