Introduction
1. Our last Report on Zimbabwe was published in July
2002. In it, we noted Zimbabwe's descent into chaos, and its decline
from democracy to oppressive despotism. We expressed the hope
that, for the sake of the people of Zimbabwe, a time of change
would come soon. To our great regret, the situation has instead
deteriorated further. We are therefore producing this further
Report, in the hope of maintaining public and official interest
in the plight of Zimbabwe, at a time when other pressing issues
in foreign affairs threaten to obscure it.
2. In preparing this Report, we heard oral evidence
from a former High Commissioner in Harare, Mr Peter Longworth
CMG; from BBC Online's Zimbabwe reporter Mr Joe Winter; from Ms
Georgina Godwin of SW (Short Wave) Radio Africa; and from the
then Minister for Africa—now Secretary of State for International
Development—Baroness Amos. We held informal meetings with
a group of community leaders from Matabeleland and with the Most
Reverend Pius Ncube, Archbishop of Bulawayo. We also received
helpful written evidence, and have made use of recently published
studies of Zimbabwe, including the latest report of the International
Crisis Group, and the Commonwealth Secretary-General's Report
to the Commonwealth Chairpersons' Committee on Zimbabwe.
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