On Friday, May 30, CARE International's country office in Zimbabwe was
ordered by the government of Zimbabwe to suspend all field operations
pending an investigation into allegations of political activism. CARE has
complied with the order and has recalled all field staff.

CARE has strict policies against political involvement and categorically
denies the organization has encouraged or tolerated any political activity.
CARE is committed to providing independent, impartial, apolitical relief and
development assistance on the basis of need to improve sustainable
livelihoods for vulnerable populations, according to the Code of Conduct for
Non-Governmental Organizations and to CARE International's Code of Ethics.

CARE's mission is to serve individuals and families in some of the most
vulnerable rural and urban communities in the Zimbabwe. Drawing strength
from our global diversity, resources and experience, we promote innovative
solutions and facilitate lasting change by strengthening capacity for
self-help, providing economic opportunities, delivering relief in
emergencies and addressing discrimination. Over 1.8 million Zimbabweans
benefit from CARE programs, which include projects in food aid and food
security, sustainable agriculture and natural resource development, water
and sanitation, microcredit, support for orphans and vulnerable children and
home-based care for the chronically ill.

CARE has pledged to cooperate with the government of Zimbabwe in resolving
the situation so that humanitarian operations may be resumed as soon as
possible.

Feeding scheme for 100,000 people stopped

JOHANNESBURG , 4 June 2008 (IRIN) - The implementation of a food
distribution scheme for 100,000 people has stalled after the Zimbabwean
government suspended CARE International's operations for alleged "political
activity".

CARE works to alleviate poverty and promote community health, with a
particular focus on empowering women, and is one of the largest
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in Zimbabwe. On 28 May it
was ordered to suspend its operations, pending a government investigation
into its activities.

In a statement CARE said it was "committed to providing independent,
impartial, apolitical relief and development assistance on the basis of
need, to improve sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable populations,
according to the Code of Conduct for Non-Governmental Organisations and to
CARE International's Code of Ethics."

The suspension of CARE's operations would immediately affect about 500,000
Zimbabwean beneficiaries of projects such as water and sanitation,
micro-credit, home-based care for the chronically ill, most of whom are
infected with HIV, and support for orphans and vulnerable children.

CARE's Africa Communications Manager, Kenneth Walker, told IRIN that the
feeding scheme for 100,000 people had been scheduled for implementation in
June 2008, after the government said Zimbabwe's anticipated maize harvest
would be poor - about one million tonnes shy of the national requirement. "I
have no idea where they [people earmarked for food assistance] might get
food from now," Walker said.

In 2007/08 international donor agencies provided food aid to 4.1 million
people, more than a third of the population. The country's acute food
shortages, compounded by government's recent admission that only 13 percent
of the planned 2008 winter wheat crop had been planted, mean more people are
expected to require food assistance earlier in 2008 than the previous year.

During the "lean period" between October 2007 and the March 2008 harvest,
CARE was responsible for food aid to nearly one million Zimbabweans, or
about a quarter of those requiring assistance.

CARE, which has channelled more than $US100 million in development
assistance and relief since starting operations in 1992, said it had
requested, "but to date has not yet received, the details of any
allegations, including names, dates and locations ... [and] has pledged to
cooperate with the government in resolving the situation so that
humanitarian operations may be resumed as soon as possible."

About 300 Zimbabweans employed by CARE have been told to "remain at home
pending further notice from the government".

NGOs agents of Western powers

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe told the UN Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) summit in Rome, Italy, on 3 June that NGOs were being
used to undermine his ZANU-PF government.

"Funds are being channelled through non-governmental organisations to
opposition political parties, which are a creation of the West," Mugabe
said. "These Western-funded NGOs also use food as a political weapon with
which to campaign against government, especially in the rural areas."

According to a report by the US-based New York Times newspaper,
representatives of aid groups were summoned by government officials in four
districts of Zimbabwe and told to stop operations until after the run-off
presidential vote between on 27 June, when Mugabe will stand against Morgan
Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Zimbabwe Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche told ZimOnline, an
internet-based news service, that "several other non-governmental
organisations ... will be asked to cease their operations while we
investigate them."

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, said after
addressing the FAO summit in Rome that if reports that NGOs had been
instructed to suspend their activities were correct, "this would be an
unconscionable act."

"To deprive people of food because of an election would be an extraordinary
perversion of democracy, and a serious breach of international human rights
law," she said.

There have been widespread reports of violence since the elections for
local, parliamentary and presidential candidates were held on 29 March, when
ZANU-PF lost control of parliament for the first time since the country won
its independence from Britain in 1980.

Bumper maize order

At a presidential election rally on 29 May at Shamva, in northeastern
Zimbabwe, Mugabe reportedly told the audience that 600,000 tons of maize had
been purchased from neighbouring South Africa to alleviate the food
shortages.

At current prices of about R1,800 (US$231) per metric tonne (mt) for white
maize, a 600,000mt white maize order would cost Zimbabwe about US$139
million, before transport costs.

Zimbabwe's economy is in meltdown, with annual inflation estimated at about
one million percent and acute shortages of foreign currency, food, fuel,
electricity and basic commodities.

South Africa is expecting the harvest of white and yellow maize to exceed 11
million tonnes in 2008, according to traders.