Time To Boycott Nestle

I've always been a fan of products from Nestle Foods, and I've spent a lot of money with them. That's why I was so disappointed when I read about Nestle's involvement in Africa. It seems they are helping to prop up the regime of the bloody dictator Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

In the past few years, Mugabe has seized many white-owned farms. He says he did it to provide land to poor Zimbabweans, but the truth is that the farms have gone to his family and closest supporters. The seizures have ultimately destroyed Zimbabwe's agriculture-based economy.

One of the recipients of several of the seized farms is Mugabe's wife -- Grace Mugabwe (pictured with her husband). Mrs. Mugabe has received about 12,000 acres, including some dairy farms. She is currently selling the milk from her farms to Nestle. In fact, she is providing about 15% of the milk Nestle buys in Zimbabwe.

Buying this milk violates the sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union, but since Nestle is a Swiss company, they don't legally have to abide by those sanctions. Nestle sent the BBC a statement saying, "Had Nestle decided to close down its operations in Zimbabwe, the company would have triggered further food shortages and hundreds of job losses among its employees and milk suppliers in an already very delicate position."

I'm not buying that argument, and I expect it could have been used by many other companies who are abiding by the sanctions. The fact is they are profiting by their support of a bloody dictator, when their failure to cooperate could hasten his departure. That's very disappointing, and just one more example of a company putting profits before people.

I won't be buying any more Nestle products, as least as long as Mugabe is still in power.

Tragedy In Zimbabwe

The country of Zimbabwe used to be one of the bright spots in Africa. That is, until Robert Mugabe took over. It's been sliding downhill ever since, and is currently one of the poorest countries on the African continent.

Mugabe destroyed an efficient and productive farming system, by taking the land away from the farmers -- supposedly for the good of the people of Zimbabwe. But instead of giving the land to poor farmers who would work the land, he rewarded his supporters and family with it. These people either had no interest in farming or no skills. Now Zimbabwe doesn't produce even a fraction of what it needs to survive.

Then he destroyed even the appearance of democracy in the country. He has rigged elections, thrown out the results of any elections that didn't go his way, and sent gangs of thugs to intimidate voters. But he not even a very good tyrant, and his government has been reduced to little more than "thug rule".

His incompetence and thug rule has destroyed the economy of Zimbabwe. Last week, his treasury started printing a $250,000,000 dollar bill (which is not worth even one U.S. dollar). The country's inflation is staggering, and is driving the few corporations and businesses left into bankruptcy. Poverty is rampant and jobs are disappearing quickly. Even the lucky few with a job find the raging inflation makes their salaries worth less with each passing day.

As if all this wasn't bad enough, the country's medical system has cratered along with the rest of the economy just as an outbreak of cholera has hit the country. There are estimates that over 16,000 people have contracted the disease, and nearly 800 have died from it. But Save The Children (STC) says this is an gross underestimate of the epidemic, and they believe the epidemic of cholera is growing and could soon have over 60,000 victims.

STC spokesmen say that with only the most basic healthcare, normally cholera would kill 1-2% of those stricken. But in some areas of Zimbabwe, a third of those stricken are dying. The epidemic is so bad that it has now spread into a Northern district of South Africa.

What is Mugabe's response? He has declared the epidemic is over. He seems to think if he just denies Zimbabwe's problems, the world will believe him and let him hang on to power. Several African and European countries have recently called for Mugabe's removal from power -- especially after the last stolen election and the outbreak of cholera.

I believe that is exactly what needs to happen. Someone somewhere needs to step in and remove Mugabe from power and stop the unnecessary deaths of the Zimbabwean people. Removing him from power would truly be a humanitarian act.

Many nations have put some serious sanctions on trade with Zimbabwe, but Mugabe doesn't seem to care about the suffering of his people as long as he can hang on to power by thug rule or any other means.

Wars have been fought for land, oil, money and a host of other ridiculous reasons. Maybe it's time to wage one to end this humanitarian crises. The world ignored Rwanda and Darfur. Is it also going to ignore Zimbabwe?

Democracy Fading In Zimbabwe

For years now, strongman Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron hand. But earlier this year, it looked like Democracy might actually come to the troubled African country. Mugabe actually decided to hold elections and allow his opponents to participate.

I'm sure that Mugabe thought he was either popular enough or feared enough that people wouldn't dare to vote against him. He was wrong. The candidate of the opposition Movement For A Democratic Change (MDC) actually outpolled Mugabe in the election. But the MDC candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, did not receive a clear majority, so a runoff is to be held soon.

Most Western governments believe Tsvangirai would win a fairly held runoff, but it is looking less and less like that will be allowed by Mugabe. Mugabe (pictured above) is currently using a combination of slander and intimidation and legal shenanigans to try and hold on to his power.

He is accusing the MDC of being "lackeys" controlled by foreign governments, who would return Zimbabwe to colonial rule. He has boldly declared that there is no way he will allow the MDC to rule the country, and has threatened to go to war to prevent it.

He has also arrested Tsvangirai at least 5 times since the election, with the last time being last week. Other MDC officials have also been arrested repeatedly. Tendai Biti, deputy leader of the MDC, is currently waiting to see if treason charges will be upheld. Mugabe had him charged with treason because he declared victory for the MDC in the last election before all votes were counted.

Mugabe is also using the army and civilian thugs to intimidate the populace. Even with Western poll watchers, it is highly doubtful that a fair election can be held now in Zimbabwe. And if it somehow did happen and MDC wins, it is even more doubtful that Mugabe will step down peacefully. He clearly will do anything to hold on to his dictatorial power.

It now looks like Zimbabwe may be just one election away from a civil war.