Zimbabwe White Farmer Evictions 'Reckless,' US Says

yahoo.com ^ | Aug 12, 2002 - 3:45 PM ET | Reuters

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday accused Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe of recklessly risking disastrous food shortages by reinforcing a deadline for white farmers to give up their land to landless blacks.

"At a time when six million Zimbabweans are without adequate food supplies, that the government of Zimbabwe attempts to evict commercial farmers and thousands of farm workers, is extremely reckless, and in fact reprehensible," said deputy State Department spokesman Philip Reeker.

While Zimbabwe is at the center of a regional food crisis, Mugabe's government ordered 2,900 of the remaining 4,500 white commercial farmers to quit their land without compensation by midnight last Thursday, Aug. 8.

Aid agencies predict that up to 13 million people in six southern African countries face starvation by February as a result of drought and political mismanagement. About half of them are in Zimbabwe.

Reeker said the Mugabe government's efforts to evict commercial farmers and what he called its assault on political opponents and the independent media had "destroyed Zimbabwe's economy, undermined the democratic institutions in that country and accelerated the onset of this severe food shortage."

The U.S. Agency for International Development sent a 20,000-tonshipment of food aid that arrived at Durban, South Africa, July 28, Reeker said.

"We're working, obviously, with governments, but also with the NGO (non-government organization) community and the World Food Program to get this food distributed to those that need it in that region," Reeker told a news briefing.

The United States says it recognizes the need for real land reform in Zimbabwe. But on Friday, Reeker said forced expulsions and violent property seizures were taking Zimbabwe in the opposite direction.

"Credible reports of senior political and security figures assuming ownership of expropriated commercial farms further reveals the cynicism of Mugabe's so-called land reform program," he added in a statement.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Mugabe says loyal whites can keep some land in Zimbabwe*** Several senior government officials have warned white farmers they face arrest and possible imprisonment of up to two years if they continue to defy eviction orders.

Mugabe did not directly refer to the eviction deadline. But in his fiery speech railing against colonialism and Britain, Mugabe strongly criticized white farmers opposing the government's policies.

"No farmer to our knowledge has been rendered landless. Only the greedy are complaining," he said.

Opposition officials, human rights workers and farm leaders say hundreds of farmers have been thrown off all their land.***

[Malcolm]

Where are US Blacks on this issue? Will we hear from Jesse, Maxine, or Rev Al? Of course not!!!

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

APARTIED IN REVERSE!

[MissAmericanPie]

"The U.S. Agency for International Development sent a 20,000-tonshipment of food aid that arrived at Durban, South Africa, July 28, Reeker said"

Ok guys, isn't it time for some phone calls telling D.C. that we don't give aid to racists? To stop giving any aid to Zimbabwe or face a mad populace at the polls?

[Better Dead Than Red]

The fact that this guy has not yet been assassinated is proof that white people are no more evil than any other race.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Where are US Blacks on this issue? Will we hear from Jesse, Maxine, or Rev Al? Of course not!!!

This drives home the point it isn't black vs. white, it never has been except to heat up the issue and muddy the waters, it's what it always has been, communism vs. democracy.

[Clive]

"No farmer to our knowledge has been rendered landless. Only the greedy are complaining," he said.

The man is either willfully blind or a monstrous liar or both.

Mugabe, I refute thee thus:

Terry Ford, Murdered for the purpose
of confiscating his farm which was
coveted by Mugabe's sister Sabrina,
March 18, 2002

[Argus]

If Tony Blair would just send the Royal Marines and SAS to Harare, we could happily excuse them from service in Afghanistan and Iraq.

[joyce11111]

Soon all the blacks will be starving in that country, and, they all have their hand-out.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Zimbabwe-Mugabe Says Sanctions Won't Stop Land Seizures - Blair "wasting his time over sanctions" ***The Herald also quoted Mugabe as telling his officials at a party to mark the official opening of parliament on Tuesday that he would never yield ground on the issue of land. It quoted the 78-year-old, who has regularly attacked British Prime Minister Tony Blair over the past two years, as saying that "Blair, that young man" was wasting his time with sanctions against his government over its land policies.

"The land belongs to us, we fought for it, we died for it and we shall continue to fight and die for it," he said. "But somehow this young fellow thinks no, if he piles sanctions on we will surrender. Nobody has taught him that we don't know the word surrender in relation to our rights. That word we can't spell, it's not in our dictionary," Mugabe said. ***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

BUMP!

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

I am thinking that it would help Zimbabwe in the long run if we quit acting like enablers to this mad scheme. If we quit sending aide, perhaps the Zimbabwe people would realise that their leader failed them. Once he is reomoved and they seek free elections, along with property rights, then aide returns. Just a thought. Not sure but, what we are doing is not helping them become free. Without freedom, what's the point in living?

[backhoe]

Cincy, I'm going to gather this and the no doubt soon-to-come articles from Clive ( and maybe others- I've seen new names post on Africa ) into a standalone mass email "Out of Africa"- the rest of the story.

Perhaps it will have more impact that way.

AfricaWatch:

To find all articles tagged or indexed using AfricaWatch, click below:
	click here >>>	AfricaWatch	<<< click here
(To view all FR Bump Lists, click here)

[germanicus]

I'm beginning to believe that these despots, past and present, (Amin, Mugabe,etc.) suffer from some sort of African brainworm that keeps them from thinking clearly. How else can you explain the utter disregard for human dignity? Of course, being Communist pragmatists , the ends will justify the means. ( We know, however, that their intended ends will fail and millions will be sacrificed for nothing.) So sad.

[Michael2001]

Getting rid of the farmers while they starve. A real genius this Mugabe.

Soon the whites will be gone and millions of blacks there will starve... South Africa is 10-20 years behind Zimbabwe but they'll end up the same way.

[MissAmericanPie]

True, Africa is tuff, too many guns and you have Somalia, too few and you have Zimbabwe. Never any balance there for some reason, and you can't instill the love of freedom in another. But the flat out bald faced racism they are dealing in cannot be supported with US dollars and aid, Mother Nature can teach the best lessons, and those that can't learn them, she deals with. It's past time to throw our hands up and off Africa.

[doc]

F*** Mugabe! Don't send aid and let them starve. Drive the masses into a violent revolution.

[henbane]

Mugabe government's efforts to evict commercial farmers and what he [Reeker] called [Mugabe's] assault on political opponents and the independent media had "destroyed Zimbabwe's economy, undermined the democratic institutions in that country and accelerated the onset of this severe food shortage."
. . . up to 13 million people in six southern African countries face starvation by February

Looks like Mugabe is bound and determined to mindlessly destroy his country's agriculture base and turn a viable country into another Sudan.

Mugabe's developing legacy of horror and death will be remembered throughout Africa for generations.

[dougherty]

Soon all the blacks will be starving in that country, and, they all have their hand-out

Let them eat cake.