Oxfam suspends field operations in Zimbabwe
Oxfam International Press Release
6 June 2008
International aid agency Oxfam today announced it has suspended all field work in Zimbabwe on the orders of the government.
A letter issued on June 4th by the Zimbabwean Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, addressed to "all private voluntary organizations / non governmental organizations" has instructed all NGOs "to suspend all field operation until further notice".
In addition to food shortages now, it is estimated there will be a further 1.4 million tonne shortfall in maize this year. Food insecurity is expected to be a serious problem by August.
Charles Abani, Oxfam's director in Southern Africa, said: "We are deeply concerned at this development. A lot of people are completely reliant on food aid to keep them alive. They don't have anything else to eat. Access has been restricted in recent months and we are very worried about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the communities we work with.
"We are also concerned that all NGOs - including local Zimbabwean organizations - have been suspended which brings a halt to a wide range of services to needy people."
Oxfam hopes this directive to suspend operations is temporary and calls on authorities to allow us to continue our ongoing work and assessments.
Oxfam is a non-partisan organisation that provides humanitarian assistance to people based on need and need alone. Our only interest is in ensuring that those people most vulnerable get the assistance they are entitled to.
Contact:
ROI: Paul Dunphy, Media and Communications Executive, 01 635 0422, paul.dunphy [at] oxfamireland.org
NI: Phillip Graham, Media and Communications Officer, 028 9089 5959, phillip.graham [at] oxfamireland.org
Notes to Editors:
Oxfam has a large network of partner organisations prepared to respond to the food emergency, and we have the capacity to rapidly scale up our programmes to directly assist people in need. However, in recent months Oxfam's ability to provide humanitarian relief in rural areas has been extremely limited. International NGOs (Oxfam included) have been unable to conduct planned food needs assessments, leading to poor preparation for the impending hungry season.
Oxfam Ireland is an independent member of Oxfam International- a group of thirteen non-governmental agencies dedicated to fighting poverty and related injustice around the world.
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