Germany protests to Zimbabwe over seizures of game conservancies
APA-Harare (Zimbabwe) Germany has protested to the Zimbabwean government
over a new wave of illegal seizures of game conservancies owned by its
citizens and other foreigners in the south of the country, APA learns here
Saturday.
The German embassy in Harare has written to Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister
Simbarashe Mumbengegwi asking him to provide assurances that German
interests in the Save Valley conservancy would be protected under
international law after top officials in President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF
party, the army and police muscled into conservancies and ranches in the
area.
These include the Save Valley Conservancy Trust in which German national
Willy Pabst is one of the major shareholders.
Affected safari operators have been forced to surrender between 50 and 80
percent shareholding in their properties to ZANU PF officials, top police
and military officials, and traditional chiefs in a renewed crackdown on
white-owned businesses.
The Save Valley Conservancy is the world’s biggest private game reserve.
In a note verbal to Mumbengegwi, the embassy said the illegal seizures,
codenamed Masvingo Initiative, were allegedly being driven by Titus
Maluleke, the governor of Masvingo province where the conservancies are
located.
“It should be noted that the concept of partnership as advocated by the
‘Masvingo Initiative’ does not seem to be based on normal business
considerations,” the note said.
The embassy said the invaders have indicated that they want to take over the
properties without paying for them.
This is the second time in less than a year that the Germany has protested
to Mumbengegwi over the illegal seizure by Mugabe’s supporters of properties
owned by its nationals.
The embassy wrote to Mumbengegwi in June 2010 protesting against continued
violation of an investment protection agreement between the two countries
after farm invaders illegally grabbed three properties belonging to German
citizens.
JN/daj/APA
2011-01-29