United Nations Radio

UN human rights chief Louise Arbour said Zimbabwe's decision to restrict the operations of aid agencies is "unconscionable".

Spokesman Rupert Colville says the charge follows comments the High Commissioner made earlier in the week at the World Food Security summit in Rome.

"She said the news is starting to emerge of restrictions on the operations of aid agencies. She said if true, this would be an unconscionable act. Today we can remove that conditional tense. This is an unconscionable act, and to deprive people food because of an election is an extraordinary pervasion of democracy."

Meanwhile the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says the government's action will worsen the situation of an already vulnerable population, mostly children, elderly people and women.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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