DATE=5/5/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ZIMBABWE / CONGO (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262021
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=HARARE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Zimbabwe's continued military involvement
in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains a
controversial political and economic issue as the
country prepares for parliamentary elections. V-
O-A Southern Africa Correspondent Alex Belida
reports on the debate from the capital, Harare.
TEXT: The opposition Movement for Democratic
Change charges the deployment of Zimbabwean
troops in the Congo has become a massive and
costly drain on the country's already-troubled
economy. M-D-C leader Morgan Tsvangirai says if
his party comes to power, one of its top
priorities will be bringing Zimbabwean soldiers
home.
But in its newly released election manifesto,
Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU P-F party rejects as "a
media fiction" and "nonsense" the view that the
country's economic problems have anything to do
with the presence of Zimbabwean forces in the
Congo.
Instead, the manifesto attributes Zimbabwe's
economic hardships to what it characterizes as
sabotage and lies. It says these are being
spread - quoting now - by "imperialists,
neocolonialists and sell-outs in the so-called
independent press" in Zimbabwe as well as
"international media bent on derailing the
progress of Africans and Africa."
Despite this, Western diplomats tell V-O-A the
ruling party's published views are in sharp
contrast to the private admissions of President
Robert Mugabe, ZANU P-F's leader. These sources
say that in direct conversations, Mr. Mugabe has
conceded Zimbabwe's military involvement is
hurting the country's economy badly.
Zimbabwe has as many as 13 thousand troops in the
Congo. Estimates of the cost of keeping them
there vary. The government has said it is only
some three million U-S dollars a month. But
other estimates, including one contained in a
leaked internal memo of the Zimbabwean
government, have put the cost at closer to one
million dollars a day.
Given the country's current hard currency and
fuel shortages as well as setbacks to Zimbabwe's
agricultural export and tourism earnings caused
by the recent farm occupations and political
violence, economists say Zimbabwe cannot afford
the Congo deployment.
Diplomatic sources say evidence of the economic
strain can also be seen in reports they have
received that the salaries paid to Zimbabwean
soldiers in the Congo are in arrears. They also
say they have heard bonuses promised to the
troops have been lowered. (Signed)
NEB/BEL/GE/KL
05-May-2000 06:49 AM EDT (05-May-2000 1049 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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