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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Scores of Zimbabwe farms 'seized' |
| 2009-02-23 |
| Scores of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe have been invaded since the country's national unity government took office, a union chief has told the BBC. Commercial Farmers Union President Trevor Gifford said 77 properties had been occupied in the last fortnight. MPs, police, the military and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe officials had taken part in the invasions, he said. Many of the farmers targeted recently mounted a successful legal challenge to government land reforms, he added. The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Tribunal ruled in November the Zimbabwe government's programme of seizing white-owned property for redistribution to landless blacks was discriminatory and illegal. The government said at the time that it would not comply with the ruling. Time to move to Zambia, folks ... Meanwhile, Roy Bennett - the MDC's nominee for deputy agricultural minister - faces a bail hearing on Tuesday after he was arrested this month accused of terrorism on charges his supporters say are trumped-up. Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as prime minister earlier this month in a unity government with President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF. The power-sharing deal was eventually agreed after disputed elections and months of talks, during which the economy slid into a deepening crisis. Mr Gifford told the BBC News website the recent spate of invasions was focused on the provinces of Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Masvingo and Midlands. The CFU president blamed the invasions on a minority of figures close to Zanu-PF who were "using their offices to ensure ethnic cleansing can take place before the prime minister is able to stabilise the country". "This is being led by members of the old regime in Zanu-PF who are not willing to see the transition take place to a new unity government," Mr Gifford added. "Zimbabwe is facing a severe food crisis and we're in the midst of the agricultural season so the impact of this will worsen the catastrophe." The ministers of agriculture and lands - both ministries run by Zanu-PF in the unity administration - were unavailable for comment when contacted by the BBC. Mr Gifford said there were about 400 white-owned farms left functioning in Zimbabwe. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #7 This sort of thing has gone on for at least 20 years in this general area of the world. They never mention the other races of people forced of their land or business they have lost. In many parts of the world now if you have wealth you are a target even if you are of the same race. This regression will only cause more harm to all parties involved. Rush told of a Russian fable where two men were walking and the one man had a goat or something like that. The one was jealous of the other for the goat was his alone. The man was vexed by this when he saw a bottle then picking it up he rubbed it and poof! a great figure appeared and offered him one wish. Well as we all know he could have anything he wanted so he wished his friends goat to be gone. This is the state of things today. TKY, Dale |
| Posted by: Dale 2009-02-23 21:31 |
| #6 Not to worry. Their troubles will be over soon... UN humanitarian team meets Zimbabwe leaders |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-02-23 20:26 |
| #5 we all know seizing the white farmers land worked so damn well the first time. and where is the racial outcry from the human rights advocates and the UN? oh nevermind i forgot they are taking the white mans farms |
| Posted by: rabid whitetail 2009-02-23 15:26 |
| #4 Can I get another one? This one been done used up. |
| Posted by: Farmin B. Hard 2009-02-23 13:10 |
| #3 Q: What's the difference between ZimBob seizing farms and Obama nationalizing banks? A: Nothing! |
| Posted by: Iblis 2009-02-23 12:32 |
| #2 This will be all over the MSM on this evenings news. Might even see a presidential condemnation or something..... |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-02-23 12:01 |
| #1 Mr Gifford said there were about 400 white-owned farms left functioning in Zimbabwe. Why? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-02-23 11:59 |