And a quarter of the population - nearly a half of those who can work the land - are infected with HIV.

We must put humanitarian need above politics and do what we can to prevent the death of a nation

Angela Rippon

Ms Rippon said: "In rural Zvimba district, one of the poorest in Zimbabwe, the evidence of an impending humanitarian catastrophe is all too clear.

"The Red Cross tells me that three children have recently died at their school desks.

"It is part of a wider picture where the numbers of dead in just this one district have more than doubled from an average of 14 a month last year, to 36 a month now."

She said the scenes made her "angry and helpless" when she realised the scale of the humanitarian effort required to save lives.

HIV/Aids in Zimbabwe

One in four infected 2,000 die per week More than 640,000 children orphaned by it 42% of workers crippled by it

The broadcaster, vice president of the British Red Cross, travelled to Zimbabwe earlier this month and is appealing for British donations to help the charity's work in the country.

Experts have predicted that famine could grip the nation by September.

Ms Rippon added: "Food prices are rocketing, putting the cost of even basic items such as bread, milk and sugar beyond the reach of most people."

On her trip, she met eight families, including one which she described as offering a "bleak snapshot" of the horror encompassing the country.

Begging porridge

Two children aged two and four are dying with Aids and have no energy to play.

They are being looked after by their 54-year-old grandmother - the only member of the family able to.

Their mother died from the disease and their father was diagnosed as HIV positive.

Angela Rippon is vice president of the British Red Cross

The uncle, aunt and 18-month-old cousin are believed to be infected.

Ms Rippon said no-one in the family had eaten since begging porridge from a neighbour the night before.

The field that used to provide them with maize and vegetables is parched dry.

The Red Cross is the only charity to work across Zimbabwe without interference from the Mugabe regime, a spokeswoman for the charity said.

We can't just stand by and let people die

Angela Rippon

Red Cross volunteers help with tending the sick and educating the family in health care to minimise the spread of infection. And others distribute food to families.

The cost of a London Underground single fare - £1.40 - can feed an adult for a month, said the charity.

Ms Rippon added: "If you would like to help the work of the British Red Cross in Zimbabwe please call 08705 125 125 or visit www.redcross.org.uk."

[Sanctions] will stop Grace Mugabe going on her shopping trips in the face of catastrophic poverty blighting the people of Zimbabwe

Glenys Kinnock European MP

Those on the new list include family members, such as Grace Mugabe, and other political and business leaders.

They will also be banned from travelling to EU countries and any assets they hold there will be frozen.

The EU's action was welcomed by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe.

The MDC's foreign affairs spokesman Tendai Biti said that it underlined that "the eyes of the international community are still firmly fixed on Mugabe and his illegitimate regime".

Unanimous

"All the members of his cabinet and leading members of the ruling Zanu-PF party are now on the blacklist, according to an EU diplomat, quoted by Reuters news agency.

The sanctions list now includes deputy minister and assistant secretaries in government departments.

Robert Mugabe: UN flight

The vote on the new sanctions was unanimous and "underlines the EU's political will on this issue," the diplomat said.

The British Labour Party member of the European Parliament, Glenys Kinnock, said that the sanctions, "will stop Grace Mugabe going on her shopping trips in the face of catastrophic poverty blighting the people of Zimbabwe".

The European Union (EU) imposed a travel ban and asset freeze on a number of the country's leaders before the Zimbabwean elections in March.

'Man-made disaster

The EU took the measures after the head of its elections observer team was expelled from the country in a row over election violence, but there has been criticism that the sanctions are not working.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the new sanctions applied to "the whole ruling elite".

Zimbabwe has many shops and people can go shopping in Zimbabwe

Home Affairs Minister John Nkomo

"Our quarrel has never been with the people of Zimbabwe but with those who have created the mounting food crisis and what is mainly a man-made disaster".

He said the ban on travel was increasing the Zimbabwean leadership's sense of isolation and was "extremely inconvenient and humiliating" for the political leadership.

Mr Mugabe got round the travel ban last month, visiting Rome for a United Nations-sponsored food conference.

'Period of transition'

But EU diplomats argue that wider economic sanctions just are not an option - suspending aid, they say, would hurt exactly the people they are trying to protect.

EU does not want sanctions to hurt the poor

In its announcement welcoming the sanctions, the MDC called on the EU to expand the sanctions again if the "illegitimate Mugabe regime fails to take steps to end the political violence in Zimbabwe".

The movement also appealed for more humanitarian aid for southern Africa to cope with the widespread threat of famine.

Zimbabwe's Home Affairs Minister, John Nkomo, told the World Today, that political violence was not increasing in Zimbabwe.

"As a sovereign state we must be allowed to govern ourselves.

"There are human rights in Zimbabwe - we are going through a period of transition from when there were no human rights for black people in Zimbabwe."

He added: "We do not need to go shopping in Europe. Zimbabwe has many shops and people can go shopping in Zimbabwe.

"What is Europe anyway? There are other parts of the world."

Innocent people suffer more from the consequences

Igonikon Jack, USA

The EU could draw some lessons about blanket sanctions from the UN's sanctions against Libya and Iraq. The poor, innocent people suffer more from the consequences. Patience is required in resolving the Zimbabwean problem. Time is running out against the Mugabe regime. The Zimbabwean people will someday get the democratically elected government they deserve, which will bolster foreign investors' confidence and free the country from economic strangulation.
Igonikon Jack, USA

Being banned from Europe means less to Africans than the EU can hope for. Europe is not our Mecca. These petulant actions designed to punish Mugabe for his independence can only strengthen and unite us.
George Dash, Canada

These drastic measures could have been avoided if Mr Mugabe had worked with the white farmers years ago. Together they could have come to an arrangement where poor people received land and were given the opportunity to learn farming skills. Mr Mugabe had the opportunity to be seen as a respected African statesman such as Nelson Mandela. Instead he will condemn his own people to a slow death. These are not the actions of a sound mind.
Andrew Carnegie, UK

Most of these guys rarely stay in Zimbabwe. They should also be banned from travelling to Zimbabwe from their numerous foreign trips.
Tinashe, Zimbabwe

We must be careful with the backlash

Learnmore Moyo , USA/Zimbabwe

The sanctions already in place were good enough. I think we must be careful with the backlash. The more we insist on attacking Mugabe, the higher the number of people keen to listen to his argument.
Learnmore Moyo , USA/Zimbabwe

Corruption, mass starvation, rigged elections, torture and terror are everyday phenomenon all over the world. In some places even with sanction of the UK, USA, etc, of course as long as the effects are not visited on Britons or Americans. The Zimbabwean situation is nothing new. The only constant is the supposed victim - WHITE PEOPLE.
Sydney, Zimbabwe

EU sanctions are no more than an irritation to Mugabe and his cronies. I would like to see sanctions on the African leaders who continue to support him. In the end the world is watching another tragedy that could be avoided if South Africa really put pressure on Mugabe.
Graham H Crouch, Zimbabwean exile, UK

The EU seems very concerned about Zimbabwe. But situations like Zimbabwe are widespread all over Africa especially in the Horn. Why doesn't the EU apply the same policy all over? Do not single out Zimbabwe.
Tullu Oromo, Minneapolis, USA

The current sanctions are at best symbolic, and at worst make the EU a laughing stock

David, UK

As a native Zimbabwean, I have been appalled by the inaction of the international community while conditions for the average Zimbabwean deteriorate immeasurably. The current sanctions are at best symbolic, and at worst make the EU a laughing stock. Any sanctions imposed against despots are better than nothing. Sanctions should be widened to cover all key political and business figures that have played a direct or implicit role in the violation of human rights.
David, UK

Sanctions are already in existence with shortages of everything from foreign currency to food and even soft drinks. But they are not justified. Opposition parties in Zimbabwe should not ask the West to impose sanctions on the country in order to influence public opinion - they should simply offer better solutions. We cannot depend on aid forever and if we ask others to destroy our economy who will rebuild it for us?
Tendyai, Zimbabwe

It is self-inflicted

Jeff, UK

The sanctions are completely justified. It is self-inflicted as Zimbabwe's leaders are part of one of the most corrupt political regimes in the world. These men and women fill their own pockets before passing on world aid to the rest of their beleaguered citizens. We should not be giving these so-called leaders any monetary aid.
Jeff, UK

I believe these sanctions are simply put in place to stamp out or discourage any move that colonised countries might try to put in place to reverse the deeds of British colonialism. It's all about economic power.
Tchacho, USA

These sanctions are not working, and they never will. Zimbabweans will survive any British machinations to reverse our sovereignty. I thought by now that they would have seen that all their tricks have failed. Zimbabweans will carry on with the land reform programme.
Charles Mutama, Zimbabwe

I take it Mr Mutama is fairly well off, unlike many of his countrymen who are suffering from starvation because of the half baked plans of Mugabe and his cronies. To undertake radical land reform when there is not only a drought but also when it is midway through the planting cycle is criminal, and shows no regard for the people. The other factor is that the farmland is going to be given to subsistence farmers so the productivity of the country will also fall. If Mugabe leaves Zimbabwe for any reason he should be arrested for crimes against humanity.
Charles, UK

This regime must be stopped before the world wakes up to another African humanitarian disaster

Dan, UK

Charles: Are the Zimbabweans that are carrying the "land reform programme" the same ones that are on the brink of starvation and famine? I think not, which is why this corrupt regime must be stopped in its tracks before the world wakes up to yet another African humanitarian disaster.
Dan, UK

Mr Mutama, the question is not one of British machinations to reverse Zimbabwean sovereignty, rather an international effort to stop a dictator from running a once prosperous country into the ground.
D Walton, UK

Sadly, as long as people like Charles Mutama swallow the rubbish being put out by the Mugabe regime, there is little hope of any sanctions working. Perhaps Mr Mutama should realise that the actions of the international community are concerned with ridding his country of its self-serving leader, and all his corrupt hangers-on, as opposed to attempting to reassert some form of 19th century colonialism. Mind you, once most of the population of Zimbabwe is starving I am sure the good comrades will more than welcome all the 'foreign aid' to be had from their old 'oppressors'.
Noel Whitman, UK

Enough is enough for the poor people of that country

Jennifer, UK/Zimbabwe

Yes, they should be banned from entering Europe. The strictest sanctions should be put on Zimbabwe- enough is enough for the poor people of that country. How much longer are the EU and others going to allow Mugabe to continue to treat people, black and white, the way he is.
Jennifer, UK/Zimbabwe

If we had sanctions against South Africa over the evils of apartheid, why shouldn't we have them against Zimbabwe for corruption, mass starvation, rigged elections, torture and terror?
KT, UK