White Farmers Reject Mugabe Plea To Return (Zimbabwe)

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 5-22-2005 | Toby Harnden

[blam]

White farmers reject Mugabe plea to return

By Toby Harnden , Chief Foreign Correspondent
(Filed: 22/05/2005)

White farmers evicted by Robert Mugabe's government have reacted with contempt to an offer that they should return to Zimbabwe to take part in "joint ventures" with those who brutalised them and stole their land.

Gideon Gono, the governor of the country's central bank, suggested the idea last Thursday as a possible solution to Zimbabwe's economic crisis.

A Zimbabwean woman surveys her devastated maize crop

Greg McMurray, a tobacco farmer who fled Zimbabwe in 2001 and is now a grinder at a factory in Wiltshire, said: "These are empty promises. We have had all the assurances before and then they just turn around and change their minds.

"I had them coming into my garden and threatening my fiancée. Men with a bit of beer in their bellies told me, 'We'll come and burn you and your wife and your house'.

"I would love to go back but the economy's in ruins. The place is a shambles. So many professional people have left. It would need a new regime before most of us would think seriously about going back."

The prospect of a return for white farmers was dangled by Mr Gono, Mr Mugabe's leading economic policy maker, in a rambling three-hour statement in which he also announced a 31 per cent devaluation of the Zimbabwean dollar.

He said: "In order to ensure maximum productivity levels, there is great scope in the country promoting and supporting joint ventures between the new farmers with progressive-minded former operators as well as other new investors, so as to hasten the skills transfer cycle."

During the evictions, some white farmers were murdered and many others were beaten and their families abused. The evictions prompted the collapse of the agriculture sector, the traditional engine of the economy.

Those who took over the farms had no specialist knowledge - and most farmland now lies uncultivated. The machinery has been stolen, buildings have been plundered and the former workers are starving.

Eddie Cross, the economics spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change - which was heavily defeated by the ruling Zanu-PF party in recent parliamentary elections that were widely condemned as being rigged - said that Mr Gono was desperate.

Mr Cross said: "He's got no power and he can't deliver. The reality is a thousand miles away from everything he says. He wants to regain some credibility with multilateral institutions. He has meetings with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank next month. This is about having something to say to those guys. The only salvation will be a change of government and a return to the rule of law.

"Until then, no one's going to invest here or come back. Who on earth is going to do anything in agriculture when there is such dispute over land ownership? They'd be mad."

While Mr Gono's words could be interpreted as an admission that the land seizure policy pursued by Mr Mugabe - which led to him becoming an international pariah - had failed, they offered little comfort to the dispossessed.

One tobacco and cattle farmer, who was forced off his property by armed squatters in 2000, said: "He can't be serious. My house has been burnt down, my fields destroyed and he wants to invite me back?

"There has to be a proper return to respect for property rights. We need facts, not words and a legal framework. No one's going to go back on the basis of this."

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, is among 1,600 evicted landowners who have stayed in Zimbabwe and are attempting to get compensation.

In 2000, there were 4,500 white farmers. Now only 400 remain on parts of their farms, many having made deals with Mugabe's regime. Thousands of others lost everything and have had to seek help to set themselves up in ventures outside Zimbabwe.

Colin Ransome, of the Zimbabwe Farmers Trust Fund, a Scottish-registered charity, said: "A lot of those who settled in Britain have young families and new jobs. Everyone is very wary. Iron-clad assurances would be needed."

[pepsionice]

The "white" era in Zimbabwe is finished...end of the story. Mugabe will never be able to bring them back, nor can anyone who follows him. The golden days when the farms of country actually fed the entire country and still had lots to export...to bring cash into the country...is finished. The only lesson left...is for South Africa. If they want to go down the same path...simply look at the damage done...and guage if it is worth it or not.

[DumpsterDiver]

Don't forget to not expect much in life and be sure to wear a nice warm sweater.

You smooth talker, you. I'm starting to lust after you in my heart. j/k

The idiot peanut farmer Carter is right up there with LBJ, in my book. Bums, both of 'em.

[BnBlFlag]

I am "shocked" that the're not flocking back in droves!
/sarc.

[chuckles]

Sounds like NYC under Denkins.

[THEUPMAN]

Those who took over the farms had no specialist knowledge - and most farmland now lies uncultivated. The machinery has been stolen, buildings have been plundered and the former workers are starving.

BWAAAAA HAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAA

it would be funny if it wasent so sad ... and so expencive.
How long do you think it will be before the US taxpayer is pouring (more)$$$$ down that rat hole.

[festus]

So racist Mugabe throws out the "White Oppressors" and finds out they were the ones saving his bacon all along.

Anytime a government attacks the producers, either based on their race or on the fact they are successful, that government ultimately dies.

But for the fact his citizens are facing a very hard time I'd be really enjoying this right now.

[Drew68]

Was Jimmy Carter there?

Not during these elections but his administration is a being reason why Zimbabwe has Mugabe in the first place.

[JerseyHighlander]

Live Aid II is on it's way, U2 signed up recently. I was stupified by the concept, to have ignorant media industry people who live in a little bubble, and ""Free Tibet" "Viva Che" humanitarianism as a fad and tax write off" performers openly put together fund raising efforts for African regimes that are actively committing genocides. In the name of compassion for the victim population.

[Clive]

When Mugabe took over, most of the farmers were packing their bags to go into exile when Mugabe publicly appealed to them to remain and help build a new Zimbabwe.

So many stayed and did help. Zimbabwe continued to be the breadbasket of southern Africa until 2000 when Mugabe decided that he heeded a class of people to scapegoat.

Now these farmers have been driven off their land and the only Shona and Ndebele capable of commercial veldt farming, (the former salaried employees of the commercial farmers) have been driven into exile and the land lies fallow and the rest of the economy is in tatters. Now Mugabe's people want to again appeal to the same group of farmers to return and help them rebuild Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately, some will believe him again.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Meanwhile, Mozambique and Zambia (and to a lesser extent, Nigeria) are offering inducements to expatriate Zim commercial farmers to take up 50 year farm leases.

Meanwhile, the volkerwanderung has grown to 4 million souls out of a population of 12 million, all of them black. Iafter all, there were only 50,000 whites in Zimbabwe in 2000, now drawn down by half.