Jennifer Dube
20 December 2008
A new report on the government's chaotic land reform programme has revealed that up to 4,500 Zimbabweans were tortured and commercial farmers incurred up to US$1 billion in damages during the exercise.
The report compiled after an investigation into human rights violations and losses suffered by commercial farmers and workers since the violent land invasions began in 2000, questions the government's rhetoric that the programme brought social justice.
The comprehensive report titled Human Rights Violations and Losses Suffered by Commercial Farmers and Workers in Zimbabwe from 2000 to 2008 was compiled by the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) on behalf of Justice for Agriculture (JAG) and General Agriculture And Plantation Workers' Union Of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ).
John Worswick, the JAG chief executive officer, said the report was aimed at providing detailed evidence on a widespread and systematic series of violations in former commercial farms.
"The report brings out that this (land reform) was not about land at all," Worswick said.
The controversial land reform programme, which displaced the bulk of the country's productive farmers, has widely been cited as the cause of the country's unprecedented economic meltdown.
The report says at least one million violations occurred across the country, with the majority resulting from political motives aimed at eliminating MDC support and reinforcing Zanu PF's following.
"These (violations) were inflicted by officers and agents of the state in most instances, and in all others were condoned implicitly or explicitly by the state," reads the report.
"The fact that a minimum of 4 525 citizens were tortured in a case of what is purported to be a socially just land reform programme is fundamentally at odds with the state rhetoric on the matter."
Participants at the launch also discussed the implications of a recent Sadc Tribunal's ruling that ordered government to allow 78 commercial farmers facing eviction to keep their farms.
The Namibia-based regional court last month ruled in favour of Chegutu farmer Michael Campbell and 77 others who were seeking an order barring the government from acquiring their farms without compensation.
"The tribunal's judgement gives us hope," another farmer, Ben Freeth said.
"Over the past eight years, there was no accountability for the actions which have left the country in the state that it is in. But what has happened now is the start of accountability.
"It demonstrates that there is an alternative to chaos."
The participants said for the country to move forward, it was important to implement suggestions provided in the report, among them the return to the rule of law, respect for property and human rights and a non-selective application of justice for all citizens.
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One sided reports on a complex subject like this do more harm than good. There is no doubt that the farmers were wronged, but there is also no doubt that the natives were also wronged. JAG should not see justice only from a commercial farmer's point of view.
I don't know how old you are, but you appear to have a poor grasp of history as well as a highly selective view of how Zimbabwe got where it is today.
I lived in Salisbury from 1966-1969 as a teenager, and then returned to Britain to avoid taking part in the 'Bush War'. I constantly told my parents that it was unjust for a minority government to impose its will on the majority.
On subsequent visits to the country between 1970 & 1980, I marvelled at how the white population prospered under sanctions from Britain & other countries. Local… [Read Full Text]
Lancaster, a good and well balanced article. I'm also glad that you do recognize that white minority rule was illegal and undemocratic. Mugabe and most of his zanu-pf comrades bear the blame for what is currently happening in Zimbabwe. Clearly Mugabe lost the elections and now has to step down or be forced to do so. Mugabe has hijacked Zimbabwe and efforts to remove him must be made. Mugabe may end up like Kamuzu Banda or worse like Saddam Hussein!
"Zimbabwe is mine" may sound so when translated literally by a non Shona speaker. We had the same trouble when we tried to interpret speeches and discusions from Latin books, (eg Vigili etc) during my school days in the early 1960s. I am sure the president said no such thing at all. By the way, the farmers brought their troubles on themselves. From day one of the new gvt in 1980, they removed themselves aways from the life of the country because they thought all was going to be a one day wonder and Rhodesia would come back. And… [Read Full Text]
Only 4500 tortured and you imperialists are crying, what do we say about the many thousands that where killed to possess the land in the first place? we do not owe you an inch of an apology,go hang if you want, that should be your (imperialists) fate afteral.
Stop living in the past mugabe and regime believers! mugabe and regime supports seem to either live in the past or use the same line as children do"but he they did it", stop acting like little children as Zimbabwe needs commonsense to finish this crisis!
West, I agree with you that we should not be living in the past. But, this also means we should not be living the past of Ian Smith and his regime! I see a lot of comment regarding how successful the less than 1 percent white Rhodesians enjoyed in then Rhodesia. Rhodesia is in the past and most of us cannot recall how successful or a failure it was. Judging the success of 1% of the population as successful does not in any way make a country or colony successful!!!! What about the 98% of the population? Please Mr. West… [Read Full Text]
" The comprehensive report was compiled ... on behalf of Justice for Agriculture (JAG) ... John Worswick, the JAG chief executive officer ..."
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Oh, John Worswick ... who would plant tobacco for the UK parasites on vast tracts of ancestral lands commandeered violently from the Zimbabwe native forefathers - while the beleaguered natives starve for lack of land and edible foods ...
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" up to 4,500 Zimbabweans were tortured. .." Treacherous creeps! And zero (0) fits perfectly into the numbers "up to 4,500" and also "up to 12,000,000". Lets see, I just… [Read Full Text]