I lived in Rhodesia and although we were wrong to have been racist, we had seen Africa all the years dowm the track and feared Black rule, well they have proved thier worht once again, worthless. I lived under Mugabe from 1980 to 1984 and that was enough. When is the world going to wake up, I think the leaders who put Murabe in power should be charged with murder of Zimbabweans,
and one country is England' s leaders. I remember Lord Slomes tell a truth about Africa just prior to the hand over to Mugabe, when he said "you must realize these people think nothing of shoveing a stick up each others you know what" and it has not change. South Africa is on its own down full aswell, sad to say.

Lester Ballard, East London, South Africa

Mugabe is a through and through marxist-lenninist so you cannot expect more from him. I also suspect that he might be psychopathic.

Mbeki is also a marxist-lenninist and you cannot expect more from him either. I do not think that he is a psychopath but he does suffer bouts of "denial" on various issues.

Sadly, Zimbabwe will unfortunately have to hit the wall before a reconstruction can begin. There is no other way out.

Cecil John Rhodes, Bulawayo, Rhodesia

As a Chinese,I think this article is full of political bias.
But it's true that most of people in zimbabwe are suffering from starvation.It's a terrible thing to Zimbabwean neighboring countries such as Botswana,Zambia.Proof showed that many criminal issuses in those countries are done by people from Zimbabwe,because they can't survive in their own country.

Yang, Newyork,

In reply to Kwame Adu-Darkwa, Paris, and heroko, Culver City, all I can say is this is the real world, the third world, not the first world of America and France. I am a Zimbabwean no longer living in Zimbabwe, but have relatives there who have to deal with the figures quoted at the end of the article every day.

B, Devon, UK

I am a Zimbabwean -living as so many of my people are - in exile in the UK. The comments from Kwame, Paris and Heroko, California shows that they obviously have no grasp of the enormity of the attrocities that are being committed in Zimbabwe and what is happening on a daily basis to the people. This is not a question about land rights - this is a story of the most appalling greed of Mugabe and his henchmen, and their total disregard for human life. It is a fact that the life expectancy in Zimbabwe is one of the lowest in the world - not only due to AIDs but also as a result of starvation. All Zimbabweans are united - whether they are black or white - in their desire to see the people of Zimbabwe have a hope and a future, released from the tyranny of Mugabe. I would suggest those unsure of the complete picture, speak to those living in Zimbabwe at present, or read The Zimbabwean newspaper before they make comments. Please continue to publish articles that highlight this sad situation.

Carolyn, Isle of Man,

Some of the comments above leave a lot to be desired. If one is out of touch with the real life under Mugabe, they should desist from commenting. Our people are being starved, there is no medication, they are being killed for standing up against this dictator. Blaming it all to the West is playing in the hands of Mugabe. He and his party Zanu[pf] are responsible as they have mismanaged the economy in the past 27 years. Thanks to the Times for highlighting the suffering of our people.

Jaison Matewu, Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Quite a contrast with Rhodesia.

Michael Grable, Silver Spring, USA

I find it increasingly distressful to read such evidently biased journalism from a paper that I respect as much as the Times. And I cannot help but wonder what other articles regarding other countries from which I don't originate or have not lived in; are as unbiased and ill-researched as this. I do not have a problem with criticism of the economic situation and the political situation in Zimbabwe but the articles I read regarding the situation in this paper have become increasingly sloppy and colored with what Heroko from Culver City has fittingly described as "sick obsession" with painting Mr. Mugabe in an increasingly cartoonish one-dimensional villainous light.
These tales of death and misery to me are exxagerated because I have family in Zimbabwe which I visit annually and I have also lived in countries much worse than Zimbabwe at the moment. Strangely enough, I never read such disparaging remarks about their situations because they stayed on the right side of the West.

Michelle, London, UK

All you've got to do is look at the economic decline of Zimbabwe to see how good Mugabe has been for his country. What about the drop in agricultural output so that half the population now starves? Shall we ignore the slaughter of fellow black Zimbabweans by his North Korean trained brigades? Or the bull-dozing of city districts who had the temerity to vote against Mugabe?

Malcolm, Sussex, UK

The laughably inept defenders of the Mugabe regime only serve to highlight the moral bankruptcy of the "Blame the evil colonial West for everything" crowd. What a hoot! Clearly there's a conspiracy involving British newspapers, Zionist agents, and international bankers, all united in an effort to undermine Mugabe and suppress the truth of his many great achievements.

I., Istanbul, Turkey

A serious newspaper as the Times claims to be should not be validating the kind of figures beneath the article wherever the sources are from. Rather it should question them. A life expectancy of 34/37, did HIV infections multiply by 3 since Mugabe's anti-white politique, how silly?!

It seems giving Zimbabwe or should I say Mugabe bad publicity legitimately or not is curbing your moral and professional sharpness. For the record i am neither Zimbabwean nor pro-Mugabe!!!

Kwame Adu-Darkwa, Paris,

The obsessive compulsive disorder that has gripped the British establishment regarding Mr. Mugabe and his government is very disturbing. The disorder is marked by exaggerations, distortions, blatant lies wrapped in yellow journalism, and vitriolic demagoguery. All because Mr. Mugabe decided to correct a historical wrong,: take back land stolen by imperial colonialists, and their descendants, and returned it to it's rightful owners. How dare Mr. Mugabe have the temerity to do such a thing? Europeans do not correct wrongs done to Africans or apologize, it is anathema to their rogue sensibilities to even consider such an occurrence. How audacious of Mr. Mugabe to take back lands from Europeans and return it back to its rightful owners: Africans.

It will do a lot of good if your establishment should hold hands, and collectively seek psychiatric help to get over your very sick obsession with Mr. Mugabe. Perhaps it will help clear the mind of comical Blair..

heroko, Culver City, , California USA