Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Harare (Agenzia Fides) – The extremely serious economic, political, and health crisis taking place in Zimbabwe is worsening every day. In response to the government's decision to hold a credit freeze, due to the lack of bills, a group of military soldiers attacked a group of money-exchangers in Harare, clashing with the police and men of the CIO (Central Intelligence Organization, i.e. Mugabe's secret service men).
The soldiers, as ordinary citizens, are finding difficulty in extracting their salary money from the bank. The country is suffering under a hyperinflation (with a rate of 230 million) and the nominal value of the local currency must be updated with greater frequency (as the people shop with million dollar bills). This is also having a grave effect on state spending and in a drop in the rate of circulation of bills (printed outside the country). The people are having to use foreign currency, centering the system in the money-exchangers.
The soldiers, after having uselessly waited in a bank, to extract their salary, decided to attack the exchangers and the businesses with first aid materials, which are increasingly harder to find.
The revolt of the military, considered on of the pillars of the Mugabe regime, is a disturbing sign for the government, which is now facing an extremely serious health emergency from a cholera epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, since August, the cholera has left 473 people dead. There are over 11,000 registered cases in the country's 10 provinces.
The authorities have been forced to halt water supply to various areas, due to a lack of disinfectant. In the rural areas of northern Zimbabwe, an anthrax epidemic has also broken out, which threatens over 60,000 cattle. Three people who ate meat from the infected animals have died from the illness.
Zimbabwe is also the country with the fourth highest incident of the HIV virus in the world: 15.6% of adults between 15 and 49 are infected. There are 3,200 deaths from AIDS per week, in a population of just a little over 13 million. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 2/12/2008)
