Political abuse of food Amnesty International (AI) released a substantial report on food abuse in Zimbabwe in October 2004, which illustrates systematic manipulation of access to food by the government, and patterns of food abuse linked to elections.24 This report points out that the Zimbabwean government is in serious contravention of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which enshrines the right to food, and to which Zimbabwe is signatory. In terms of the ICESCR, States must ensure availability and accessibility of adequate food. Any discrimination in access to food on political grounds is a violation of the Covenant. The Zimbabwe government has decreed that it is almost the sole distributor and marketer of maize, through its parastatal the Grain Marketing Board (GMB); all maize producers are obliged to sell only to the GMB. During the last five years there has been repeated concern raised and some well-documented incidents of ZANU PF using GMB maize as a political weapon, denying the basic right to food to those who support the opposition party, the MDC.25 Sales through the GMB have been reduced during the last two years; the nation has produced less than half the maize needed to feed itself. The WFP has run a massive feeding programme throughout the country, which has kept the threat of starvation at bay. This has meant the majority of very vulnerable people have had access to food through the politically neutral WFP. At times, the government has interfered with donor food distribution, although donors have made every effort to prevent this and have taken action when this has been brought to their attention. A few examples follow: • In mid-October 2002, the WFP had to suspend its feeding programme in the rural district of Insiza, citing political interference with WFP food ahead of a parliamentary byelection. The WFP reported that ZANU PF activists had seized 3 tonnes of maize being distributed by the Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP) and had distributed it solely to ZANU PF supporters, “in an unauthorised manner”.26 24 AI, Zimbabwe: power and hunger – violations of the right to food, October 2004. Human Rights Watch, Briefing paper on Zimbabwe, 12 August 2004. Africa Confidential, The government may turn away food aid as part of its ruthless election strategy May 2004; 2003 Amnesty International Annual Report, London, 2004, section on Zimbabwe: "The authorities and state-sponsored militia continued to deny people access to food aid based on real or perceived political affiliation, and used food aid to buy votes during parliamentary byelections…. Political manipulation of food aid by officials and supporters of the ruling Zanu PF continued. The food situation remained critical." Physicians for Human Rights, Denmark (PHR-DK), Vote ZANU PF or starve – Zimbabwe: August to October 2002, November 2002; Also media reports: The Zimbabwe Standard, War veterans stop Chipinge retailers from selling maize, 26 September 2004; The Daily News Online Edition, Government keeps UN agencies guessing on food security, 26 September 2004, IPS, Mixing politics with food, 27 September 2004; VOA News, Zimbabwe says it needs no international food aid, 22 September 2004; The Zimbabwe Independent, GMB fails to prove claims of bumper harvest, 10 September 2004; Zim Online (SA), National youth service trainees recruited for food distribution, 25 August 2004; The Zimbabwe Standard, Hunger claims more lives - children worst victims of malnutrition, 8 August 2004; SAPA, Famine kills 152 people in Bulawayo, 8 August 2004; The Zimbabwe Standard, Food crisis looms, 15 August 2004; Comment from The International Herald Tribune, Zimbabwe’s despot watches his people starve, 16 August 2004; Associated Press, Southern Africa faces humanitarian crisis, 22 June 2004; The Daily Mirror, Govt in massive maize imports...amidst claims of bumper harvest this season, 2 June 2004; The Guardian (UK), Zimbabwe ejects UN crop survey team, 10 May 2004; The Guardian (UK), Mugabe says he will refuse food aid, 24 May 2004; The Times (UK), Harare shuns aid in face of famine alert, 12 May 2004; Africa Confidential, Fast buck, slow famine, 28 May 2004; IRIN (UN), Household access to food a major problem, 26 May 2004; IRIN (UN), Commercial land lies fallow, 31 May 2004; VOA News, Opposition, analysts fear Zimbabwe may use food distribution as political tool, 23 April 2004; The Mail & Guardian (SA), Zim faces famine, 28 April 2004; Time Magazine, Against the grain, 26 Jan 2004; IRIN, GMB defends its hold on maize stocks, 26 Jan 2004. 26 PHR-DK, Vote ZANU PF or starve, November 2002, page 15. 25 24