U.S. leaders are speaking out on the growing crisis in Zimbabwe, but nothing I’ve read in recent weeks expresses the searing pain of that once-prosperous country as starkly as a recent letter to America.gov. Here’s a portion of it:

… We need you, please, to get the news OUT that we are all in a fearfully dangerous situation here. Too many people turn their backs and say – oh well, that’s what happens in Africa

This Government has GONE MAD and you need to help us publicize our plight—or how can we be rescued? It’s a reality! The petrol queues are a reality, the pall of smoke all around our city is a reality, the thousands of homeless people sleeping outside in 0 Celsius with no food, water, shelter and bedding are a reality. Today a family approached me, brother of the gardener’s wife with two small children. Their home was trashed and they will have to sleep outside. We already support [many people] on this property, and electricity is going up next month by 250% as is water.

How can I take on another family of 4 —– and yet how can I turn them away to sleep out in the open?

I am not asking you for money or a ticket out of here - I am asking you to FACE the fact that we are in deep and terrible danger and want you please to pass on our news and pictures. So PLEASE don’t just press the delete button! Help best in the way that you know how.

Do face the reality of what is going on here and help us SEND OUT THE WORD. The more people who know about it, the more chance we have of the United Nations coming to our aid. Please don’t ignore or deny what’s happening. Some would like to be protected from the truth BUT then, if we are eliminated, how would you feel? ‘If only we knew how bad it really was we could have helped in some way’.”

We’re getting the word out. Are you listening?

In mid-July, America.gov posted a story on the failure of the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution condemning and sanctioning members of President Robert Mugabe’s ruling regime in Zimbabwe. The crisis in Zimbabwe continues, and so do comments from our readers. On August 20, one sent this note in response to that article.

“International communities or countries besides China and Russia, which support the governing system of Mugabe, have absolutely little influence for the changing attitude of Mugabe’s governing system, which is based on intimidation, power-centralization in the hand of Mugabe. China and Russia are playing cards with the innocent lives of people for their political and economical benefits. Such games to challenge not only US but also the international communities have been played long though the consequences of this game cost indescribable destruction for a nation, by and large, and a great deal of lives of innocent people.

People can simply understand the move made by China and Russia, yet these both coutries by human hearts and conscience must not embrace and support Mugabe since these both countries are accountable in the sufferings and killing of people under the Mugabe’s governing system.”

Is it possible for the world community to effectively push for improvements in Zimbabwe without cooperation from China and Russia?

With events in China and Georgia vying for the world’s attention this week, a development forum in Johannesburg hasn’t grabbed much in the way of headlines. So you might not know the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) adopted a protocol August 18 that is being hailed by gender rights activists as a major breakthrough in protecting and promoting opportunities for women, both politically and economically. (See Inter Press News Agency’s “Ground-breaking Gender Protocol Signed”.)

The document, endorsed by 12 of the 14 SADC member countries, includes 25 articles setting goals ranging from equal access to justice and education to constitutional protections for women’s rights. It sets an ambitious target of 50 percent female representation at all levels of government by 2015 and calls for national legislation to prohibit all forms of violence against women. It also addresses health issues, and stresses the importance of female-controlled methods to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS.

One of the signatories to the protocol is Zimbabwe, a nation that remains embroiled in political turmoil and politically motivated violence. An activist group, the SADC Gender Protocol Alliance, has said it will be difficult to implement the protocol in Zimbabwe without a speedy and democratic resolution to current political negotiations. (See the Chronicle’s “SADC leaders praised for gender protocol.”)

How important is gender equality as African nations move toward fully participatory governments? And, in an embattled nation like Zimbabwe, how high a priority should be assigned to achieving equal rights for women?

Conditions in Zimbabwe, now in the 28th year of Robert Mugabe’s presidency, are continuing their downward spiral, despite the March 29 defeat of Mugabe by presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai in a national election. Because Tsvangirai failed to achieve the required majority (51 percent of the vote), a runoff election is scheduled for June 27.

Since March 29, when Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party lost its majority in parliament, violence and threats against supporters of Tsvangirai’s opposition party have been widespread. (See “Zimbabwe Government’s Theft of Children’s Aid Is ‘Unconscionable.’“)

America.gov received the following e-mail last week:

“I THINK THAT AMERICA AND SOME OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES SHOULD HELP ZIMBABWEANS OBTAIN THEIR FREEDOM EITHER BY ASKING THE FBI TO MONITOR ON THE RUN-OFF OR SEND TIGHT UN SECURITY TO STRONGLY MONITOR ON THE ELECTIONS BECAUSE WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT MUGABE IS GOING TO RIG AGAIN!THE UN SHOULD EVEN SEND SECURITY CAMERAS TO BE USED DURING ELECTIONS.

ZIMBABWE IS LIKE HELL THESE DAYS BECAUSE OF MUGABE WHO DOESN’T WANT TO RESIGN,ITS BETTER THE COUNTRY BE LED BY THE ARMY THAN MUGABE WHO HAS NO CONSIENCE!I THINK THE UN SHOULD ALSO SEND SOME SOLDIERS TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN THE RURAL AREAS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF BLOOD SHEDDING BECAUSE OF MUGABE’S PEOPLE.

WESTERN COUNTRIES PLEASE HELP ZIMBABWEANS OBTAIN THEIR FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!”

What can or should the international community be doing for Zimbabwe? Is shining a light on the elections enough or are other efforts needed?