MEDIA REACTION LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 002388 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE; HARARE ¶1. THE INDEPENDENT 'DAILY NEWS' DEDICATED ITS AUGUST 9 EDITORIAL TO DENOUNCE THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE FOR FAILING TO CURB UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 02388 101229Z LAWLESSNESS ON COMMERCIAL FARMS. THE EDITORIAL COMES IN THE WAKE OF RENEWED CLASHES BETWEEN COMMERCIAL FARMERS AND FARM INVADERS IN CHINHOYI THIS WEEK. UNDER HEADLINE "GOVERNMENT INSINCERE ON CURBING FARM VIOLENCE," THE PAPER COMMENTS: ¶2. "THE COMMONWEALTH MINISTERIAL ACTION GROUP (CMAG),WHICH IS DUE TO MEET IN ABUJA, NIGERIA, NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS ZIMBABWE, MIGHT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SAVE THE COUNTRY FROM CENSURE BY THE 50-ODD NATION MEMBERS, BECAUSE OF UGLY EVENTS THIS WEEK. . .AN ELDERLY KWEKWE FARMER WAS BRUTALLY ATTACKED LAST FRIDAY IN ONE OF THE GRUESOME ATTACKS DURING THE PAST YEAR. HE DIED THIS WEEK ON MONDAY NIGHT. THE SECOND INCIDENT RELATES TO THE FIGHTING BETWEEN FARMERS AND LAND INVADERS IN THE CHINHOYI AREA. . .WHAT IS QUITE CLEAR IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION OF BRINGING THIS LAWLESSNESS TO AN END. IT IS DISCRIMINATORY, IN THE EXTREME, FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT INVADERS ONLY, WHILE PROPERTY RIGHTS OF THE FARM OWNERS ARE DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD AND TRAMPLED ON, ESPECIALLY WHERE BOTH PARTIES AGREE ON THE NEED FOR LAND REDISTRIBUTION. . . WE SHOULD BE VERY AFRAID OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRAGIC MURDER OF 76- YEAR-OLD RALPH FENWICK COBBERT AND THE FIGHTING IN CHINHOYI. THESE CAN ONLY CONVINCE CMAG AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SENATE, WHICH IS CONSIDERING THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND (ECONOMIC) RECOVERY BILL, THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS ACTED NEGLIGENTLY IN ALLOWING THE SITUATION IN THIS COUNTRY TO DETERIORATE FURTHER IN THIS DESCENT INTO HELL." WHITEHEAD UNCLASSIFIED >