inflation : 12000 percent

jfi.

SA: Inflation: 12,000% - Collapse of Zim is near - Tsvangirai
Date Posted: Sunday 02-Sep-2007
By Chris McCall

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai warned on Saturday that the "end game" for President Robert Mugabe was drawing near and that the collapse of the country could be around the corner.

Speaking at the end of a week's visit to Mugabe's arch-foe, Australia, Tsvangirai called for concerted international pressure on the long-serving ruler to respect democratic norms.

Zimbabwe's economic woes and humanitarian crisis could not continue for ever, he said. The economy was "in free-fall", he put inflation at a rampant 12 000 percent, unemployment at 85 percent and said five to six million Zimbabweans depended on food aid.


Presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for March were "the starting point for resolving this crisis" he said, and called for international pressure and monitoring to ensure the voting was free and fair.

"The economy has shrunk by almost 68 percent with a consequent humanitarian crisis," he added. "The situation is really dangerous, because unless the haemorrhage is stopped we may have a serious collapse of the state.

"The people of Zimbabwe are very conscious of their dire straits but are also conscious that the end game is probably near.

"We are seconds away from a national humanitarian crisis unless we act now - we will stop at nothing until our vision of a new Zimbabwe is achieved."

Mugabe, 83, has been in power without a break since the country, then known as Rhodesia, won independence from Britain in 1980.

He has come in for a barrage of criticism over a brutal crackdown on the opposition through 2007 that saw Tsvangirai badly beaten in police custody.

Tsvangiarai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, was hosted by the Australian government and met top figures, among them prime minister John Howard and foreign minister Alexander Downer.

Harare was furious about the visit. The country's state media called on Wednesday for the government to sever ties with Australia because it was seeking to topple Mugabe.

Canberra in May ordered Australia's national cricket team not to proceed with a tour of Zimbabwe this month. It has also cancelled the student visas of several children of top Zimbabwe government figures.

Tsvangirai, as he prepared to return to Zimbabwe, said he had committed no crime and did not believe any action would be taken against him when he returned home on Sunday. He did, however, admit he would feel nervous on his arrival.

He was badly beaten while in police custody earlier in 2007 after being arrested with about 50 others while trying to hold an anti-Mugabe rally.

Tsvangirai said the international community should keep a clear focus on the situation in Zimbabwe and not to forget its long-running crisis while preoccupied with other trouble spots such as Iraq.

"Zimbabwe must remain on the international agenda," he said.

Tsvangirai also said he was "cautiously optimistic" that South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, would bring pressure to bear through an initiative of the Southern African Development Community, a regional grouping that includes Zimbabwe, and also called for support from the African Union.

African leaders have been criticised for their lukewarm criticism of Mugabe's government but Tsvangirai said Harare should be forced to adhere to SADC protocols during the March elections. - Sapa-AFP

URL: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20070901105748192C206091