November 17, 2001: U.S. Recalls Peace Corps Workers from Zimbabwe

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Zimbabwe: Peace Corps Zimbabwe : The Peace Corps in Zimbabwe: November 17, 2001: U.S. Recalls Peace Corps Workers from Zimbabwe

By Admin1 (admin) on Saturday, November 17, 2001 - 9:09 pm: Edit Post

Read this story from the LA Times on the recall of Volunteers from Zimbabwe at:

U.S. Recalls Peace Corps Workers

U.S. Recalls Peace Corps Workers

By MICHAEL HARTNACK, Associated Press writer

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- The United States recalled Peace Corps workers from Zimbabwe on Thursday after the government refused to issue work permits for its most recent volunteers.

The Zimbabwean government's refusal to issue the permits follows a series of moves scaling back the presence of international workers in the southern African country.

Last week, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said foreign workers would no longer be allowed to distribute food aid, saying international organizations should not "interfere in the political affairs of our country."

The government also said recently that monitors from abroad would not be allowed to observe next year's scheduled elections.

The 43 Peace Corps volunteers in Zimbabwe had been teaching math and science in poor urban neighborhoods and on AIDS prevention projects. They are to leave within a week, U.S. Embassy spokesman Bruce Wharton said in Harare.

The decision was made after 13 recent arrivals were refused work permits with no explanation, Wharton said. There was no immediate comment from the government.

President Robert Mugabe has accused the United States and Britain of sponsoring opposition to his plans to redistribute 5,000 white-owned farms to landless blacks without paying compensation to the farmers.

Scores of farmers and opposition supporters have died since political violence erupted in rural areas last year over the issue of land redistribution.

By Sven Olafsson on Saturday, March 01, 2003 - 2:04 pm: Edit Post

And now they've been begging white farmers to come back, only to find they're not interested. More recently the Chinese have been moving in to take care of the farming side. Can't they manage to do anything on their own?

Sven.


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