SWAZILAND?S PLEA FOR AID IGNORED

SWAZILAND has accused the international community of ignoring appeals for aid as more than 13 000 people in its rural areas face starvation. The agriculture ministry said repeated calls for emergency food aid for people whose crops were damaged by devastating floods in early 2000 had gone unheeded. Analysts blame the country?s inability to feed itself on the state-run marketing system and on poor storage facilities, with up to 40% of the crop destroyed after harvesting. – AFP

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