[From the diaries by susanhbu.]
The USAID Famine Early Warning System Network has put an “Emergency” red famine warning on Zimbabwe.
The report on their site is very neutral and does not lay the blame where it firmly belongs, at the feet of President Mugabe. Political repression involving the use of farm takeovers and their handover to his cronies and control of the distribution of the main staple foods by the Army was emboldened by the failure of the Western nationst to make an adequate response to his stealing the last elections earlier this year.
The country is producing one third of its annual consumption of maize. It used to export this grain and was the “breadbasket” of southern Africa. Initial examination of the crop predictions show that the crop failure has been most sever in the provinces in the south. This area abutts South Africa where hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have fled to survive as illegals. The total Zimbabwean diaspora is put ion the millins.
I need to do some more research into the details on this but it looks like there is a causal effect between emigration and crop failures in the south. The other map show the black market price of maize in different areas. At first sight, it looks like the highest prices are in areas where the anti-Mugabe MDC got the most votes. Presumably this means that there are greater amounts slipping out of the government warehouses in the cheaper areas. If the political-geographic supply link is borne out, it would confirm the threats made at the elections to force people to vote for Mugabe.
The best way wof illustrating this would be to have a map of the outcome of the 2005 election results. So far I have not found one so if anoyone does know of any, please let me know. The only areas that look like they have lower prices but support for the MDC are around the capital but I seem to remember the results were mixed anyway. Mugabe would anyway ensure a good supply for his hangers-on in Harare.
As you can infer this is a bit of a work in progress so any useful links would be gratefully received.
The ‘bumper harvest’ the regime has trumpeted was a big lie in the grand tradition.
The below story, repeated in various Western media two days ago, makes the head spin. As Uganda starved in the 1970s, Idi Amin had wildlife machine-gunned to feed his army. And though Mugabe may not be quite that mad, it’s hard to tell how much of a difference there is at this point.
Despite the recent dry spell, bringing Zimbabwe to the brink of mass starvation is as much an ‘achievement’ as with Uganda. Some experts say that either theoretically could feed all of Africa if optimally farmed.
author/source:Pretoria News (SA)
published:Wed 27-Apr-2005
posted on this site:Wed 27-Apr-2005
Basildon Peta
President Robert Mugabe’s regime has directed national parks officials to kill animals in state-owned conservation areas to feed hungry rural peasants – a move that could wipe out what remains of Zimbabwe’s impalas, kudus, giraffes, elephants and other species. The directive is a major blow to efforts by conservationists to try to rehabilitate the wildlife sector which was devastated after Mugabe ordered his supporters to invade and confiscate white-owned farms in 2000. The chaotic farm invasions saw party militants storming into conservation areas – both private and state-owned – to slaughter animals. Unscrupulous South African hunters also joined in the looting, paying hefty kickbacks to politicians to go into conservation areas and shoot lions, leopards and cheetahs for trophies. But because of the general abundance of certain species of wildlife in southern Zimbabwe and the establishment of the transfrontier park, which allows animals from Mozambique and South Africa’s world-famous Kruger National Park to move freely into and out of Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou (home of the elephants) National Park, there have been high hopes among conservationists that Zimbabwe’s wildlife sector could be restored to its former glory.
This now appears highly unlikely as Zimbabwe’s department of national parks and wildlife management, the custodian of this embattled country’s wild animals, has been given the green light to work with rural district councils to kill animals to feed more than four-million hungry rural Zimbabweans. National Parks officials said the recent shootings of 10 elephants for barbecue meat at festivities to mark Zimbabwe’s 25 years of independence around the country had been carried out in the broad context of the directive to kill animals to feed the hungry, particularly those living within the vicinity of national parks. The 10 elephants were killed by National Park rangers. Four of the giant animals were reportedly shot in full view of tourists near Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, a major haven for wildlife. Zimbabwean conservationists have been particularly scathing about the killings of the elephants for independence celebrations. Rural peasants in Zimbabwe have sold or fed on their own livestock in the past three years of unprecedented hunger, induced by Mugabe’s chaotic land seizures.
National Parks officials say many of the peasants living in areas bordering National Parks have already been venturing into these parks to hunt and kill animals using snares. But they said the impact of snare hunting by the villagers was limited compared to what would happen if armed National Parks rangers were allowed to enter conservation areas to kill for meat to feed millions of hungry peasants. “Killing of animals for any reasons other than conservation can be very disastrous,” said one National Parks official. “The politicians think we have enough animals to feed people without wiping out different species. We as professionals don’t think so. We are talking to them (the politicians) and we hope we will reach consensus on protecting our wildlife heritage.” Other government officials said Mugabe was so happy about his rural constituency which ensured him a majority of seats in last month’s parliamentary elections that he wanted to do everything to please the peasants.
Emphasis added.
For anyone interested in the background of the current crisis, I posted two diary entries on this a few weeks ago: Part I; Part II.
Sorry, wrong links.
Part I, Part II
29.04.2005
Louis Pierard
The administration in Zimbabwe is not as loathsome as it might be, but it’s bad enough to want to shun it like the plague; certainly to avoid any chance of raising its stocks by being part of a propaganda exercise.
Is there any point in New Zealand cricketers playing in Zimbabwe? The Black Caps, says the International Cricket Council, have no choice. If the team doesn’t tour and security is not an issue, then New Zealand Cricket will be fined $2.7 million.
No problems with security; just the unsavoury prospect of sharing breathing space with deluded, despotic Robert Mugabe, who is patron of Zimbabwe cricket.
The dead hand of Mugabe has turned one of Africa’s most promising economies to ashes. Since white farmers were thrown off their farms there has been a critical food shortage. With his people facing famine, Mugabe’s latest flourish was this week to call for large animals in game reserves to be barbecued.
Even before Zimbabwe’s white players pulled out of the team in protest at Mugabe’s appalling behaviour, the side was the least desirable opponent for the Black Caps (of whom, it must be said, they need all the competition they can get).
It’s all just too hard … New Zealand Cricket won’t cancel the tour, not least because of the swingeing penalty. CEO Martin Sneddon says it’s up to the Government to decide on politics. The Government won’t step in; neither is it prepared to set a precedent by stumping up with the money to pay the fine (though Prime Minister Helen Clark has said she wouldn’t be seen dead in Zimbabwe).
The players are caught in the middle, being blackmailed by international cricket officials into feting a tyrant.
Those weighing their careers against the moral objection of endorsing Mugabe have been supported by Sneddon, who said any player who decides against touring will not be penalised. Captain Stephen Fleming said he would boycott the tour, provided he could be convinced that such a gesture would have some benefit within Zimbabwe. But what happens (and who pays) if all players decide a tour of Zimbabwe is beyond the pale?
The Government has already imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, including bans on travel and on the sale of arms and related material (no hard lines there!). Otherwise tobacco – and refugees – have been our main imports from that unhappy land.
Though our Government lacks the courage to intervene it should use its influence to point out to international cricket officials that any tour of Zimbabwe suits no purposes but those of continued repression.
The ball is squarely in the ICC’s court. It must make a decision in the best interests of its players and for cricket.
AllAfrica is an African news aggregator. You can sort by country. Don’t know other sources, but that’s where I go to catch headlines/trends.
<Fantasy>
As part of the “Zimbabwe Airlift”, the US today sent 100 C-130’s to drop supplies directly to villages/cities. The effort is being coordinated on the ground by international NGOs operating at the village level. Supplies include food, water, clothing, and medicine.
In the capitol, rumor has it that President Mugabe was so angry he soiled himself when informed. This was confirmed by the Presidential Cleaner (rest his soul). Mugabe has declined public comment after “No Shit, Bob” signs began to appear all over the country. When asked what the effect of the incident would be on his ability to rule, the opposition party leader pointed to the box on his desk: “Depends”.
</fantasy>
(Sometimes frustration gets the better of me.)