STATE security agents in Tsholotsho on Monday barred Harare-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from touring the district to assess the dam in the district. NQOBANI NDLOVU STAFF REPORTER
The Civic Forum for Human Development (CFHD) and the Humanitarian Information Facilitation Centre (HIFC) were turned back at Tsholotsho Police Station where they had gone to seek clearance to proceed with a tour of flood affected areas.
A ministerial team visited Tsholotsho early last month after the floods and stampeded to assist the victims who had complained of neglect, accusing the government of ignoring their plight.
Following the ministerial visit, NGOs, the corporate world and churches have been assisting victims whose homes and crops were razed to the ground and swept away by the torrential rains.
Tsholotsho district information officer Shepherd Honzeri yesterday told Southern Eye that HIFC and CFHD were barred because their visit and timing was suspicious.
“They did not have a memorandum of understanding with the council,” he said.
“There are a lot of NGOs and companies that have come here to assist and have not been prevented from doing so. They were supposed to inform relevant departments in advance and would have been allowed to proceed with the tour.
“The timing of the visit was suspect and their position paper making comparisons of Tsholotsho and Masvingo raised eyebrows.
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“It was felt that the NGOs wanted to come here for something else like to raise their funding using the Tsholotsho situation. The feeling was that the NGOs most likely wanted to use the Tsholotsho situation for their benefit and not for the victims,” Honzeri added.
HIFC and CFHD officials declined to comment on the development fearing that it would jeopardise their relations with government agencies in Tsholotsho.
However, a senior HIFC official yesterday expressed disquiet over the State security agents’ move to forbid them from visiting affected areas to make their own independent assessment on what assistance could be offered.
“Information on the flood situation is what organisations need to know before they assist and if you deny organisations permission to gather that information, you are literally denying the people the assistance that they deserve,” the official said.
“People who need assistance are on the ground. They know what they want and they are the ones who inform the organisations what kind of assistance they want and not vice-versa,” he said.
“If we deny them that right, how then can they be assisted?”
