Commercial Farmers' Union of Zimbabwe

Commercial Farmers' Union of Zimbabwe

***The views expressed in the articles published on this website DO NOT necessarily express the views of the Commercial Farmers' Union.***

Ex-farmers target Zimbabwe’s UK assets

Ex-farmers target Zimbabwe’s UK assets

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

31/10/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

A GROUP of white former commercial farmers forced off their farms under 
Zimbabwe’s land reforms have approached the UK government in a bid to have 
seized Zimbabwe assets used to pay their compensation.

The eleven families believe the UK treasury is holding Zimbabwe assets 
seized after sanctions were imposed against the country more than a decade 
ago.

They also claim to have sent a 2,500-signature petition to foreign secretary 
William Hague protesting EU plans to lift the sanctions at its next review 
of the measures.

One of the farmers, Timolene Tibbett, 56, said they would not rest until 
they get “justice” from President Robert Mugabe’s government.

“I can promise the Zimbabwean government we are not going away,” Tibbett 
told the London Evening Standard.
“We are going to be on their toes until we see that justice is done and we 
get paid – we have a good case. I’m sure we will win.”

She said a court awarded them more than $22 million compensation in 2009 
adding the figure has since risen to $30 million due to interest.

At the time, the Zimbabwean Government agreed to settle the debts, but three 
years on the money remains outstanding.
Now been reduced to living in a small flat in Harlow in Essex, the former 
equestrian competitor says the stress of the ordeal led to her husband’s 
premature death.

“It’s extremely difficult. I have no friends and very few family here. I 
have a couple of relatives, but my children are not here with me. They are 
scattered all over. Life has changed drastically, dramatically for me,” she 
said.

Recalling the build-up to her family’s eviction, Tibbett said: “There had 
been lots of intimidation of our workers and a neighbour of ours who was an 
opposition supporter was murdered.

“The War Veterans came to the farm, they got near the house and demanded 
certain things. There was chanting, shouting and screaming.

“We stuck it out for about three weeks, watching and listening to them.
“Finally, my husband said he could not stand to watch the family’s 
livelihood and that of all our workers being allowed to die – it was very 
frightening.”

After being forced to leave their land in the Macheke district, which they 
had worked since 1986, the penniless family fled to Harare to try to set up 
a business, but times were hard.

Tibbett’s husband later travelled to Nigeria for work, coming home every 
couple of months to see his wife, but the stress became too much and in 2008 
he died from a perforated ulcer, aged just 50.

After a brief spell in South Africa, Timolene returned to the UK last year.

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