Posted on 08/13/2002 2:42:17 AM PDT by Clive
The hopes of thousands of white Zimbabwean farmers were dashed yesterday when President Robert Mugabe told them that the 8 August deadline for them to surrender their land still stood. But, in a speech at Heroes' Acre outside Harare, a shrine to those killed in the war against white rule, Mr Mugabe also said that "loyal" farmers willing to co-operate with his government would be allowed to stay. "All genuine and well- meaning white farmers who wish to pursue a farming career as loyal citizens of this country have managed to do so. We have been generous. No farmer, we said, need go without land." The speech caused immediate confusion and was seen as an attempt to further split the already divided white farming community. By winning some allies in their ranks, Mr Mugabe may be able to buy legitimacy for his widely condemned land reforms.
Nearly 3,000 of Zimbabwe's 4,500 white farmers have been ordered to leave their homes without compensation to allow for black resettlement. Mr Mugabe said his policy was based on the principle of "one farmer, one farm". But farmers' leaders said at least 1,000 of those ordered to surrender their land owned only one farm. At least 60 per cent of listed farmers have defied the order to quit and were hoping for a reprieve in yesterday's speech. But while Mr Mugabe made no mention of immediate evictions, he said: "That deadline stands, as it is our wish that everyone interested in farming should be on the land by the time the rains come. Those who want another war should think again when they still have time to do so."
As the presidential poll draws near, Mugabe is wary over his security in the event of losing the do-or-die election that pits his 38-year-old Zanu PF party against the two-year-old opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The Libyans' role in the election has been unclear, though suspicions abound that they could play a crucial role in perpetuating the reign of Muammar Gaddafi's closest ally in the southern African region if the vote went against him.
"As far as I know, they are just involved with monitoring and improving the security of Mugabe who envies Gaddafi's intelligence network," a source said. The team will be in the country up to the time of the presidential election next year. "There are strong fears that something terrible could befall Mugabe if he loses. There is need to ensure his maximum security," the source said.
A British paper this week said "hundreds of Libyan troops", part of Gaddafi's elite forces, "known for their terror tactics, were being housed in secret locations scattered across the country". The Daily Telegraph, quoting intelligence sources, said there was a growing number of intelligence officers turning against Mugabe, forcing him to turn elsewhere for protection. The Libyans were to be issued with Zimbabwean passports by the Registrar-General's office to help Mugabe's presidential election campaign, the paper said.
Other press reports from South Africa suggest that Pagad, a Libyan-funded vigilante group which campaigns against drug lords on the Cape Flats, would be unleashed on the white commercial farmers in a terror campaign. The development takes place at a time when the country has mortgaged itself to Libyans after it sought a US$340 million loan to purchase fuel. The Independent reported recently that the Libyans were going to acquire major stakes in the country's two financial institutions and a major hotel group in addition to receiving 8 000ha of land for industrial and farming purposes. [End]
Well, Mugabe didn't lose. Mugabe appointed four of the five Supreme Court judges and then increased the court to eight members, adding three more judges loyal to his ruling party. Gaddafi sent in his henchmen and they set up terror squads. Gaddafi loaned Mugabe millions of dollars, bought up houses in Zimbabwe and made sure he won.
Most of the farmers had accepted that they would lose much of their land and were complying with the rulings to give over major portions of their farms but Mugabe wants all the land.
The opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) makes up just over a third of the parliament assembly. Their party had been strongly predicted to win the recent election even after a year of being terrorized by squads of roaming gangs. Finally Mugabe removed poll watchers, slowed down voting and assured his "reelection." 67 rallies canceled: Zimbabwe opposition members attacked, murdered Despite international condemnation of the stolen election and calls by the opposition party for a new election, Mugabe continues to drive off all farming, giving the land, homes and farms to his family, his cronies and to Libya (to whom he is deeply in debt). He has murdered farmers as they held on to what had been promised would be left to them. Despite the fact Zimbabweans are starving to death Mugabe continues to destroy the economy and uses his court to rubber stamp any law he wants. Evil Under the Sun
When killing accompanies elections/Zimbabwe's 'elected' dictator*** Mugabe's election victory was celebrated with an "anti-American" march in which a coffin of the MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was paraded through Zimbabwe's capital with an American flag draped over it. Sheila McVey, a white Zimbabwean farmer who observed this celebration, told WorldNetDaily, "It was frightening and disgusting. Zimbabwe has gone mad. Where are the Americans and Brits when we need them most? Where is the United Nations?"
Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF militia beat several MDC supporters to death. Darlington Vikaveka and farm manager John Rutherford were beaten to death on a farm near Mrondera. In Kwekwe, Mugabe troops killed Funny Mahuni at a torture camp in the Mbizo township. Witnesses said Mahuni's stomach was slit open with a knife. Many street vendors in Bulawayo were beaten and had their "for sale" items taken away by the Mugabe militia when they were suspected of voting for the opposition.
During the election, Mugabe's militia - bolstered by 20,000 new recruits based at 23 posts in Mugabe's tribal homeland of Mashonaland - spread out around the nation and prevented at least 500,000 registered MDC voters from turning in their ballots, about 15 percent of all registered voters. The militia set up roadblocks all across the nation and would allow only passengers with ZANU-PF membership cards access to voting stations. On one Zimbabwean farm, where a poster of Mugabe was ruined with graffiti, the militia reportedly threatened to send the black workers on the farm to one of Mugabe's "re-education camps."
Philip Chiyangawa, a ZANU-PF member of parliament was captured on videotape telling one Mugabe youth militia member to "get a hold of MDC supporters; beat them until they are dead. Burn their farms and their workers' houses, then run away and we will blame the burning of the workers' houses on the whites. Report to the police, because they are ours."***
And which might those be?
Ans: the dead ones.
Is South Africa a better place today than it was 25 years ago?
Serious question.
How say you, Jan?
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