(HERALD) Don’t distort Zim situation, NGOs warned
Don’t distort Zim situation, NGOs warnedHerald Reporter
GOVERNMENT will be on the lookout for non-governmental organisations that deviate from their core business and try to destabilise the country ahead of next year’s harmonised presidential, parliamentary and local government elections, a Cabinet minister has said.
The Minister of Information and Publicity Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said in a statement yesterday that NGOs like Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition should shut up and desist from distorting and exaggerating the situation in Zimbabwe.
"When there is peace in Zimbabwe, dubious organisations like Crisis in Zimbabwe are formed as alarmist pacesetters, inflation and parallel market speculators and sanctions advocates.
"As we advance forward to the harmonised 2008 presidential, parliamentary and local government elections, Government is vigilant on the NGOs which deviate from their core business to become political destabilisers and part of the opposition splinters," said Cde Ndlovu.
"Organisations such as ‘Crisis in Zimbabwe’ should shut up on our peaceful Zimbabwe. They should let us as Government and the people of Zimbabwe find solutions to our country’s problems, some of which have been caused by sanctions and by the so-called regime change prophets. I am appealing to all Zimbabweans to unite and work together to find solutions to our problems regardless of political affiliation, colour or creed."
Cde Ndlovu was responding to reports in a United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean newspaper.
In the article, "Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition" co-ordinator, Mr Jacob Mafume demonised the Government in his bid to deny allegations of corruption and embezzlement of funds levelled against the organisation’s Johannesburg office.
"Presently, there have been reports of corruption and deception at the so-called ‘Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition’, in Johannesburg and its co-ordinator fled to England to pacify its sponsors and to issue a denial of corruption allegations. Why did he have to spend more of the organisation’s funds flying to England just to issue a denial?" said Cde Ndlovu.
"Instead he (should be) dealing with the crisis and regime change in Britain where (British Prime Minister) Gordon Brown is clinging to weak power after postponing elections, due to his low rating. The opinion polls indicate that Gordon Brown would lose if elections were to be held now."
The minister said organisations under the guise of human rights NGOs were in a crisis themselves as evidenced by the corruption charges against "Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition".
"It is now fashionable for destabilisation imperialist-sponsored organisations to fund and use locals for their own interests. Sadly enough some of our Zimbabweans have fallen prey to these machinations," he said.
In the article in The Zimbabwean newspaper, Mr Mafume demonised the Government by accusing it of trying to destabilise his organisation by making the corruption allegations that he described as false.
He denied that the organisation’s office had been closed, saying an audit had been carried out and nothing untoward found.
posted by MrK @ 8:39 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home