In a country that suffers 85% or more unemployment in addition to living on foreign food subsidies, the threat of going hungry is serious. Zimbabwe is a country which used to be the bread basket of the region. Robert Mugabe and his supporters have beaten, killed, tortured and now making these threats and there is every reason to believe they will be carried out. While Iraq and the region may be uninterested no matter how many US billions we throw their way, the people of Zimbabwe regularly put it all on the line.
The US ambassador in Harare accused government officials yesterday of blackmailing opposition supporters, by denying them food unless they surrendered their national identity card and thus gave up their right to vote.
Mr Mugabe is no stranger to using food as a political weapon in a country where many people are locked into a desperate struggle to put the next meal on the table. By suspending all aid groups operating in the country on Thursday he has once again concentrated crucial supplies into the hands of his cronies.
This increase is in addition to the massive price increases for other staples such as corn and wheat. It's difficult enough for middle class people in rich countries to keep up with these price increases so imagine how hard it is for people living day to day in poor countries. A large part of the world struggles to generate enough money to put two, possibly three meals a day on the table for their families so this is going to be a painful year around the world.
With rice stocks at their lowest for 30 years, prices of the grain rose more than 10 per cent on Friday to record highs and are expected to soar further in the coming months. Already China, India, Egypt, Vietnam and Cambodia have imposed tariffs or export bans, as it has become clear that world production of rice this year will decline in real terms by 3.5 per cent. The impact will be felt most keenly by the world's poorest populations, who have become increasingly dependent on the crop as the prices of other grains have become too costly.
Rice is the staple food for more than half the world's population. This is the second year running in which production - which increased in real terms last year - has failed to keep pace with population growth. The harvest has also been hit by drought, particularly in China and Australia, forcing producers to hoard their crops to satisfy local markets.
Meanwhile, his own people continue to scrape by with 1600% inflation and skipping meals. Finding food is part of the problem but with well over 70% unemployment, possibly even closer to 80%, finding the money to buy food is no small task to most so lavishing himself with a million dollar (US) party is an insult to suffering country. Hail to the chief...it's good to be the king.
