« Michael Schiavo - Speaker at Ethics Conference? | Main | Amazon to Offer Digital Picture Development (and more) »

The Zimbabwe Government is Starving its People

Mike Sackett, the World Food Programme's Regional Southern African director, has revealed that 8.6 million people in southern Africa need food aid up to harvest in April 2006. Over 4.3 million of these are in Zimbabwe.

The problem with helping Zimbabwe is that the government is delaying humanitarian aid and is soley responsible for the crisis. Is it a stretch to say "the Zimbabwe government is starving its people?" I don't think so.

Today, Tony Hall, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., weighed in on the situation after being denied access to government created refuge camps where people are reportedly "dying":

After arriving back from Zimbabwe, the worst affected region, a US humanitarian aid envoy said it was appalled at conditions inside the country. The envoy held a press conference at the Johannesburg International Airport, where they stopped over after leaving Zimbabwe.

Ambassador Tony Hall said, "I remember when this country was the breadbasket of Southern Africa but now that breadbasket is empty. Due to government of Zimbabwe’s economic mismanagement, millions of innocent Zimbabweans face a serious hunger crisis this year. There are a lot of hurt people in Zimbabwe and government seems to be turning its back on them and they need help, so the USA will help them. We are not crazy about the government of Zimbabwe. We have so much to disagree on but will not forget the people and will help them."

A United Nations report published last month said at least 700 000 people were thrown onto the streets after their houses and backyard shacks were destroyed in a government campaign to clean-up cities and towns. Another 2.4 million were also directly affected by the exercise which has been condemned by human rights groups and most Western governments as a violation of the rights of the poor.

"I was told in a hushed tone that the government doesn't want me to see this place because old people are dying," Hall said.

Yes, to Mugabe food is a political weapon and, like his communist predecessor, he has no problem using starvation to control his country.

In December of 2004, the coming food shortages were ~~predicted~~obvious and Mugabe blamed a “drought”. What’s worse, at the same time the Zim government acknowledged that food shortages would be a problem, it told international food aid agencies that the country required no aid as "it had produced in excess of its national requirements."

While the people struggle for food, Mugabe is aggressively increasing his power and removing freedoms. A law passed late last year placed non-governmental groups, churches and charities under state control and another imposes prison sentences for "materially false" statements or writings that oppose the state. The freedom of speech has been obliterated, Christian Pastors have been arrested and independent journalists are harassed.

Posted by tim at August 17, 2005 12:27 PM

Articles Related to Zimbabwe:

Mugabe's Economic Reforms Take Hold ... - Feb 15, 2006
Mugabe's Righteous Indignation - Oct 18, 2005
Secret Film Reveals Mugabe Tyranny - Aug 22, 2005
As Zimbabwe Crisis Unfolds, Bureaucracy Delays Food Aid - Aug 16, 2005
Zimbabwe Desperate for Prayer - Jul 13, 2005
Mugabe Begins the Genocide - Jun 24, 2005
Building Hope Among the Ruins of Zimbabwe - May 20, 2005
Zim's economic crisis spirals out of control - Apr 29, 2005
Zimbabwe Suffers Under Communism's Rule - Jan 17, 2005
Zimbabwe: Freedom of the Press Long Gone - Jan 13, 2005

Comments

Help me understand here. We have heard the old adage, "A nation deserves the government that it has." Does that adage fit in this situation? How can we facilitate them helping themselves by throwing out this corrupt government?

Posted by: Q and A Blogger at August 21, 2005 8:05 PM