Zimbabwe -- Farm Invasions And Security Report - Tuesday 25 June 2002

Commercial Farmers' Union ^ | June 25, 2002

[Clive]

This report does not purport to cover all the incidents that are taking place in the commercial farming areas. Communication problems and the fear of reprisals prevent farmers from reporting all that happens. Farmers names, and in some cases farm names, are omitted to minimise the risk of reprisals.

NATIONAL REPORT IN BRIEF

Chipinge - a farmer's cattle were grazing on a neighbouring farm when one heifer was caught in a snare and slaughtered. Only the front legs were remaining when discovered. Mvurwi - On Vigila Farm two cattle have been axed but they are still alive. Norton - On Galloway the homestead was looted whilst the owner was away.

REGIONAL NEWS

MANICALAND

Middle Save - All is very quiet, but farms are busy with production even though 15 farms were listed on 21.06.02.

Chipinge - a farmer's cattle were grazing on a neighbouring farm when one heifer was caught in a snare and slaughtered. Only the front legs were remaining when discovered. At Groenvlei Farm cattle got into a reaped maize field and the settlers claimed 20 bags of maize for compensation. The settlers told the owner to claim it from insurance. In response to this incident, later on that day the Messenger of the Court arrived with a summons for the owner, who now awaits a court date.

Headlands - Cheryl Joan Jones, who was shot in the back during a robbery, is making a good recovery. The Police arrested four men although one was subsequently released. The perpetrators stole Ms. Jones' handbag, cell phone and the labour payroll she had gone to collect that day.

All is quiet in other areas.

MASHONALAND CENTRAL

Bindura - Chumberi Farm has entered the fifth day of work stoppages and the settlers are demanding that all the workers be evicted by 30.06.02.

Mvurwi - On Vigila Farm two cattle have been axed but they are still alive.

MASHONALAND EAST

No report received owing to lack of a computer in that office.

MASHONALAND WEST (NORTH)

The area is quiet awaiting developments with the 24.06.02 deadline for production. Feedback from meetings held with the PA at the DA's office on 24.06.02 is awaited. Although grading of tobacco is taking place, no producers are doing seedbeds at present.

MASHONALAND WEST (SOUTH)

Norton - Comrade Mwambo, who was involved in the looting of Wilbered Farm on 14.06.02 and subsequently arrested was released from prison last week. He has moved back on to the late Terry Ford's Gowrie Farm, and helped himself to property from the second homestead belonging to Terry Ford's family, moving it to the main homestead on Gowrie Farm where he has taken up residence. Mwambo is reported to be hiring out to settlers some of the late Terry Fords implements, which have not been moved off the property. On Galloway the homestead was looted whilst the owner was away, with almost everything stolen with the exception of bigger furniture. Police have reacted.

MASVINGO

Continued harassment of cattle and the grazing situation has become very serious. Poaching is out of control i.e. on Battle Fields Ranch, Mateke Hills, 3 Nyala, 4 kudu and 4 cattle were snared and killed in one week.

MIDLANDS No report received.

MATABELELAND No report received.

[Clive]

This report is very sparse compared to previous reports.

There has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents reported in the past few reports.

I had observed in a prior posting that it appeared to me that the thugs were running out of targets.

There is also possibly a hiatus while everyone waits to find out what happens to the 2,900 farmers who are under a statutory fiat, that matured this week, to stop using their land for any purpose.

I wonder what happened to the computer in Mash East?

Until about a fortnight ago, this was one of the more active provinces in repect of reported incidents of thuggery.

[Clive]

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