IV

107TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 453

Expressing the sense of Congress relating to the increasingly dire food security situation in Zimbabwe and the failure of the Mugabe regime to

take appropriate measures to mitigate the impact of its failed policies

on the nutritional well-being of the people of Zimbabwe and of other

countries in the Southern Africa region.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 26, 2002

Mr. HYDE (for himself and Mr. ROYCE) submitted the following concurrent

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress relating to the increasingly

dire food security situation in Zimbabwe and the failure

of the Mugabe regime to take appropriate measures to

mitigate the impact of its failed policies on the nutritional well-being of the people of Zimbabwe and of other

countries in the Southern Africa region.

Whereas the United Nations expects that starting in June

2002 more than 5,000,000 people in Zimbabwe will require food aid to survive, and that by December 2002,

that figure will increase to 6,100,000 people;

Whereas cereal production in Zimbabwe in 2002 is down 57

percent from the level of such production in 2001 and is
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•HCON 453 IH

down 67 percent from the level of such production in

1999–2000;

Whereas maize production in Zimbabwe in 2002 is down 67

percent from the level of such production in 2001 and

down 77 percent from the level of such production in

1999–2000;

Whereas Mr. Robert Mugabe maintained the powers of the

Zimbabwean presidency after a March 2002 election, the

legitimacy of which is widely rejected, including by the

United States;

Whereas Zimbabwe historically was a major food producer for

Southern Africa, feeding itself and helping its neighbors

through the work of its industrious and productive agricultural sector, but is now for the first time in its postcolonial history undergoing food shortages not caused primarily by natural factors, but rather by failed and destructive policies of Mr. Mugabe;

Whereas unemployment in Zimbabwe is now more than 70

percent, with farm and industrial workers particularly affected;

Whereas agricultural production is decreasing precipitously in

Zimbabwe due to the actions of the Mugabe regime and

also through economic collapse and lack of security due

to Mugabe-supported mob violence, including increased illegal confiscation and occupation of farms;

Whereas in 1997 Zimbabwe had an annualized inflation rate

of 18.3 percent, but following the implementation of

failed and self-destructive economic policies of the

Mugabe regime, Zimbabwe now suffers from 114 percent

inflation;
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•HCON 453 IH

Whereas World Food Program officials have stated that ‘‘a

crisis looms large over Zimbabwe’s horizon, and will seriously affect many more than the 6,100,000 most vulnerable people’’, and the crisis ‘‘will turn into a grave crisis

in the next few months with tragic consequences unless

rapid and adequate response is made’’;

Whereas the people most affected by this looming crisis in

Zimbabwe are the poor and vulnerable—those individuals

living in areas with chronic food deficits, the urban poor

who are entirely dependent on markets that have failed

to provide even barely adequate supplies of commodities,

and the displaced commercial farm workers and their

families who have been the victims of violence;

Whereas the United States has and will continue to furnish

emergency food assistance to the people of Zimbabwe

through the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations;

Whereas the people of the United States value peace and stability in the global community and in particular the economic prosperity and livelihoods of the people of the nations of Africa; and

Whereas the people and Government of the United States

have long promoted the adherence to basic human rights

for all, the adoption of sound economic policies, and the

respect for political and press freedom, and urge other

peoples and governments to do so as well: Now, therefore,

be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

3 (1) the land confiscation campaign and the

4 state-sponsored campaign of violence, torture, and
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1 intimidation led by Mr. Robert Mugabe and his fol2 lowers is a calculated and depraved attempt to cling

3 to power at the expense of the Zimbabwean people;

4 (2) the economic and nutritional status of the

5 Zimbabwean people will only be harmed further by

6 the continued pursuit of failed policies by Mr.

7 Mugabe and his followers;

8 (3) Mr. Mugabe should immediately cease the

9 state monopoly on grain imports and allow market

10 forces to deliver food to areas of Zimbabwe in need;

11 (4) in this time of self-imposed crisis, Mr.

12 Mugabe should allow the unfettered access of the in13 digenous and international nongovernmental commu14 nity, including the United Nations, to assist

15 Zimbabwean people in need;

16 (5) Mr. Mugabe and his followers should imme17 diately cease the withholding of food deliveries from

18 certain regions of Zimbabwe, thus ending the use of

19 food as a weapon against his own people; and

20 (6) absent any corrective action on his part,

21 Mr. Mugabe’s legacy will be defined by his responsi22 bility for the suffering and death by famine of many

23 tens of thousands of Zimbabweans.

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