From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: MOZAMBIQUE: LONG-AWAITED RELIEF AID ARRIVES IN THE RURAL AREAS
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 03:45:50 GMT

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: MOZAMBIQUE: LONG-AWAITED RELIEF AID ARRIVES IN THE RURAL AREAS


/repeat/

an inter press service feature

by sandie tjaronda

massangena, mozambique, oct 7 (ips) -- joy recently reigned in
this remote southern mozambican village as the first
humanitarian relief supplies arrived.

at last god is on our side, sighs sue featherstone, the
relief administrator of the international committee of the red
cross (icrc), based in maputo, the mozambique capital.

with the opening of roads and security assurance to
humanitarian organisations by the government and the rebel
mozambique national resistance (renamo) in july, the icrc has
managed to reach massangena in gaza province with tonnes of
maize, beans, cooking oil and soap.

transportation of relief supplies to these areas was a
tedious and risky experience, as the convoy travelled through a
war zone where relief trucks were ambushed and wrecked to ashes
by renamo.

the sight of three trucks, apparently belonging to the united
nations, attacked by the renamo ''bandits'' about six months ago
instills fear in relief agency workers and journalists visiting
the dry and mountainous area.

despite all the dangers involved, the humanitarian convoy had
to reach the renamo-held area to save thousands of lives on the
verge of starving to death.

on arrival, the trucks are met by hundreds of women and
children from the village, chanting slogans of joy at the sight
of the relief supplies.

about 7,500 people most affected by the 17-year war between
the government and renamo and the current devastating drought
are to benefit from emergency food supplies.

about 150 tonnes of relief supplies are to be distributed at
massangena and the surrounding villages of moteto, mambodjo,
manindja and mucambene.

an icrc spokesperson told ips his organisation will continue
to help these areas until they get back to shape''.

according to the latest icrc bulletin, the committee intends
to distribute 30,000 tonnes of cereals, lentils, cooking oil and
salt to over 20,000 people in six operational zones in gaza,
nampula and sofala provinces. (more/ips)


mozambique: long-awaited (2)                 /repeat/

the three provinces are among the most affected by the
drought and the war. mozambique has 10 provinces.

the war, which began soon after mozambique's independence
from portugal jun. 25, 1975, has led to the loss of about a
million lives, displaced some six million people and made
the country the poorest in the world.

effects of the war have spread into neighbouring countries,
especially zimbabwe where about 74,000 refugees are settled at
tongogara -- the country's biggest refugee camp -- about 500 km
south-east of harare, the capital.

there are 128,700 mozambican refugees in zimbabwe, according
to the u.n. high commissioner for refugees (unhcr).

chris matsambo, the chief inspector in charge of chipinge
police in zimbabwe, confirmed recently that 140 mozambicans had
been found dead in the bushes on the mozambique-zimbabwe border
since the beginning of the year.

matsambo attributes the deaths to starvation as most of the
dead persons had walked long distances without food and water.

meanwhile, people in the massangena area are eager to see
the opening up of roads, mostly mined by renamo, so they can be
rescued from starvation.

with sunday's signing of a peace treaty to end the war in
mozambique, the people of massangena look to the future with
great hope.

the treaty, signed by president joaquim chissano and renamo
leader afonso dhlakama in rome, goes into effect as soon as the
mozambique parliament ratifies it.

speaking soon after signing the agreement, chissano said he
would be presenting the treaty to parliament before the end of
this week for ratification. (end/ips/st/apc/92)

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