MEDIA REACTION: LAND REFORM ZIMBABWE; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 001859 SIPDIS DEPT FOR INR/R/MR, AF/PD (DALTON),AF/S (SCHLACHTER),AF/RA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAGR PGOV KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: LAND REFORM ZIMBABWE; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Evict defiant farmers" the government- controlled daily "Chronicle" dedicated its August 15 editorial to encouraging the government of Zimbabwe to eject all "defiant farmers" from the designated commercial farms under the fast-trek land reform program. "Terrorists masquerading as farmers must be crushed," the editorial bellowed. Excerpts: ¶2. ". . .It is pertinent to warn any farmer that there is no individual, whether they have blue eyes or white skin, who can take the might of the State and win. In fact no government will tolerate that. Ours will not be an exception. That is called terrorism and to quote U. S. President George W. Bush, no resources will be spared to fight terrorists. Terrorists masquerading as farmers must be crushed. . .If Britain and the U. S. really care about their citizens they should advise them to comply by moving out of the acquired farms peacefully as they face forcible eviction. . .No amount of statements from the U. S. State Department or Britain will change that. Not even `extending' the hollow personal sanctions against the government can stop the agrarian revolution. . .In short, to borrow a phrase from Mr. Bush, they must be `flushed out' before their tails grow longer." SULLIVAN