Oh no, U.N. condemns Zimbabwe

23 July 2005, 10:37

500grains

U.N. Condemns Zimbabwe for Bulldozing Urban Slums

By WARREN HOGE
Published: July 23, 2005

UNITED NATIONS, July 22 - The United Nations on Friday condemned the mass destruction of urban slums and shantytowns in Zimbabwe by the government of President Robert G. Mugabe as a "disastrous venture," saying the policy had left 700,000 people homeless and created a "humanitarian crisis of immense proportions."

In a toughly worded report, the United Nations demanded that the activity be stopped immediately, that compensation and assistance be arranged for victims and that the leaders of the campaign be prosecuted.

In an accompanying statement that called the report "profoundly distressing," Secretary General Kofi Annan said, "I call on the government to stop these forced evictions and demolitions immediately, and to ensure that those who orchestrated this ill-advised policy are held fully accountable for their actions."

Mr. Annan said the United Nations would "urgently" seek agreement with Mr. Mugabe's government in Harare, the Zimbabwean capital, to mobilize assistance "on the scale that is required to avert further suffering." He urged the government to recognize the state of emergency and give free access to international aid workers.

Zimbabwe's foreign minister, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, told a news conference in Harare that the report, which was made available to the government on Wednesday, was hostile, biased and wrong. "The report described the operation in vastly judgmental language which clearly demonstrates its inbuilt bias against the operation," he said.

The government campaign, which began without warning on May 19, has resulted in the bulldozing of shacks, workshops and market stalls across Zimbabwe's urban centers, with the evicted people robbed of their livelihoods and forced to withstand winter weather in tents, makeshift shelters and transit camps.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/23/international/africa/...094&partner=homepage

23 July 2005, 18:23

Borealis Bob

What a racket. Mugabe bulldozes slums, Annan talks about the need "to mobilize assistance" and more aid will come in to be siphoned -off to private coffers.

23 July 2005, 19:18

bwanamrm

It would seem that Bob does indeed have this figured out...to increase foreign aid, make my people suffer! UN bleeding hearts will rush in with food and shelter. They won't condemn Bob personally though! He and Kofi are countrymen after all! What does "urgently seek agreement" mean?

On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling

Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.

23 July 2005, 22:38

Ganyana

Bwanamrm- Bob and Kofi are hardly countrymen- we just gave Kofi's son the contract to build our new international airport in Harare...and are too broke to finish paying for it, so urgently need some cash so we can settle up

23 July 2005, 23:33

bwanamrm

Ganyana,
And this would be the same son of Kofi caught in the "Oil for Food" Iraq scandal with his hand in the cookie jar so to speak??? Now building international airports for Zim??? My oh my, he does get around!