Posted on 04/12/2002 4:29:44 AM PDT by Clive
RULING Zanu-PF MP and Zimbabwe's former ambassador to Yugoslavia Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri has forcibly taken control of a tobacco farm in Marondera, near Harare.
Devastated farm owner Guy Cartwright (68) - who was not home when Mutinhiri, accompanied by war veterans, occupied his property - served a restraining order on the former army official on Tuesday.
Cartwright, speaking to the Mail & Guardian from his hiding place in Harare this week, said he had been assured by the local land committee that deals with restitution issues that Mutinhiri had been warned about invading his property on Friday.
The land committee officials apparently also told Cartwright that should Mutinhiri, MP for Marondera West, go ahead with the occupation he would have to vacate his parliamentary seat.
Mutinhiri won the Marondera seat in a controversial by- election in November 2000, amid accusations that he had bought votes and intimidated the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters.
After his victory, in an interview with a local newspaper, Mutinhiri defended the forcible occupation of land, calling it a "revolution, given that those without land are prepared to fight for it, while a minority group with it are resisting to part with it".
Cartwright, who inherited his farm known as Waltondale from his father who bought it in 1934, said his property had not been designated for redistribution. The farm, which produces tobacco and maize and has 700 head of cattle, is estimated to be worth Zim$400-million, including its tobacco crop. "All of which the brigadier has announced now belongs to him," said a despondent Cartwright, who is a Zimbabwean citizen.
Cartwright said he had built homes with water and electricity for his workers, constructed a farming school attended by 400 children on his property and donated millions of dollars worth of medical equipment to the local hospital over the years. It was taken away in a flash when he went out for a drive with his wife last Saturday night.
While there were several reports last weekend concerning the forcible occupation of farms where the farmers had ties to the MDC, Cartwright had not been involved in politics.
However, Mutinhiri has allegedly accused Cartwright's late father of being involved with the former minority-run regime.
Another farmer, Alistair Coulson, based in Esigodini near Bulawayo, told the M&G last month that he feared becoming the war veterans' target as he had actively campaigned for the MDC in the presidential elections.
"People like me have become exposed and are now vulnerable," a disillusioned Coulson remarked after the outcome of the presidential poll.
This week Coulson and his family were forced to leave the farm that had been their home for the past 11 years. The Coulsons had been under siege since last week.
During the course of the week, after he has persuaded his family to leave, Coulson stayed on in his home to protect his workers.
In a show of solidarity with Coulson farmers in neighbouring areas also under siege remained behind. The M&G was unable to contact Coulson this week. However, Marc Crawford, president of the Matebeleland branch of the Commercial Farmers' Union, said that on Tuesday negotiations with the war veterans had failed. At the time of going to press, Coulson was preparing to move out of his home.
Crawford said farmers and farm workers who had assisted the MDC during last month's presidential polls are increasingly becoming targets of the war veterans. Since the elections, Crawford said 10 cases of forcible occupation had been reported to him.
Look for the new "landlord" to pillage this too.
Oh, yes! The pillage has already started.
The most recent estimate of displaced farm workers is now 350,000.
Their cottages have been torched, the men and boys have been beaten and murdered and the women and girls have been raped. None of them "English". Mostly they are matabele (which is to be expected) and shona (who are Mugabe's own people).
Let us not forget the 5th brigade massacres in Matabeleland in the 198os .
From the people that brought you the K'Mer Rouge, and the author of "The One Bullet Manager", We now bring you, The Government of Zimbabwe. What the hell is wrong with Africa Anyway? I mean, Aside from the fact that there are some good people there, why are there so many people hungry for power and control over people? Jesus, Those people need a George Washington right now to round up the people and wipe out that government.
Agreed, although a bit insulting to vultures.
At least vultures will wait until the lion has taken down the game and had his full and the hyenas have finished their meal before coming in to clean up.
These vermin (?), snakes in the grass (?), maggots (?)......they don't deserve to breath free air.
"The prophet," Hitler and Hitler's hero, Derr Fuerher, Mohammed, have also contributed much to Mugabe's honing of the Evil of which he is but a manifestation. And he is in bed with the islamanazi, Kaddaffi, who also has a physical presence in Rhodesia/zimbabwe.
But does it really matter what Mugabe's murderous behavior -- or that of any of the world's organized criminals posing as "politicians" -- is labelled?
"Psychopathological murderer" and "gangster," and "liar" and "thief," pretty much fit them all.
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