ZIMBABWE MELTDOWN

The UN's Jan Egeland on the situation in Zimbabwe:

"This disastrous eviction campaign was the worst possible thing, at the worst possible time."

"The situation is very serious in Zimbabwe when life expectancy goes from more than 60 years to just over 30 years in a 15-year span - it's a meltdown, it's not just a crisis, it's a meltdown."

Egeland was also unhappy at the government's rejection of offered tents:

"If they [tents] are good enough for people in Europe and the United States who have lost their houses, why are they not good enough for Zimbabwe?"

Tents?

Mr Mugabe's spokesman said Zimbabweans were "not tent people" and they wanted the UN to build permanent homes.

That's an odd response considering the government doesn't consider the displaced as people at all.