Local Struggle to Help Those Suffering in Zimbabwe

New York, NY —

Members of Zimbabwe's opposition party are boycotting the run-off election scheduled for today. And here in New York, a newly formed branch of the party is trying to send aid to activists and family members who've been tortured or run out of their homes. WNYC's Marianne McCune reports.

The secretary of New York's new branch of the Movement for Democratic Change is afraid to give her name because her own sister is missing in Zimbabwe. But her group is trying to raise money and collect medical and other supplies for members who've been hurt or displaced. The problem is, she says, it's difficult to get packages through because the government diverts them.

WOMAN: When you send some aid, even if you send some containers, they take them and they utilize them. So it looks like the help will not reach the people really intended.

She says they are finding ways to send some packages - but do not want to publicize their strategies. Meanwhile they have been able to wire money to some of those in need - and their national coalition, the North American Province of Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change, continues to collect donations from members and friends.

International aid groups were recently forbidden to continue offering any kind of help to Zimbabwe's citizens: the government suspects they're aiding the opposition.

For WNYC, I'm Marianne McCune