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 372
19 - 25 April 2008


CONTENTS:

ZIMBABWE: Victims of state brutality speak out
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Human trafficking on the upswing
ZIMBABWE: New food security tool first for the region
ZIMBABWE: NGOs withering under foreign currency shortages
SOUTH AFRICA: Cholera in Soweto
SOUTH AFRICA-ZIMBABWE: Ship of shame adrift in controversy
MADAGASCAR: Despite odds, country saves more trees
MADAGASCAR: Rift Valley Fever hits island
ZIMBABWE: Humanitarian operations curtailed by violence
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Zimbabwe not on summit agenda


ZIMBABWE: Victims of state brutality speak out

President Robert Mugabe's government is challenging widespread reports 
of systematic beatings and assaults by the army, police and ZANU-PF 
militia as part of a campaign dubbed "Operation Mavhoterapapi" (Who did 
you vote for?).

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77900


SOUTHERN AFRICA: Human trafficking on the upswing

The victims of human trafficking in Southern Africa are often invisible 
because many countries in the region have failed to implement laws to 
combat it, Hans Petter Boe, Regional Representative for the 
International Organisation for Migration (IOM), said in his opening 
remarks at a conference in the South African port city of Durban.

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77888


ZIMBABWE: New food security tool first for the region

Zimbabwe will be the first country in Southern Africa to adopt a new 
food security analysis tool, developed in Somalia in 2004

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77891


ZIMBABWE: NGOs withering under foreign currency shortages

Scores of nongovernmental (NGO) and humanitarian organisations are 
threatened with collapse after Zimbabwe's central bank failed to release 
money required for their operational costs.

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77723


SOUTH AFRICA: Cholera in Soweto

The authorities have yet to isolate the source of cholera that killed 
two residents of Soweto, South Africa's largest township, on the 
southwestern fringe of Johannesburg, but the community is blaming local 
government's failure to provide basic services like clean water and 
proper sanitation.

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77858


SOUTH AFRICA-ZIMBABWE: Ship of shame adrift in controversy

There were conflicting reports about the whereabouts of a Chinese ship, 
laden with a cargo of small arms destined for Zimbabwe, after it was 
turned away from South Africa's port city of Durban.

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77864


MADAGASCAR: Despite odds, country saves more trees

Despite a demand for more agricultural land, poverty-stricken Madagascar 
has managed to reduce deforestation by almost half, environment groups 
say.

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77864


MADAGASCAR: Rift Valley Fever hits island

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) has infected more than 400 people in Madagascar, 
with at least 17 fatalities, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77846


ZIMBABWE: Humanitarian operations curtailed by violence

Zimbabwe's post-election violence is hampering the activities of 
humanitarian organisations and making the country's already dire food 
situation even more precarious. One-third of the population, or about 
four million people, are receiving food aid.

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77846


SOUTHERN AFRICA: Zimbabwe not on summit agenda

Norway and the European Union on Sunday urged southern African leaders 
to resolve the political crisis in Zimbabwe as their credibility was at 
stake.

See full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77846


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