ZIMBABWE - LETTER FROM THE DIASPORA !

24th October 2008.

Dear Friends,

Another week gone by and still no settlement in Zimbabwe while the agony of the people continues with even greater ferocity. Despite the heart breaking reality of starving children and villagers surviving on wild fruits and roots, the rising death toll from of cholera and water-borne diseases and supermarket shelves empty but for 'Cabbages and Condoms' as Cathy Buckle describes the situation in her hometown, Robert Mugabe still had the crass insensitivity to make a joke at the nation's expense. Speaking after the failure to reach agreement last weekend, Mugabe commented, "It went very well - in the wrong direction." This supposed off-the-cuff witticism by the Dear Leader was greeted with sycophantic mirth by his hangers on.

That was just the start of a week of humorous 'jests' by various Zanu PF functionaries. When Morgan Tsvangirai was denied a passport to allow him to travel to Swaziland to attend the meeting of SADC leaders, the explanation given was that there was no paper to print passports. The reason of course was Sanctions; that was why the country was running out of bond paper! Tsvangirai applied for a passport five months ago and during those intervening months the Reserve Bank Governor has issued thousands of new bank notes - printed on bond paper! Instead of telling Mugabe to behave himself and issue the new Prime Minister with a valid passport, the cowardly SADC leaders decided to postpone the talks for a week and then resume in Harare. The king of Swaziland offered to send his personal jet to collect Morgan Tsvangirai. Another joke perhaps but Morgan wasn't falling for that one and remained in Harare while Mugabe flew off to a summit in Kampala where the situation in Zimbabwe was high on the agenda. So now we see why Morgan was denied a passport, another sick joke on the regime's part.

Then it was the turn of a group called Zimbabwe Lawyers for Justice. No joke intended! They are a group of pro-government lawyers, heaven knows what justice they stand for. They issued a statement accusing the MDC 'of sowing seeds of chaos and mayhem' and called on Mugabe to go ahead and install a new government, urging him to declare a State of Emergency. Someone should tell this self-serving bunch of lawyers that the outstanding emergency in the country is impending starvation. 'Nzara', hunger, is the word on everyone's lips while Mugabe and his cronies play games with the country's future and condemn five million people to starvation.

Nothing changes in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe. Back in 1992 I was teaching teachers on a remote mission station. Now that really was a drought year and I remember that commercial farmers were carrying grain out to starving villagers in the rural areas. The then Minister of Agriculture announced that in order to pay for drought relief the price of food would go up and people 'Should adjust their lives accordingly'. The sick humour of that remark incensed me into writing the following poem. I make no apology for copying it here, the message is as relevant now as it was then.

He who Pays the Piper Calls the Tune.

To pay for drought relief The price of foodstuff will go up, the Honourable Minister said, adjust your lives accordingly. Hear the Honourable Minister's words all you good Zimbabweans.

Tighten your belts another notch. Rest assured drought relief is on its way– only accept that someone always has to pay. Harden your hearts to hungry children, explain to them in simple terms, times are hard. They will surely understand- and adjust their appetites accordingly. Mothers hush your crying infants, their cries disturb the peace. Stretch the food a little further, make it last another day! Remember drought relief is on its way. only accept that someone always has to pay. In town your husband's lost his job, your kids at school faint clean away. The old ones in the village totter slowly to the grave. Tell them to be patient, explain to them in simple terms, times are hard.

They will surely understand – and adjust their deaths accordingly.

Yours in the (continuing) struggle. PH