Posted on 02/10/2003 3:57:18 AM PST by Clive
Zimbabwe's small but thriving Indian community is considering fleeing their homeland to escape police harassment and intimidation.
In ongoing cloak-and-dagger operations over the past month, private homes and businesses in Mutare, Bulawayo and Harare have been raided by the police, tax investigators and members of President Robert Mugabe's shadowy Central Intelligence Organisation, notorious for dubious activities.
Law enforcers are using the country's draconian and repressive laws to raid and confiscate foreign exchange, jewellery and anything which they say might contribute to the "sabotage of the economy".
Large amounts of foreign currency, mostly American dollars, documents, computers, jewellery and transaction records of prosperous Indian businesses have been confiscated "for investigation".
These actions have led Indians to fear that they are the targets now that white farmers have been "neutralised".
This comes as the sub-Saharan country slowly disintegrates, in a time when fuel, basic commodities and foreign exchange are scarce.
Said a rich industrialist from Harare: "We are Zimbabwean. Illegal activity or not, humanity and compassion must prevail. But what do we do in a failing economy when wealth is scarce; getting bread is an arduous task."
A Harare businessman who was found to have $35 000 (about R280 000) had the money confiscated. His lawyers are fighting for its retrieval but they are aware that because it was illegal for him to have this amount of foreign exchange in his possession, he stands little chance of it being returned.
Police are presently auditing data from computers, from which authorities hope to find business transaction using foreign currency.
A Mutare businessman, getting ready to emigrate with his family to Australia, pointed out that the Zimbabwe-born Indians had contributed to the economy and given millions of Zimbabwean dollars to keep Mugabe in office.
Indian families, businessmen and industrialists tell of being disturbed at odd hours or while they are closing their shops.
They say that in Mutare 10 shops were hit almost simultaneously. Authorities, armed with search warrants, entered homes and shops and even checked kitchen cupboards.
Chief Wayne Bvudzijena, the Harare police commissioner, said the raids were the result of the implementation of the Public Order Safety Act introduced last year to deal with political turmoil and "economic sabotage", blamed for crippling the once buoyant economy.
Bvudzijena said: "The searches were legal. We had warrants. The authorities identified culprits who were committing crimes against the economy."
There were suspicions that some Indian businesses were dealing illegally in foreign exchange and this had prompted discussions within the government which then drew up a list.
"The Indians are not the only targets. Any group dealing with foreign exchange will be prosecuted. It is a police matter and nothing to do with the government.
"It doesn't matter how long these people have been living here. If they break the law, they must pay. Our investigations are not only concentrating on foreign currency. We are looking for tax dodgers also," said Bvudzijena.
Insiders within the ruling Zanu-PF say, however, the raids are a desperate attempt to try to seize as much money as possible so the country can buy fuel and major industrial equipment needed to keep the once thriving economy running.
A Harare business tycoon was adamant the raids were a desperation move by the government.
"For many, import and export businesses have suffered because they say the bank has no money, and they can't do business. And when the bank does have currency, the exchange rate allocations are limited, and in fact are unrealistic.
"The black market is thriving in this economy," he said from his home. "This crisis has opened the way for the black market. Suddenly we are living under a different set of rules. It's as though we are not wanted here."
With annualised inflation having peaked to an all-time high of 200 percent last month and the IMF expecting it to soar to 500 percent by June, Zimbabwe's economy is now close to total collapse.
Dozens of factories failed to re-open at the end of the annual holiday break last month leaving hundreds jobless, while the acute foreign currency shortages have left companies with no money to import spares and meet other production costs.
Companies are no longer able to buy foreign currency on the black market as the government has outlawed any forex transactions outside the controlled official market.
Agricultural output, the mainstay of the economy, is expected to fall by half this year due to a combination of drought and Mugabe's violent land seizures.
With an unemployment rate of 70 percent and the economy expected to contract by seven percent this year, according to the government's own figures, Zimbabwe is now ranked by the IMF as the fastest- shrinking economy in the world.
With authorities hot on their heels, of businessmen, several meetings have been held with senior members of Mugabe's advisers who recently listened to the queries raised by the minority groupings.
Jonathan Moyo, the information minister, would not comment.
The Zanu PF buzzards are picking the bones, soon nothing will be left.
They can count on it...Indians are discriminated against all over eastern Africa...especially in Kenya. They make Kenya and Tanzania actually function and are greatly resented.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.