By Nicholas Kerr
Governments around the world are looting the future of young Africans,
says Tafadzwa Chigwedere.
"The problem of debt is painful to us," says the 23-year-old Zimbabwean.
"Our country is rich in people and resources — and we are crippled by debt.
Even if our debts are cancelled, the West must stop trying to control African
countries' economies.
"The whole situation is in crisis. But we can change things.
Things can be better."
Tafadzwa, who is struggling to establish his own business as a freelance
video camera operator, was one of the young people discussing the world
debt crisis before the Assembly. They hope to present a statement
to the Assembly itself.
He says all young people in Zimbabwe are born into debt. "It's
incredible," he says. "Our country has paid back its original debts
many times over. But we still owe $101 billion. We pay $1 billion
in interest every month. For every dollar we spend, 37 cents goes
into paying debt."
Tafadzwa believes the debt is responsible for many of Zimbabwe's ills,
including the lack of food and education and health and welfare services.
The situation at the University of Zimbabwe is an example.
"It's ironic, but many of the student beds WCC delegates are sleeping
in haven't been used for some months. Students have been demonstrating
against the imposition of fees and the cost of food on campus. So
the university has been closed for much of this year.
"Throughout the country there have been riots because of the price
of food and the business community has lost millions of dollars."
Debt has crippled the economy. Annual inflation is at 35 per
cent and expected to rise to 45 per cent by the end of the year.
Interest rates are above 40 per cent. The Zimbabwe dollar has dropped
by more than 65 per cent this year.
"People are starving in Zimbabwe. Our staple food is maize.
But the IMF and the World Bank are in control of our economy, and they
say we must produce tobacco and coffee, because they sell well on the international
markets. Even then, they tell us what we can charge for our products.
"But what about the local people when the land is used for tobacco?
The government has to import maize for its food distribution program.
Families get 10 kilograms of maize a month. That might feed a family
of 10 for a week. But what about the rest of the month? There
are people in Zimbabwe who are digging up tree roots to survive."
The unemployment rate stands at more than 50 per cent. As debt
has caused many companies to go into liquidation or to restructure, unemployment
has risen.
Tafadzwa has had personal experience of this. He is a qualified
television producer and worked with a television station for two years
before it closed.
"When unemployment goes up, crime and violence go up, too," he says.
"People are desperate to survive. Prostitution is on the increase.
So is the incidence of HIV and Aids-related illness increases, too.
At least 700 people die of HIV-related illness every week.
"If a bus crashed and 100 people were killed, that would be world wide
news. But seven times that number die each week of Aids — and the
world doesn't even know about it.
Tafadzwa hopes the WCC will help mobilise public opinion to support
the cancellation of debt by the year 2000. And he believes young
people have a vital role to play in changing the world economic system.
"Young people aren't the leaders of the future," he says. "We're
leaders now. We must accept our responsibilities now. We must
not let the future of our world be spoiled by older people. We can
help young people in other parts of the world understand what's happening."
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