More than 340 families displaced through evictions and violence in
Chipinge in eastern Zimbabwe last year are being helped to resettle
in another village in the district.

The resettlement of the 342 families, which have been living in
two emergency displacement settlements in Chipinge since October
2009, is being carried out by IOM and partners in cooperation with
the Zimbabwean government.

IOM assistance includes transportation to the village of
Mugondi, the construction of community-based shelters and water and
sanitation facilities such as temporary latrines and sinking
boreholes and the rehabilitation of classroom blocks. In addition,
IOM has worked with the government to ensure that sufficient land
tenure documentation is provided to the families being
resettled.

Zimbabwe's Fast Track Land Reform Programme, which began in 2000
and which was compounded by the post-election crisis of 2008, led
to widespread land disputes in many farming communities across the
country.

In this case, tension between newly resettled small-scale
farmers and tenants in the Chipinge farming areas erupted after
labour disputes on the farms. The result was a wave of farm
evictions, displacements and the destruction of more than 400
houses, leaving almost 1,700 individuals homeless. At the time, IOM
assisted the affected families with tarpaulins for temporary
shelter, food, blankets, hygiene kits, and aqua tabs. The
Organization also provided health and education support, including
on HIV and AIDS, at the two temporary settlements in Chipinge
District.

In Mugondi, IOM is coordinating assistance to the displaced
families and their host communities through partnerships with other
organizations. This includes Action Contre La Faim constructing the
latrines, UNICEF providing materials and technical support for
latrine construction and Christian Care implementing a
cash-for-work programme as an incentive for beneficiary
participation to dig latrine pits.

"The Mugondi resettlement is a good example of how government,
local communities and humanitarian partners can work together to
facilitate durable solutions for vulnerable IDPs," said IOM Deputy
Chief of Mission Katie Kerr. "By expanding our focus from the needs
of displaced families to also those of their new neighbours, IOM
aims to encourage integration between the two," she added.

For more information please contact:

Yukiko Kumashiro

IOM Zimbabwe

Tel: +263 4 335048

E-mail: "mailto:ykumashiro@iom.int">ykumashiro@iom.int