Government Non-Issuance of Employment Permits for International NGO Staff The Zimbabwe government has also hampered the work of international humanitarian organizations by unnecessarily denying foreign staff employment permits and extensions of permits. Representatives of four such agencies interviewed by Human Rights Watch said that since the lifting of the aid suspension, the Zimbabwe authorities have refused to issue new employment permits or extend the employment permits for some international staff without presenting any valid reasons for doing so.70 The non-issuance of employment permits appears to be another government tactic to try to control and restrict the activities of humanitarian organizations. One NGO representative told Human Rights Watch: I have just been informed that a key food aid staff member’s employment permit will not be extended. The appeal will take more than four months. But this is a key person. This is someone that we really need for their expertise.71 Another added, “There are a lot of stumbling blocks and hurdles that the authorities put in our way. The work permit issue is just another one of them.”72 70 Human Rights Watch interviews with representatives of international humanitarian organizations, Harare, November 23, 24 and 25, 2008. 71 Ibid. 72 Human Rights Watch interview, Harare, November 25, 2008. 23 Human Rights Watch January 2009