U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Southern Africa

Tel: +27 11 880 4633
Fax: +27 11 880 1421
e-mail: irin-sa@irin.org.za


SOUTHERN AFRICA
IRIN-SA Weekly Round-up 156
24 - 28 November 2003


CONTENTS:

ZIMBABWE: Critical need for non-food aid
ANGOLA: Special Report on land rights
COMOROS: Troops open fire on protest march
NAMIBIA: UN working on country's appeal for aid
LESOTHO: Stepping up HIV/AIDS efforts
MOZAMBIQUE: Opposition wins port city
ZAMBIA: Focus shifts to agri-economy


ZIMBABWE: Critical need for non-food aid

While food aid needs remain critical in Zimbabwe, aid agencies are
desperately trying to focus more attention on the collapsing health system
and a lack of adequate social safety nets, IRIN reported on Thursday.

In its latest Southern Africa appeal, the UN Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that "with crumbling health services,
the region has experienced a general decline in health [and] human
development, and an increase in morbidity and mortality rates".

The rapid economic decline - the government projects that inflation will
reach 700 percent next year - coupled with the impact of HIV/AIDS, has
eroded the coping ability of many previously stable households.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Zimbabwe, J. Victor Angelo, emphasised the
need for health and social sector support. "We are saving the mother by
giving her food ... but then she dies when she goes to a hospital that has
no drugs!"

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38131


Additional EC funds to secure WFP pipeline

IRIN reported on Wednesday that the European Commission (EC) had announced
that it will make available some US $8 million in additional funding for
World Food Programme (WFP) aid efforts in Zimbabwe.

The EC had already pledged about $28 million towards the Regional
Emergency Operation (EMOP) appeal launched in July 2003. The money was
made available "specifically to procure and distribute maize to the people
of Zimbabwe".

In an interview with IRIN earlier this month, WFP country director Kevin
Farrell said the agency "faces severe pipeline problems in the early
months of 2004. According to assessments by aid agencies, about half
Zimbabwe's population, some 5.5 million, is in need of food aid.

"The EC has now agreed to allocate a further €7 million (about $8
million). These commitments from the EC's food security budget line go a
long way to secure the WFP food pipeline well into 2004," the commission
said.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38107


Judge in Daily News case recuses himself

The judge who was supposed to hear the application by The Daily News for
permission to continue publishing recused himself on Tuesday.

IRIN reported that Judge Michael Majuru was prompted to do so by the
publication of a story in the official Herald newspaper, in which he was
accused of having told unidentified people that he would rule in favour of
the independent newspaper.

The Daily News, Zimbabwe's only independent daily newspaper, was shut down
by the authorities because it was not registered with the state-appointed
media commission.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38088


Mugabe will not be present in Abuja

It emerged on Tuesday that Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe will not
attend the upcoming Commonwealth summit in Nigeria, ending weeks of
speculation that the government's last-minute attempts might secure him an
invitation.

"We will not have an invitation [for Zimbabwe]. If there is no invitation
they will not come," Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo told journalists in the
southwestern Nigerian town of Otta on Tuesday.

Nigeria and South Africa have openly favoured "constructive engagement"
with Zimbabwe and Obasanjo's visit was seen as the latest attempt to coax
the government into kick-starting stalled talks with the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38089


Foreign ministers call for "constructive engagement"

President Robert Mugabe warned on Friday that Zimbabwe could leave the
Commonwealth if it was not treated as an equal, but failed to win the
backing of a troika of Southern African countries meeting in South Africa,
a diplomatic source told IRIN.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38151


Nurses' strike deepens health crisis

IRIN reported on Tuesday that public hospitals in the Zimbabwean capital,
Harare, were discharging patients and closing wards as a result of a
nationwide nurses' strike.

The nurses joined doctors at the weekend in a strike for higher wages,
deepening the crisis in Zimbabwe's underfunded public health system.

On Tuesday, a visit by IRIN to the city's two largest public hospitals -
Harare and Parirenyetwa - found that new patients were being turned away
and outpatient departments had been closed. Some wards at the hospitals
were empty and only the maternity wings remained open.

Doctors, who earn between Zim $263,305 and Zim $807,735 per month (about
US $330 and US $1,000 at the official rate, US $48 and US $147 at parallel
market rates) want their salaries hiked by 8,000 percent. Nurses want
their new salaries pegged at Zim $1.6 million (US $2,000 at the official
rate, US $290 at the parallel rate) in the face of hyperflation, now
standing at close to 600 percent.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38092


Arrested activists charged and released

The trade unionists and pro-democracy leaders arrested last week for
protesting against the government's management of the economy have all
been released, Zimbabwe police told IRIN on Monday.

The arrests were condemned by rights groups and the UN Acting High
Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), Bertrand Ramcharan.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena told IRIN that all the arrested
activists had "appeared in court and some of them have deposited bail,
whilst others were released on summons, which means they will appear in
court when we want them".

He said "there were about 70" activists arrested and that all were
"charged with participating in illegal demonstrations".

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38058


ANGOLA: Special Report on land rights

As millions of displaced Angolans arrive back home after a devastating
27-year war, arguments over land ownership and access are on the rise,
raising concerns over the potential for serious conflict.

Aid and humanitarian agencies are worried that the poor in both rural and
urban areas, already in a vulnerable position, will have insufficient
access to the benefits of the government's proposed land law, which has
itself come in for criticism.

"It's a confusing and difficult situation. If an appropriate legal
framework is not established, there is a possibility of increasing
conflict, which could lead to a more serious problem," said Paolo Groppo,
land tenure systems analysis officer of the Food and Agriculture
Organisation's (FAO) Rural Development Department.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38132


Interview with Development Workshop director on land rights

On Thursday IRIN spoke to Allan Cain, director of Development Workshop,
about some of the issues surrounding the prickly topic of land rights in
Angola.

Aid agencies are concerned over a draft law proposed by the government and
have criticised it for failing to safeguard the interests of rural peasant
communities - where fertile, agricultural land is in high demand - against
more powerful interests.

But the problem is as serious - if not more so - in urban areas.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38129


Foreign firms see potential but poverty persists

When South African fast-food chains Nandos and Steers opened their doors
to the Luandan public just weeks ago, they could hardly have anticipated
such an enthusiastic reception.

On the opening night a long line of excited customers stretched around the
block, and according to one staff member, business has been "absolutely
amazing" ever since.

But the arrival of the restaurants is unlikely to have any noticeable
impact on the lives of the vast majority of people as Angola emerges from
almost three decades of civil conflict.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38106


Govt denies Cabinda rights abuses

The government once again denied claims of rights abuses in the northern
enclave of Cabinda.

General Egidio Sousa Santos, deputy chief of staff, this week told the
state news agency, Angop, that "information given to certain media bodies
about soldiers in active service maltreating the people of Cabinda was
unfounded".

The campaign of misinformation, Sousa Santos said, was apparently being
conducted by "local Cabinda circles", and aimed to disparage the "good
name and image of FAA (Angola's army)".

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38105


Progress despite broken bridges and landmines

Landmines, poor roads and heavy rains continue to pose serious obstacles
to the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Angola, the Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Tuesday.

OCHA said in a statement that agencies were struggling to assist Angolans
suffering the cumulative effects of decades of war.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38059


COMOROS: Troops open fire on protest march

Political tension simmering between leaders in Comoros came to a head on
Wednesday when government troops reportedly opened fire on a group of
demonstrators protesting the policies of the country's president, Azali
Assoumani.

The president of Grande-Comore island, Abdou Soule Elbak, who led the
march through the main street of the capital, Moroni, told IRIN that at
least 15 people were injured during scuffles with soldiers.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38133


NAMIBIA: UN working on response to country's appeal for aid

The UN coordinator in Namibia believes a rapid needs assessment should be
done in order to guide aid efforts in the drought-hit country, IRIN
reported on Wednesday.

The government said some Nam $219 million (US $33.8 million) was needed
for drought-relief efforts, of which the government itself had contributed
Nam $92 million (US $14.2 million), leaving a gap of about Nam $127.4
million (US $19.6 million) to be covered by donors.

According to the appeal, 642,539 people require immediate food assistance.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38108


Appeal for US $33 million for drought relief

IRIN reported on Monday that some 643,000 Namibians have been affected by
the drought and are in urgent need of assistance in the form of food,
water, seeds, and emergency grazing for their animals.

Emergency Management Unit (EMU) Deputy Director Gabriel Kangowa told IRIN
on Monday that the government had called a meeting with donors, aid
agencies and NGOs last Thursday to outline its appeal for aid.

"There are already indications that some donors are coming to talk to us,
so they can tell us what can be offered. The indication is that they want
to assist," Kangowa said.

The government has allocated what resources it could muster to purchasing
food.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38064


LESOTHO: Stepping up HIV/AIDS efforts

Lesotho was expected to launch a new body to coordinate HIV/AIDS
programmes and place the epidemic at the top of the government's agenda.

After adopting a policy document to scale up the kingdom's response to the
pandemic last month, the cabinet also agreed to the establishment of an
autonomous National AIDS Commission (NAC) to spearhead the initiative.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38070


MOZAMBIQUE: Opposition wins port city

Mozambique's electoral commission announced that the opposition Renamo
party had won the port city of Beira while authorities promised to
investigate claims of irregularities during local elections.

The Beira result had been the most controversial. A report from the
Mozambique news agency, AIM, said: "More than anywhere else in the
country, the provisional count in Beira has suffered from the chronic
distrust between the two major political forces: the ruling Frelimo party,
and the opposition Renamo-Electoral Union coalition."

However, late on Thursday the National Elections Commission (CNE)
announced that the main opposition party's mayoral candidate, Deviz
Simango, had won with 53 percent of the vote.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38153


Election disputes mar poll

For the first time in Mozambique's history, the ruling Frelimo government
will probably have to contend with some local councils controlled by the
opposition.

Although official results of the 19 November local elections are not due
until 4 December, the opposition Renamo Electoral Union (a coalition of 10
parties with the main opposition party, Renamo) were expected to win
control of 4 of the 33 municipalities.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38103


Vote counting continues

The turnout in Mozambique's local elections last week was better than
first reported, according to a specialist news service.

The Mozambique Political Process Bulletin, produced by the organisation
European Parliamentarians for Africa, said provisional turnout averaged 30
percent in 24 municipalities. Initial reports last week suggested that
only around 15 percent of registered voters had cast their ballots in the
19 November poll.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38067


ZAMBIA: Focus shifts to agri-economy

President Levy Mwanawasa has announced measures aimed at turning
agriculture into one of the main drivers of Zambia's economy.

The fall in copper prices, Zambia's main source of foreign currency, has
made the country focus on economic diversification.

Among the measures announced by Mwanawasa include sourcing "cheap foreign
currency" for long term agricultural sector financing, zero rating tax on
imported farming equipment and keeping power tariffs low.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=38152


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

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