VZCZCXRO8603
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0503/01 1651051
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131051Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3015
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1307

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000503 
 
AIDAC 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DCHA/AA FOR MIKE HESS 
AFR/AA FOR KATE ALMQUIST AND FRANKLIN MOORE 
AFR/SA FOR ELOKEN, LDOBBINS, JKOLE 
DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, ACONVERY, TDENYSENKO, LTHOMAS 
DCHA/FFP FOR JBORNS, JDWORKEN, LPETERSON, ASINK 
PRETORIA FOR JWESSEL, GJUSTE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM PGOV KHIV PGOV PREL ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE SUSPENDS ALL NGO ACTIVITIES 
 
REF: HARARE 475 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU)  On June 5, Zimbabwe's Minister of Public Service, Labor 
and Social Welfare (MPSLSW) Nicolas Goche issued a letter addressed 
to all Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Private Voluntary 
Organizations (PVOs) advising them to "suspend all field operations 
until further notice."  (See paragraph 11 for complete text of 
letter.)  Post is assessing the impact of this blanket suspension on 
its partners, but the United Nations Office for the Coordination of 
Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has informally estimated that at least 
two million beneficiaries would be affected by a strict enforcement 
of the suspension.  At present, most international NGOs and their 
partners have suspended field operations and drawn staff back to 
headquarters and the district level.  PVO is the statutory 
classification used by the Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) to register 
national/local NGOs, community-based organizations, and civil 
society organizations (CSOs), and a few of these agencies are 
attempting to resume low-visibility, partial operations on a 
sectoral and case-by-case basis.  Post and UNOCHA have requested a 
meeting with Minister Goche to register concern and seek 
clarification on the extent of the suspension.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶2.  (U)  Since the March 29 harmonized elections and in the run-up 
to the June 27 presidential run-off, NGOs, CSOs, and humanitarian 
aid agencies have been increasingly denied access to beneficiaries 
by a variety of official and un-official personnel acting on behalf 
of the GOZ.  The access restrictions began in those wards and 
districts that had been strongholds of the ruling party, but voted 
for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the 
initial elections -- largely the same areas where 
politically-motivated violence has been perpetrated.  On May 28, 
USAID partner CARE International was told to suspend all of its 
activities (reftel), after weeks of negotiations concerning their 
operations in Masvingo Province.  This restriction coincided with a 
partner report that all NGO operations had been restricted within 
the Nyanga District as well as organization-specific suspensions in 
random districts.  The blanket suspension for all NGOs and PVOs was 
therefore somewhat anticipated. 
 
¶3.  (U)  One day prior to the announcement of the suspension, a 
press release was issued by the Unite Nations (UN) Emergency Relief 
Coordinator that xpressed "grave concern" over access restrictions 
at that time. Though unmentioned in the press relase, UN agencies 
-- particularly the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), World Food Program 
(WFP), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) -- 
have also experienced access restrictions and fild-level threats. 
It appears that those enforcin access restrictions at the 
field-level are not ecognizing UN immunity and therefore not 
differentiating between NGOs and UN operations/vehicles. 
 
------------------------- 
NGO REACTION/UN FOLLOW UP 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) At this stage, the response to the blanket suspension by UN 
agencies, NGOs, and donors is still evolving.  Most organizations, 
at least through the upcoming run-off election, have chosen to 
suspend field activities and concentrate instead on planning and 
training, reducing staff levels to a skeleton size at the district 
level, and moving vehicles and office equipment to more secure 
locations. 
 
¶5.  (U) UNOCHA is seeking formal clarification from the MPSLSW 
regarding the breadth of the suspension, and if NGOs/PVOs will be 
required to re-register in order to resume operations.  An informal 
conversation between a GOZ department minister and an OCHA staff 
member detailed that health clinic support is allowed to continue, 
but that there should be no further food distributions or community 
mobilization activities.  Several health-focused agencies are 
working closely with the Ministry of Health in an attempt to resume 
operations, and the National Association for NGOs in Zimbabwe 
(NANGO) has advised willing partners to resume "cautious" 
operations.  The network of Zimbabwe Red Cross agencies reported on 
June 9 that they had received no access restrictions to date. 
 
 
HARARE 00000503  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has examined the 
legality of the blanket suspension, and decreed it a "legal 
nullity," contending that Goche lacked authority to issue the order 
or suspension.  ZLHR, working closely with the NGO representative 
body NANGO, are pursuing legal remedies. 
 
-------------- 
DONOR GUIDANCE 
-------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Donor guidance to partners in light of the suspension is 
largely informal and situational.  The prevailing donor guidance 
seems to be to continue activities where security of staff is not 
threatened. This same guidance has been provided by USAID to its 
partners.  In practical terms however, little space exists now to 
conduct field operations.  NGO and UN vehicles are being stopped and 
detained in rural areas; officials have been given authority to 
confiscate NGO computers, motorbikes, and other equipment at 
checkpoints; and local partners are at risk of targeted violence. 
(NOTE:  In an exception to the suspension, the Ministry of Health 
has encouraged HIV/AIDS NGOs to continue their programs.  END NOTE.) 
 
 
-------------------- 
USAID PARTNER IMPACT 
-------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) USAID held a partners meeting on June 11.  Below is a 
rundown on USAID partner actions: 
 
--C-SAFE partners (CARE, Catholic Relief Services, and World Vision) 
have suspended all field activities/food distributions.  Their 
district offices are open but only a skeleton workforce is in place. 
 Travel is being limited. 
 
--Mercy Corps has suspended field-level operations; only a skeleton 
presence remains in the field. 
 
--Oxfam has three sub-offices open but has suspended distributions. 
 
--John Snow Inc. operations (supply chain management support and 
anti-retroviral procurement and distribution) continue as normal. 
It is unaffected by the suspension as it is not registered as an 
NGO. 
 
--PSI and Abt are attempting to obtain permission from the Ministry 
of Health to continue counseling and testing services.  To date, 
their clinics remain open but community outreach events are on hold. 
 
 
--World Education is still in start-up mode for its new orphan and 
vulnerable children program and therefore is affected minimally by 
the suspension.  It continues to focus on drafting/negotiating a 
memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health. 
 
--Elizabeth Glaser Foundation, our partner for prevention of mother 
to child transmission, is continuing its programs in training and 
support of MOH PMTCT programs although it will be closed over the 
week of the run-off election. 
 
--Democracy and Governance (DG) partners continue their work in the 
run-up to the election through their local partners.  Zimbabwe 
Election Support Network and SUNY, e.g., are unaffected as they are 
considered trusts; and, the Counseling Services Unit is registered 
as a health institution.  Other local DG partners are heeding 
NANGO's advice and are proceeding with caution. 
 
¶9.  (U) Post and UNOCHA have requested a meeting with Goche 
requesting clarification on the suspension.  To date, we have 
received no response from his office. 
 
¶10.  (U) COMMENT:  The restrictions will have a severe impact on 
programs and beneficiaries.   Cessation of food aid will result in 
431,072 beneficiaries affected in June while cessation of non-food 
humanitarian assistance will result in 348,980 beneficiaries 
affected in June.   We are still compiling the effects on our 
HIV/AIDS program.  Post will continue to monitor and report upon the 
situation as it develops, and as the effect of the suspension 
becomes clearer. 
 
¶11.  (U) BEGIN TEXT OF GOCHE LETTER 
 
Reference: SW/21/3 
 
HARARE 00000503  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
4 June 2008 
 
TO: ALL PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS (PVOs)/NON GOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANISATIONS (NGOs) 
 
It has come to my attention that a number of NGOs involved in 
humanitarian operations are breaching the terms and conditions of 
their registration as enshrined in the Private Voluntary 
Organisation At [Chapter 17:05], as well [sic] the provisions of the 
Code of Procedures for the Registration and operations of Non 
Governmental Organisations in Zimbabwe (General Notice 99 of 2007). 
 
As the Regulatory Authority, before proceeding with the provision of 
Section (10), Subsection (c), of the Private Voluntary Act [Chapter 
17:05], I hereby instruct all PVOs/NGOs to suspend all field 
operation [sic] until further notice. 
 
Hon. NT Goche (MP)_ 
MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE 
 
END TEXT OF LETTER 
 
MCGEE