Zimbabwe - three months of hell !
11th May 2000
Here's a list of the events of the past few months. I have watched
in growing horror !
The comments in brackets are mine, and refer to my feelings as
each of these events happened.
16th February 2000
War veterans begin to occupy white-owned farms in Masvingo.
The move comes just 2 days after voters reject a proposed new constitution that
would have authorised the seizure of land without compensation under a
programme of land reform. (We all voted that day with optimism that the NO vote would win. We
are not fools, we realise that there has to be land redistribution, but we
lived in the vain hope that it would be fair, and that compensation would be
paid to the farmers who have been on the land for up to 3 & 4 generations.)
26-27th February 2000
War veterans occupy farms in Mashonaland East, Mashonaland
West, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland Provinces. (I was really starting to get worried by this time. They were
not only occupying the land, but the farm owners and their labourers were being
threatened and beaten. I still had confidence at this point that something
would be done to help them, and that the Police would take control before
anything serious happened.)
29th February 2000
The Commercial Farmers Union - CFU - which represents most
of Zimbabwe's 4000 white farmers, calls on the Government to impose order. (This gave us all hope !)
2nd March 2000
Home Affairs Minister, Dumiso Dabengwa, says he has told the
Police to move the veterans off the land. (At last,
something was being done to restore law and order before the situation got out
of hand).
6th March 2000
Sudden upsurge in land occupations, with more than 200 farms
invaded. (What was happening - the
Police were supposed to have moved them off ? We were now getting stories of
the abuse of farmers, their families and their labourers. The white community
was being blamed for the fact that there was a "NO" vote at the
referendum. We were supposed to be the force behind the MDC - Movement for
Democratic Change - and it was all OUR fault that the Referendum went against
the wishes of the Government. MY fault ? I'm sure I had a great influence over
the hundreds of thousands who voted !)
17th March 2000
The High Court of Zimbabwe orders squatters to leave the
farms. President Robert Mugabe says he will not interfere with the war
veterans, as long as the occupations remain peaceful.
(I couldn't believe it, and
neither could the rest of the community. He was openly condoning the actions of
the war vets. I saw the war vets on TV - some of them are no more than 20 years
old.)
1st April 2000
Hundreds of war veterans attack anti-government
demonstrators at what began as a peaceful rally in Zimbabwe. (I was getting so many accounts -
first hand from the people involved - of the intimidation and beatings that
were being meted out in the rural areas and on farms. My nephew, on a Game
Ranch outside Bulawayo, was put down on to his knees while a gun was held to
his head. He and the other Ranch owners were threatened, then beaten, and all
fire arms were stolen from the safe in the Ranch house. This was done by a
crowd of approximately 100 war veterans, in full view of the handful of
Policemen on the scene. - My nephew has since left the country and is now in
South Africa, after he had received threats to his wife and children).
4th April 2000
A Police officer, Constable Tenashe Chakwenya, is shot dead
at Chipesa Farm, Marondera.
6th April 2000
The Zimbabwean Parliament approves a Bill allowing
white-owned commercial farmland to be seized without compensation. (We were so deeply concerned
by this time, for the fate of the farmers. The Police should have been moving
the squatters off the land, but were doing nothing. Farm work was being
hampered, labourers beaten and their homes burnt to the ground. Zanu PF (the
Governing party) youths were intimidating on a political basis, telling
everyone that if they voted for the MDC they would be killed. We had been very
outspoken about the events up to this time, and so had many others, but
suddenly opinions were not forthcoming - except privately and in homes. )
13th April
The High Court confirms it's earlier evacuation order,
saying that the farm invader's actions are illegal. (Surely something
will be done now - Mugabe has to back down.)
15th April
Two opposition members, and a farmer, David Stevens, are
killed by Government supporters in the most violent incidents since the land
occupations began. The CFU says there have been at least 50 violent incidents
between groups led by the war vets, and white farmers and their farm labourers. (The country reeled in shock at this news. The white community
was absolutely stunned. I watched Maria Stevens at the funeral - I died for her
and her family. I looked at the faces of the other farmers present - disbelief,
shock, concern - it was all there. David Stevens was brutally murdered, it was
an act so horrifying that we still can't believe it happened.)
17th April 2000
Mugabe says he regrets the death of Stevens in a meeting
with the CFU.
18th April 2000
A second white farmer, Martin Olds, is killed as Zimbabwe
celebrates 20 years of Independence.
19th April 2000
The MDC accuses Mugabe of sponsoring the violence and of
practicing a scorched earth policy in the run-up to forthcoming parliamentary
elections. (The horror is growing daily.
Friends on farms all over the country are being attacked, and forced into submission
by the ZANU PF activists on their farms. Some of the farmers are coming into
the towns, fearful for their families.)
20th April 2000
Steven's foreman is murdered in Macheke.
24th April
Peter karidza, an MDC member, is murdered by suspected
ZanuPF militants in Shamva.
25th April
Two people, including Zesa employee, Lux Kanyurira, are
murdered in Kariba, and the body is paraded at a shopping centre. (More horror. The tourists have dwindled to almost nothing - we
are queuing for hours for fuel, and there is very limited forex available at
the bank. We are all talking in whispers now, we don't know who is Zanu and who
is MDC.)
27th April
Zimbabwe Police invoke special powers to restrict political
activity in the face of pre-election violence. Negotiations with London fail. (We all feel shell-shocked.
Its like the war years all over again - but this time we are unarmed. The
farmers are now doing everything they have to do to keep the peace. An act of
retaliation from them could spark this bomb. I pray for them constantly.)
2nd May
Matthew Pfebve, brother of MDC candidate for Bindura, is
murdered.
3rd May
Mugabe announces that the Government plans to seize half of
the white owned farms and give them to blacks. He adds that the white are free
to leave the country should they so wish.
3rd May 2000
Police sources accuse senior officers of covering up the
deaths of MDC members.
7th May 2000
Beatrice farmer, Alan Dunn, is killed at his farm after an
attack by suspected war veterans. (We are now numb with shock - how long can this go on ? Should
we leave ? Should we tell the kids to leave ? I don't know the answers, I feel
as though the whole world has forsaken us.)
11th May 2000
Another Beatrice farmer, John Weeks, is murdered. (I have no more words left.)
I could go on and on with horror stories told to me by the people
involved. My neighbour's son, a farmer in Raffingora, has had to attend ZanuPF
rallies, to be indoctrinated by the party. He goes along with it for the sake
of his family, but the light has gone from his eyes, and he doesn't laugh
anymore.
Neither do I. It hurts too much to laugh.
Please feel free
to Email Me
Thanks !
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