Zim farm invasions intensify as SADC snubs human rights
By Alex Bell
26 May 2011
Zimbabwe’s remaining commercial farming community is facing a fresh
onslaught of invasions by ZANU PF land grabbers, in the wake of the closure
of the regional human rights court.
Leaders in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) last week
dissolved the human rights Tribunal for at least another year, in a move
being described as ‘regressive’ and a serious blow for the protection of the
rights of SADC citizens.
The court has already been suspended for more than 6 months, after SADC last
year resolved to review its mandate. This review was the result of the SADC
leadership refusal to force Zimbabwe to honour the Tribunal, which ruled in
2008 that Robert Mugabe’s brutal land grab campaign was unlawful.
The review has since been completed, and has upheld the Tribunal’s rulings
and also clarified that the court has the jurisdiction to rule on matters in
Zimbabwe. But despite this, SADC leaders have once again suspended the court
for a further 12 months, for yet another review.
The decision is also being described as a massive blow for farmers in
Zimbabwe, because they are essentially defenseless in the face of fresh farm
attacks. This week members of the Mugabe loyal, Johanne Marange Apostolic
sect, have invaded one of Zimbabwe’s biggest dairy farms in Chipinge,
ordering the farmer to leave within 24 hours. Members of the sect, together
with a mob of ZANU PF youths, stormed Spillemeer Farm on Wednesday and
declared they had taken over. This is according to the farm’s owner Francois
Kotze who told the Daily News newspaper that he was in the process of moving
off his property.
“They have showed an offer letter that claims that the farm belongs to them
and they are using ZANU PF youths to intimidate me,” said Kotze.
Fresh farm attacks have also been reported in the Chipinge area, where two
farmers have faced worsening threats from invaders since the beginning of
this week. The Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) said this week that they are
in the process of trying to negotiate with the invaders to allow the farmers
to continue with farming. Another farmer in the Pomona area has also
reported harassment by potential land invaders.
According to the Southern African Commercial Farmers Alliance (SACFA) ZANU
PF supporters and war vets have also been moving from one farm to another in
Mashonaland and the Midlands provinces, intimidating and harassing farmers.
CFU President Deon Theron told SW Radio Africa on Thursday that the
suspension of the SADC Tribunal has made an already bad situation for
commercial farmers, even worse. He said the decision by SADC was “hugely
disappointing” and “a very worrying development for the entire region,”
explaining how it is not just Zimbabwe’s farmers who will be affected.”
“The impact will be very wide ranging, because it means the whole region is
without an independent court to turn to,” Theron said.
He added: “Things have never really been good for us farmers in recent
years, but this decision will definitely have a very negative impact now.”