Obama concerned about Zimbabwe

  1. Posted on Tuesday 17 June 2008 - 10:05
    Mugadza
    Mugadza Munyaradzi, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe, photo: US Senate
    US presidential candidate Barack Obama has expressed concern over the deplorable economic and political situation in Zimbabwe in the past eight years. Commenting on the Zimbabwean crisis, Obama said he is deeply affected by the government's move to suspend humanitarian aid..
    Barack_obama_US_senate
    “I remain deeply concerned about the crisis in Zimbabwe, where the government of Robert Mugabe last week banned the operations of humanitarian agencies working across the country.” Said Obama

    Labour and Social Welfare minister Nicholas Goche suspended last week all non governmental organizations operating in the country for allegedly supporting the Movement for Democratic Change in the March 29 harmonised elections and ahead of the presidential run off penciled for June 27.

    The UN office in Zimbabwe said the government’s decision had left two million people especially children stranded because the nation failed to record a bumper harvest in the 2007/2008 agricultural season due to the incessant rains that befell the country.

    President Mugabe who lost the first presidential election top opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has now resorted to using food to starving millions as a tool ahead of the run off inorder to garner more than the 50 percent required by law.
    The suspension by the government is part of the retribution exercise by the status quo against the opposition supporters for voting for change in the March elections.

    “I am pleased that African leaders, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, former heads of states, business leaders and some of the continent’s best and brightest artists and activists have called for an end to the violence and the ban on humanitarian aid operations said Obama

    “Urgent action is required to prevent a further deterioration of this tragic situation. The United Nations, the African Union and the Southern African Development Community cannot afford to be spectators to this tragedy.”he said

    Obama also added that others partners in the region and the International community must condemn the repressive situation happening in Zimbabwe and ensure that they send more observers to monitor the volatile situation.

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