MURAMBATSVINA,S VICTIMS TO BE DISPLACED AGAIN?

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001688 SIPDIS AF/S FOR B. NEULING SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2015 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ZI SUBJECT: MURAMBATSVINA,S VICTIMS TO BE DISPLACED AGAIN? Classified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell for reasons 1.5 b/d ¶1. (SBU) International Organization for Migration (IOM) officer Justin MacDermott told poloff on December 15 that the GOZ-appointed Harare City Council is preparing to resettle approximately 350 families from Hopely Farm to the rural areas. These families had earlier been evicted from Mbare under Operation Murambatsvina. Although a final decision had yet to be reached, the City Council was contemplating the move because the families were unable to pay monthly fees of more than a million Zimbabwean dollars, or nearly US$14 at the official rate, for a housing stand in Hopely Farm. MacDermott commented that only better-off families would be able to afford the stands, leaving the poorest even more vulnerable to further displacement. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: This displacement, should it take place, would further underscore the GOZ,s callous approach to humanitarian issues: resources are being channeled to its supporters (predominant beneficiaries of stand allocations) rather than to Murambatsvina,s victims. Resettling victimized families in rural areas would make it difficult, if not impossible, for them to access donor-provided shelter. If this resettlement actually occurs (coming just days after the Egeland visit) it would be a major setback to the UN and donors' engagement with the GOZ on shelter issues. DELL