Time for accountability 13 4 Humanitarian situation exacerbated Humanitarian operations banned The humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe reached crisis levels in the period between April and August 2008, mainly because of the government’s decision to suspend the field operations of humanitarian organizations. The suspension also meant that human rights violations could be carried out without being witnessed by humanitarian field workers. In the run-up to the 29 March elections, NGOs and UN agencies reported cases of “friendly warnings” or restrictions on their operations by government officials or influential members of the community, including “war veterans” and ZANU-PF supporters.19 The “friendly warnings” were in effect threats that led most NGOs and humanitarian agencies to stop their operations. On 4 June 2008, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare wrote to all NGOs and Private Voluntary Organisations (PVOs) announcing a full suspension of all field operations by humanitarian organizations. The Minister alleged that the organizations were in breach of their terms and conditions of registration, but gave no further details. There is no provision empowering the Minister to order the suspension of NGO or PVO operations under the Private Voluntary Organisations Act. Section 21 of the Act, which the government relied on, had been declared void by the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe.20 The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare issued another letter on 13 June to clarify the suspension. In that letter the Ministry stated that the suspension did not “imply banning operations at Head Office, Regional and District Offices” but did ban the field operations of NGOs and PVOs. It explained that the suspension was meant to allow investigations into allegations that PVOs and NGOs involved in humanitarian operations were breaching the terms and conditions of their registration by engaging in political activities. On 15 June, while addressing a campaign rally in Silobela, President Mugabe said that the government had suspended NGOs because “they were using food handouts as a weapon to effect illegal regime change.” President Mugabe further alleged that NGOs were collecting people’s identity cards and not returning them, so disenfranchising voters. No NGO was named and the allegations were not substantiated. The NGOs and PVOs which had their field operations banned were providing food and medical care to millions of people, many of whom were the victims of state-sponsored violence, including looting and destruction of food stocks. During this period the provision of health services such as antiretrovirals for AIDS patients, tuberculosis treatment and medication and care for other chronic conditions Amnesty International AI Index: AFR 46/028/2008