A wave of fresh farm invasions and arrests has forced many of Zimbabwe's
remaining white farmers into hiding, to avoid the very real threats of
arrest, harassment and violence.
In the past few weeks, farmers have come under siege in what is being
described as a last-ditch effort by ZANU PF loyalists to complete the Robert
Mugabe initiated land grab, which has already seen the white farming
population cut to about 400 farmers. The offensive against the farmers came
just days before Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister earlier
this month. Almost 80 farms have since been seized in clear violation of the
unity deal between the MDC and ZANU PF, which calls for the return of the
rule of law and also says that farmers should be encouraged to produce food.
Commercial Farmers Union President Trevor Gifford, on Friday called the
fresh farms invasions a 'final assault' against the remaining white farmers
and described a clear "planned agenda by a third force in the government
that is hell-bent on destroying the unity deal." Gifford explained that,
according to minutes of secret meetings seen by the union, Zimbabwe's
Attorney General Johannes Tomana has instructed police and magistrates to
fast track farm evictions across the country, in a clear and coordinated
effort that is already well under way.
"These are senior ZANU PF members using their offices to ensure ethnic
cleansing can take place before the Prime Minister is able to stabilise the
country," Gifford said.
Tsvangirai on Wednesday ordered police to "bring the full weight of the law"
down on the perpetrators of the farm invasions. But, on the same day, farmer
Mike Campbell was ordered to leave his land, by the nephew of ZANU PF's
spokesman, Nathan Shamuyarira. Although the threatened seizure has not yet
happened, Campbell and his wife have both left the property to avoid an
attack. Campbell is still frail after a brutal beating when he was abducted
by invaders last year. At the same time, farmer Paul Etheredge is behind
bars in Chegutu after he was arrested, also on Wednesday, and invaders have
reportedly taken over his Stockdale farm. Etheredge, along with Campbell and
77 other farmers, won a landmark farm test case that was taken to the SADC
Tribunal in Windhoek last year, and the farm invasions are a blatant
transgression of the protection supposedly offered by the Tribunal's ruling.
The CFU's president reiterated on Friday that the SADC ruling is being
wilfully ignored, explaining that the Attorney General has instructed
magistrates to ignore previous court orders protecting farmers and their
land, and in particular to ignore the SADC ruling. More than 100 farmers
have already been caught in the coordinated effort to seize the remaining
farms, and reports of threats as well as arrests are piling up. A Chiredzi
farmer, who spoke to SW Radio Africa on condition of anonymity on Friday,
has already left his farm. He said that most farmers in his area have gone
into hiding for fear of arrest and prosecution. The farmer described the
invasions as a 'witch-hunt' and explained the charges being brought against
those farmers already arrested, carry jail terms of up to 6 months.
"Everyone is just trying to lie and low and see what happens, but we don't
know how long we'll have to wait?" the farmer said.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Bennett missing from new Zimbabwe cabinet
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Thursday swore in 19
deputy ministers to a new unity government with agriculture nominee Roy
Bennett missing while in detention facing a criminal charge.
Bennett, who is in custody on a charge of possessing arms for purposes
of terrorism, was not named as deputy minister nor was his designated post
announced.
Mugabe said the unity government was "very much on course" but
shrugged off questions about Bennett's arrest which has been widely reported
in foreign media.
"Across the world? I don't know why? That's a court issue," the
84-year-old head of state said.
A court in the eastern town of Mutare on Wednesday adjourned the case
against Bennett, who was proposed for deputy minister of agriculture by the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), until March 4.
He is accused of illegal possession of arms for the purposes of
committing banditry, insurgency and terrorism, which carries a maximum
sentence of life imprisonment.
His arrest last Friday came shortly before the swearing in of other
members of the unity government -- casting doubt on the credibility of the
newly formed power-sharing accord.
His charges have been changed several times since his arrest -- with
his party claiming that the charges against the former farmer were "trumped
up."
Mugabe also swore in three ministers of state from three political
parties that form a unity government tasked with promoting national
reconciliation and healing.
"We want them to constitute an organ that will deal with the healing
process and reconciliation process," he said.
Mugabe swore in an additional two ministers of state from his ruling
ZANU-PF and 19 deputy ministers.
"We belong to the same country," Mugabe said commenting on the
inclusive government.
"We knew each other before and although we have talked to each other
before in different language, critical language, abusive language but we
were talking to each other. You know that kind of fight between us actually
made us know each other much more. But we decided that we must work
together."
While Bennett's name was on the list of those invited for the swearing
in at state house, his name was not on the final list released after the
ceremony.
But new Minister of Information and Communication Technology Nelson
Chamisa told AFP that the omission of Bennett, who was nominated by MDC
leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, was an error.
"Bennett is still our deputy minister of agriculture. If his name was
omitted it was by mistake," he said. - Sapa-AFP
deputy ministers to a new unity government with agriculture nominee Roy
Bennett missing while in detention facing a criminal charge.
Bennett, who is in custody on a charge of possessing arms for purposes
of terrorism, was not named as deputy minister nor was his designated post
announced.
Mugabe said the unity government was "very much on course" but
shrugged off questions about Bennett's arrest which has been widely reported
in foreign media.
"Across the world? I don't know why? That's a court issue," the
84-year-old head of state said.
A court in the eastern town of Mutare on Wednesday adjourned the case
against Bennett, who was proposed for deputy minister of agriculture by the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), until March 4.
He is accused of illegal possession of arms for the purposes of
committing banditry, insurgency and terrorism, which carries a maximum
sentence of life imprisonment.
His arrest last Friday came shortly before the swearing in of other
members of the unity government -- casting doubt on the credibility of the
newly formed power-sharing accord.
His charges have been changed several times since his arrest -- with
his party claiming that the charges against the former farmer were "trumped
up."
Mugabe also swore in three ministers of state from three political
parties that form a unity government tasked with promoting national
reconciliation and healing.
"We want them to constitute an organ that will deal with the healing
process and reconciliation process," he said.
Mugabe swore in an additional two ministers of state from his ruling
ZANU-PF and 19 deputy ministers.
"We belong to the same country," Mugabe said commenting on the
inclusive government.
"We knew each other before and although we have talked to each other
before in different language, critical language, abusive language but we
were talking to each other. You know that kind of fight between us actually
made us know each other much more. But we decided that we must work
together."
While Bennett's name was on the list of those invited for the swearing
in at state house, his name was not on the final list released after the
ceremony.
But new Minister of Information and Communication Technology Nelson
Chamisa told AFP that the omission of Bennett, who was nominated by MDC
leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, was an error.
"Bennett is still our deputy minister of agriculture. If his name was
omitted it was by mistake," he said. - Sapa-AFP
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Zimbabwe police fire in air to disperse protest
Zimbabwean police fired live ammunition in the air to disperse
hundreds of opposition MDC supporters who had surrounded a police station
where a party leader was being held, the MDC said on Friday.
Zimbabwean security agents had earlier arrested Roy Bennett ahead of a
swearing-in ceremony for a new unity cabinet in which he was due to take a
post, the party said. There was no immediate comment from police.
The arrest is likely to increase tensions between President Robert Mugabe
and new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, from the MDC, after they ended
months of deadlock over a power-sharing deal designed to rescue their ruined
country.
The Movement for Democratic Change said in a statement that Roy Bennett,
nominated by Tsvangirai as deputy minister of agriculture, had been arrested
at the airport and was held at a police station in Mutare in the east of the
country.
"Police have started firing live ammunition in the air and have brought dogs
in an attempt to disperse hundreds of MDC supporters that had surrounded
Mutare police station in support and demanding the release of Roy Bennett,"
said the MDC.
"Police intend to remove Roy Bennett from the police station to a place they
have refused to disclose."
The MDC said police had charged Bennett with trying to leave the country
illegally but later gave conflicting information on his case.
Bennett has been living in exile in South Africa after fleeing the country
about two years ago because police wanted to question him in connection with
the discovery of an arms cache in eastern Zimbabwe.
Foreign investors and Western donors want concrete signs of stability in
Zimbabwe. They have made it clear that funds will not flow to the southern
African country until a democratic government is created and economic
reforms are made.
Clic
hundreds of opposition MDC supporters who had surrounded a police station
where a party leader was being held, the MDC said on Friday.
Zimbabwean security agents had earlier arrested Roy Bennett ahead of a
swearing-in ceremony for a new unity cabinet in which he was due to take a
post, the party said. There was no immediate comment from police.
The arrest is likely to increase tensions between President Robert Mugabe
and new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, from the MDC, after they ended
months of deadlock over a power-sharing deal designed to rescue their ruined
country.
The Movement for Democratic Change said in a statement that Roy Bennett,
nominated by Tsvangirai as deputy minister of agriculture, had been arrested
at the airport and was held at a police station in Mutare in the east of the
country.
"Police have started firing live ammunition in the air and have brought dogs
in an attempt to disperse hundreds of MDC supporters that had surrounded
Mutare police station in support and demanding the release of Roy Bennett,"
said the MDC.
"Police intend to remove Roy Bennett from the police station to a place they
have refused to disclose."
The MDC said police had charged Bennett with trying to leave the country
illegally but later gave conflicting information on his case.
Bennett has been living in exile in South Africa after fleeing the country
about two years ago because police wanted to question him in connection with
the discovery of an arms cache in eastern Zimbabwe.
Foreign investors and Western donors want concrete signs of stability in
Zimbabwe. They have made it clear that funds will not flow to the southern
African country until a democratic government is created and economic
reforms are made.
Clic
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Zimbabwe seeks "all support we can get" on cholera
A huge international aid effort is needed to help Zimbabwe combat a cholera outbreak that has killed hundreds, the government said on Friday, even though President Robert Mugabe has said it is now contained.
"We need all the support we can get from peace-loving nations," information minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu told reporters.
The main opposition MDC also called for more help in fighting the epidemic.
Mugabe, under Western pressure to step down as Zimbabwe's economy and health system collapse, had said on Thursday that "we have arrested cholera."
But the United Nations said the death toll, now nearly 800, was rising.
Ndlovu said the media had misrepresented Mugabe's comments, and presidential spokesman George Charamba said they were taken out of context.
The outbreak follows months of violence and political turmoil in Zimbabwe. Coupled with chronic food shortages, it has highlighted the economic collapse of the southern African country.
The health system is ill-prepared to cope and there is not enough money to pay doctors and nurses or buy medicine. The water system has collapsed, forcing residents to drink from contaminated wells and streams.
Neighboring South Africa is worried about conditions as thousands of Zimbabweans cross the border each day.
DEATH TOLL RISING
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday the death toll from cholera had risen to 792, with 16,700 cases.
"I don't think that the cholera outbreak is under control as of now," WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib said in Geneva.
"We are not commenting on President Mugabe's assertion because it's not the place to discuss politics now.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe for the past 28 years, has accused Western countries of trying to use the cholera outbreak to force him out of power.
"Now that there is no cholera there is no case for war," he said in Thursday's remarks.
Western leaders and some within Africa have called on the 84-year-old leader to step down as the epidemic compounds Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Mugabe on Friday to agree to a rapid deal on a new government.
Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai reached a power-sharing deal brokered by regional mediator Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's former president, in September. But they are deadlocked over how to implement it.
The MDC said while it was still committed to the talks, it would not be a part of a unity government unless positions were allocated freely and a new National Security Council was created.
Ban said he had pressed Mugabe in "very tense" private talks two weeks ago in Doha to accept the September 15 agreement.
Asked whether he backed calls for Mugabe to leave office, Ban told a news conference in Geneva: "He should really look for the future of his country and his own people who have been suffering too much and too long from this political turmoil now coupled with very serious humanitarian tragedies.
"I am really appealing and urging him again."
Britain on Friday questioned a U.S. proposal to seal Zimbabwe's borders to hasten the collapse of Mugabe's government, saying the move could have far worse consequences.
Mark Malloch Brown, senior British official for Africa, said if neighboring countries closed their borders, Zimbabweans would have no escape route and the crises would worsen.
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