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 predictedobvious 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.