A very dear friend of mine is directing a feature length documentary that is soon coming to completion and fruition about a very important but grossly ignored subject.

She was imprisoned, interrogated, and ultimately deported for her work documenting the horror occurring in Zimbabwe. I have been trying in my own small way to assist her with the completion of this important project.

I have asked for and received permission to cross-post her latest blog from Huffington Post here. Following is something that I hope gives everyone a moment of pause to understand the true horror that is happening this very minute.

Mugabe may be running one of the less effective dictatorships in the world today, but he does have more support among Zimbabweans today than Bush does among Americans. No, this is not some troll diary arguing that we shouldn't really oppose Mugabe because of all the things he and ZANU-PF did to liberate their country or because he is facing a western imperialist conspiracy against the African people. It's not an argument in favor of Mugabe at all. It's just an attempt to explain why he does still have support in Zimbabwe, who his supporters are, and how well-informed policy could more effectively remove him than the kind of ignorant, "speak loudly but carry a small stick" policy currently favored in Washington could. If you're interested in a little reality based background, read on.

"This is a fight we cannot afford to lose, the enemy is hunger", so said Ban Ki Moon yesterday in Rome. However his words fell on deaf ears. So far only a measly 3 billions has been "promised" to feed the 900 million who are on the verge of starvation. Yesterday I reported that a figure of an annual 30 billion has been calculated by the UN as the ballpark figure to address world hunger. Unfortunately this conference has been highjacked by a brace of tyrants, namely the odious Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and the bearded buffoon from Iran, Ahmadinejad, who  both managed to accuse the West for their ills. Additionally, Latin American countries are refusing to sign a declaration on dealing with the world food crisis, delegates at a UN food summit have told journalists (this is still developing) as a final declaration had been set to be released at 1500 GMT. Don't hold your breath.

The primaries are over! Now is the time to solve the real problems as world leaders gather in Rome for the second day of talks on food price escalation and, with luck, to settle on a common strategy to deal with the crisis, the FAO has put a price on eradicating hunger: $30bn. Yep! That's for one year.

In his opening presentation, FAO director general Jacques Diouf pointed out that, in 2006, the total amount spent by nations on arms was $1200 bn. Here are some horrifying figures: just one country could waste as much as $100bn, and excess consumption contributing to global obesity amounted to $20bn.

Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary general, said the solution to the current world food crisis had to include financial support for African farmers.

Attending the conference in his new role as the chair of Agra, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, he said the African farmer was the only farmer in the world that still took all the risks, often operating without financial support, expertise or safety nets.

I'm well aware that could be a nyceve diary title; it's true in many ways, in all too many places. But this diary is about Zimbabwe.

Many here read DHinMI's story applauding the refusal of the Durban dockworkers to unload a shipload of Chinese arms for transshipment to Zimbabwe at the height of that country's election crisis, when its ruling regime is cracking down on the opposition with violence.

Last week, news outlets were celebrating that China had said it would recall the arms, and that China's and Zimbabwe's friend Angola (where the ship headed next) had said the arms would not be unloaded. The press declared victory, celebrated people/union power, turned off the mikes, and went home.

But guess what? Arms dealers lie.

Weapons will always find a way to those who want them, at least when public vigilance slackens, even for a minute.

Please tell the media to get back on the job. More information below, or at Sokwanele.

Edited by request to put the important stuff first.

Right now there's a ship with a cargo of armaments, trying to deliver them to Zimbabwe, pretty clearly with the intent of helping Mugabe put down the opposition after the elections he apparently couldn't win by hook or by crook. They've been turned away in South Africa, but they'll try again by way of Mozambique or elsewhere. I'd intended to hold off posting this till tomorrow morning, but the situation is dire and progressing, and action may help, so I'm posting it now.

UPDATE: The New York Times just posted a more thorough article on this even than the BBC's report. (Thanks to The Distillery for noticing it.)

UPDATE Saturday morning: The ship may be on its way to Angola now. See the end of the diary for more information and a link to the story.

More below the fold...