Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, 2000–2009: Massive Human Rights Violations and the Failure to Protect

This article reviews human rights violations in Zimbabwe from 2000 to 2009, under Robert Mugabe's rule.
Arguments presented:
- Human rights violations, including state-induced famine, illegal expulsions, and systemic rape, constituted crimes against humanity.
- The failure of African regional and international organizations to effectively restrain Mugabe is highlighted as a failure to protect the Zimbabwean people.

Rhoda E. Howard-Hassmann: Canada Research Chair in International Human Rights at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Noteworthy achievements include:
- Distinguished Scholar of Human Rights awarded by the American Political Science Association (2006).
- Co-editor of The Age of Apology (2007) and author of Reparations to Africa (2008) and Can Globalization Promote Human Rights? (2010).

The article argues human rights violations in Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2009 were crimes against humanity.
It provides a critical look at the actions—or lack thereof—by African and international organizations in response to these violations.

Mugabe became President in 1980 following independence and was a prominent leader during the war against white minority rule.
From 1980 to 2000, Zimbabwe was prosperous due to a large commercial farming sector.
In 2000, Mugabe initiated "land invasions" targeting white-owned farms, perpetuated largely by those claiming to be war veterans but who were too young to have fought.
- In 2002, white farmers were ordered to vacate their farms immediately, hindering food production significantly.
Statistical overview of maize production:
- 2000: 2 million tons
- 2008: 450,000 tons
Under authoritarian rule, Mugabe's government employed violence during land invasions:
- By 2006, around 60 white farmers were killed.
- Displacement of approximately 150,000-200,000 farm workers, affecting 1.5 to 2 million people.
The claimed justification for land redistribution was undermined given that over 80% of white-owned land had changed hands since independence.

Dispossessed white farmers lost sizable farms, leading to unemployment and contributing to economic collapse.
Policies led to:
- Declines in agricultural productivity and widespread extreme poverty.
- Women and girls engaging in sex work, exacerbating the HIV/AIDS crisis.
- Reduced access to education due to financial strains.
As of 2003, 50% of Zimbabwe’s population classified as food insecure.
Mugabe's regime allocated food aid based on political loyalty, denying aid to perceived opponents, leading to mass starvation.

By early 2009, around 75% of Zimbabweans relied on food aid.
Reports of desperate measures taken by citizens included:
- Trading livestock for food, eating seeds, and foraging for wild food.
- Severe malnutrition, leading to instances of extreme poverty and social breakdown.
Dramatic statistics reflecting the humanitarian crisis:
- Unemployment rate reached 80% in 2005.
- Life expectancy dropped from 56.4 years (1990-1995) to 37.3 years (2005-2010).
- 1.3 million orphans by 2007.
- Maternal mortality rises dramatically from 168/100,000 in 1990 to 1,100 in 2005.
Cholera outbreak linked to the failure of sanitation and access to clean water during 2008-2009.

Attempted murder, torture, and intimidation of political opponents were prevalent.
In the 2008 elections, prominent opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was attacked, and political violence was widespread.
Systematic gang rapes were reported against women suspected of MDC support.
Mugabe maintained tight control over key ministries, refusing to share power effectively.

The food crisis could be viewed under the lens of "famine manqué," characterized by state-induced dearth.
Key definitions:
- Famine is nuanced as a process consisting of dearth, famishment, and mortality.
Mugabe's role in famine characterized as third-degree and reckless; policies designed to induce hunger deliberately.

The African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) were initially passive and protective of Mugabe.
Criticism of Mugabe was sporadic and lacked strength until later years, with acknowledgment of the ongoing crisis by leaders like Kufuor and Odinga in 2007-2008.
Tsvangirai's political compromises were seen as ineffective.

The Commonwealth suspended Zimbabwe in 2002; the EU enacted sanctions.
UN Security Council attempts to address the crisis via resolutions were vetoed by Russia and China.
By 2009, international actions remained largely limited and ineffective.

Suggestions included regional organizations like the AU using existing mechanisms, and potential military interventions to protect Zimbabweans from human rights violations.
Emphasis on the need for serious international accountability and mechanisms to intervene in humanitarian crises emerging from state actions.

The situation in Zimbabwe demonstrates a significant failure of both African and international communities to uphold the responsibility to protect citizens from state-induced crimes against humanity.
A call for recognition and punishment of state-induced famine under international law reflects the urgent need for systemic change to prevent such human rights violations in the future.