To Mr Owen - No, Sir. We must have no part in paying for the stupidity in Zimbabwe. The vile Mugabe and his henchment brought it onto themselves and the people there; the South Africans (who are supposed (by themselves, if no-one else) to be a grown-up Government) have supported Mugabe and prolonged the agony.

We have no responsibility in this matter, only to those former Rhodesians who are sons of our country and who have previously given service to the United Kingdom, and to them we should be unstintingly generous. The rest, if they are cowardly enough to support or bow to Mugabe, should go hang.

Paul Carlin, Dromore, Northern Ireland

One can only hope and pray that oil is found in Zim very soon.

Jeremy Forbes, London,

Mugabe is of course, a prodigee of the labour party. Remember that pipe-smoking twerp Wilson, and Lancaster House talks?.
To paraphrase Ian Smith; they are like children and not ready to govern. This holds yet, there, as in the rest of Africa.

Amandla, my foot

John Schofield, Paramaribo, Surinam

Noreen,
To answer your question, the world is simply waiting for a handful of African leaders to condemn Mugabe for crimes against his own people, rather than their usual sniggering applause at international governmental get-togethers. Until then the rest of the world is unable to act as they would in Europe for fear of being branded neo-colonialist imperialists etc.
If Mugabe was white would Mbeki still be advocating his 'quiet diplomacy'..?!

Mhepo, Nottingham,

an immature view from stephan black.he must be a bitter man.It is well-documented that Mugabe has used the state machinery to rig elections.The courts have nullified some of the results but Mugabe laughed it off and ignored the court ruling.the mugabe regime decladed the opposition party the enemy of the state.opposition leaders have been battered, incacerated for expressing their opinions.Outspoken people have disappeared.Opposition parties are not afforded air time in state-controlled TV station.Inependent daily newspapers have been shut downState machinery is used to silence people.People like Stepane must know better.Will it be fair to assume that all Germans had their thumbs up for Hilter?
The world must help the people of zim get out of hell.The world watched when it was Rwanda.Dont make the same mistake with zim.Help zim get rid of mugabe.

Freedom, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

The world seems not to care until Mugabe starts shooting people in the street or there is a Rwanda-style genocide. One cannot help but think the west is waiting for tragedy before coming to the rescue of Zimbabweans. History will judge the world harshly for ignoring the cries for help from a population emasculated by a mad dictator.

Nyengeterai, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom

While it is true that Mugabe has ruined Zimbabwe it can never be true that black people were better under Ian Smith. The sad thing is that strange bed fellows are helping Mugabe remain in power. Israel sells riot equipment and arms to Mugabe while Iran helps run his propaganda machine. The world should act now before all the people die and before the country closes

Nyengeterai, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom

Jan:
expats like myself who were in Rhodesia 40 years ago predicted this. But we were lambasted as racist dinosaurs. Check "The Times" coverage back then.
Fast forward to now. Criticism of out groups behaviour is throttled by the English politically correct police who would have done Eric Blair proud.
Vigorous debate is essential. Britain needs to restore freedom of speech.
When I read in an adjoining Times article that a women radio caller who rightly suggested that two homosexual males shouldn't be raising children, she was visted by the Police & cautioned.
Ye Gods ! What the hell has happened to Britain, the country I was raised in !
Zibabwe's happen , because those who have the balls to point out that the Emperor has no clothes are threatened with incarceration by the Police. Stalin would just love you Labourites.
Fix it , so I can come home again and speak my mind.

wilfred knight, orange county, usa/california

How many people have died in Zimbabwe since the taking of white farmers, due to hunger and starvation? As far as I am concerned, any white person who love the Black race only in Zimbabwe, is a racist!

John, London,

Why, when these things happen is it always blamed on the west? What about South Africa and Zimbabwe's other neighbours who are turning a blind eye because they regard Mugabe as a hero? And who will be expected to pick up the pieces when the end comes? Will it be those same African nations who demand non interference and the right to send representatives of murderous dictatorships to chair international bodies or the west yet again?

We in the west sometimes have to take our share of responsibility for the travails of Africa but with regard to Zimbabwe we are blameless. This is a country reduced to poverty and misery thanks to the feckless and corrupt stupidity of Mugabe and his government. They are beneath contempt. Africa could and should have acted to prevent things getting so bad. The blame is entirely theirs. The clear up bill will as always be passed to us.

Paul Owen, Birmingham, UK

the masses voted for mugabe ....so whats the problem...they voted for destruction and starvation...they dont need help they need to take resposibility for their actions...let them stew in their own juice

stephan black, göttingen, germany

Zimbabwe and Darfur reveal the depth of hypocrisy of those South African freedom fighters now in government - they were never really interested in the good of the people, only power for themselves. Mugabe was one of them - he is now a mass murderer of black people. 'Shame' is far too light a term for our nauseating political classes of all kinds. And the 'left' - Guardianistas, BBC, 'liberals' who were so desperate to bomb the Serbs etc? Happy to see dirt poor people starve.
And Darfur - scared of the fundamentalist regime of Khartoum, so hundreds of thousands die.
Saddam Hussein looks like a charity worker in comparison.

Aya, Haggerston, UK

The lack of international action on Zimbabwe is a scandal. Ordinary people are desperate as the basic necessities of life are being gradually removed from their reach. They have no voice, they are helpless and meanwhile the international community looks on and does nothing. Shame on the EU and UN; shame on those countries who are quick to intervene when their interests are at stake but have no compassion for the poor, helpless and defenceless. Zimbabwe and Darfur are a stain on the international community and demonstrate both the ineffectiveness of the world's international institutions and the fact that Africa is the author of many of its own problems.

Andrew brown, Derby, UK

Could it be that the majority of Blacks were better off under the White regime of Ian Smith? At least they can now vote, right?.....

GK, Calgary, Canada

Perhaps it would be a good idea to get out of there while you're still in one piece?

Miland Joshi, Birmingham,

Interesting that in this same edition there is an article on the "assault on liberty" in the UK. When reading of real political suffering the cries of Britain's civil liberties heroes come across as nothing more than the bleating of a lot lightweight dilettantes.

H, London,

It was ever thus in post-colonial Africa.

Bill McCann, Suzhou, China

It's a sad commentary on the leaders of Africa that they allow the Mugabe dictatorship to continue and that they do nothing to terminate it. It shows a total lack of ethics, morality and basic human decency on their part.
One of the saddest parts of this whole disaster is that it will take years to get Zimbabwe back to where it was when Mugabe took over once his regime finally comes to an end. The people of Zimbabwe certainly deserve far better than what they have gotten.

RCS, Oakton, Virginia, USA

What is the world waiting for before they react to the Zimbabwe situation? If this were happening in Europe, you can bet no one would be looking in the other direction.

Noreen, Houston, USA