Rains come but hunger, looting and ethnic cleansing continue on farms

By Tererai Karimakwenda
27 December 2005

The rains that have pelted Zimbabwe for the last few days would normally have brought much joy to those growing food on the commercial farms and on little plots along the roadsides around the country, but for many this year, they have brought little benefit. Much of the land has not been tilled and shortages of fertilizer and seeds have limited agricultural activity. Farm evictions continue daily and acute signs of hunger are already visible on the faces of farm workers and their children. By the time harvest season arrives, millions more will be facing starvation and some, if not many, may have died already.

John Worsley Worswick of Justice for Agriculture gave us an update of the situation on the farms. He had just returned from a farming area south of the capital, where he talked with marginalized farm workers who are already showing signs of acute hunger. Worswick said the chefs taking over commercial farms are keeping some of the farm workers, but condemning them to virtual slavery. An entire family can sometimes work the whole day just for a cup of tea and slices of bread. Farm workers originally from neighboring countries are also being targeted, and many have no families back home to return to. They are also facing starvation now in the squatter camps they are forming.

Worswick told us there are roughly 200 commercial white farmers still on their properties trying to hold on. But there is a total breakdown of the rule of law, with the police and army being the major perpetrators of offences. Worswick had reports of evictions this week from Mashonaland West. Farmers were kicked off illegally in the Chegutu and Kadoma areas. Property was looted there as well and auctioned off to benefit the police. Court orders to return all stolen equipment and property are being ignored. Worswick agreed with a farming official who has called it ethnic cleansing.

Last week a group of policemen and soldiers were caught on camera by a British television news crew, looting civilian possessions at a farm as the owner looked on helplessly. The ITV news footage showed police and army officers stealing whatever they could handle from Peter Hennings' farm while he watched with his son Greg. Farmers in the area told us the equipment wound up at an auction which raised funds for the police. As for the Hennings, they immediately became homeless and are reported to have fled to South Africa to join the rest of their family. Additionally, hundreds of workers from the farm are now also without a home or a job.