CURRENCY CRASHES: The Zimbabwe central bank floated the national currency in May after years of keeping it artificially stable. The result is a staggering loss of value, down 84% and trading at 1 billion Zimbabwe dollars to 1 U.S. dollar. This loss of value is one of the main reasons for an estimated inflation rate of 1.8 million percent.

Zimbabwe's inflation is the highest in the world. Critics blame these economic woes on the government's—meaning President Robert Mugabe's—policy of taking farmland away from established white farmers and giving it to cronies or inexperienced black farmers. Not only did this ruin production, it turned Zimbabwe from a food exporting country to a food importing country with no money.

Zimbabwe's Free and Fair Elections in Doubt

Morgan Tsvangirai claims he defeated Mugabe in the March presidential election and that Mugabe rigged the results to force a runoff on June 27. In the meanwhile, intimidation against Tsvangirai and his supporters continues. (See sidebar.) Mugabe, 84, has been in power since 1980—this is his first runoff.

As Tsvangirai traveled between political rallies Wednesday, police arrested him and his entourage, detaining them for nine hours. The charge? Drawing a big crowd, although they had permits for rallies.

At their release, the police impounded one of their security vehicles, compromising Tsvangirai's safety. Tsvangirai has survived three assassination attempts. And just last year police brutally beat him at a prayer rally.

The detention drew a rebuke from the United States.

State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said the Zimbabwean government needs "to create an atmosphere where those who have political views different from the government can speak out free from intimidation and violence. Sadly, this has not been the case. We are deeply concerned about whether or not the proper conditions exist for a free and fair election. We continue to call on the Zimbabwean government to create these conditions. But, given their history, that call also comes with a healthy dose of skepticism." (Associated Press, 6/05/08)

Mugabe Accused of Using Hunger as a Weapon

CARE is a U.S.-based nonprofit aid agency that helps people around the world escape poverty. It also works to provide food, improve education and economic opportunities, prevent HIV spread, and increase clean water.

In 1992, CARE started working in Zimbabwe, which has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the world—35% of the adult population.

On May 30, Zimbabwe's government told CARE to suspend all its operations in the country, pending investigation of its political activities. The government gave the same order to 30 other aid organizations that also provide food and aid to Zimbabwe's poor.

Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga, the official who suspended CARE, said, "If they want to continue with their programmes, they know what to do. They must choose between politics and genuine humanitarian work." (Reuters, 6/4/08)

Tiseke Kasambala, the Zimbabwe researcher for Human Rights Watch, said "The decision to let people go hungry is yet another attempt to use food as a political tool to intimidate voters ahead of an election. President Mugabe's government has a long history of using food to control the election outcome." (Reuters, 6/4/08)

Meanwhile, Mugabe Attends Rome Food Summit

Mugabe and his wife, Grace—known as the "First Shopper of Zimbabwe"—surprised other attendees by representing Zimbabwe at the U.N. Summit on World Food Security and Climate Change in Rome.

Mugabe is banned from travel in the European Union except to meetings sponsored by the United Nations.

Responses to Mugabe's appearance were not positive. "This is the person who has presided over the starvation of his people," said Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith. "So Robert Mugabe turning up to a conference dealing with food security or food issues is, in my view, frankly obscene." (BBC News, 6/2/08)

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Question for Readers:

Do you think it's possible for Zimbabwe to hold free and fair elections June 27?