Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HARARE294
2008-04-08 16:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
NEW WAVE OF COMMERCIAL FARM INVASIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO6569 PP RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHSB #0294/01 0991645 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 081645Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2738 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1908 RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1896 RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2019 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1296 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1653 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2075 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4506 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1151 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7// RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/ECMO/CC/DAO/DOB/DOI// RUZEHAA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ23-CH/ECJ5M//
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000294
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN
TREASURY FOR J. RALYEA AND T.RAND
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: ASEC EAGR PGOV ZI ECON
SUBJECT: NEW WAVE OF COMMERCIAL FARM INVASIONS
REF: A. HARARE 0281
B. 07 HARARE 0942
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
-------
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000294
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN
TREASURY FOR J. RALYEA AND T.RAND
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: ASEC EAGR PGOV ZI ECON
SUBJECT: NEW WAVE OF COMMERCIAL FARM INVASIONS
REF: A. HARARE 0281
B. 07 HARARE 0942
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) According to Commercial Farmers' Union (CFU)
President Trevor Gifford, 45 white-owned commercial farms in
the provinces of Masvingo and Mashonaland have come under
siege since April 5. Mobs have forced most of the farmers
off their property in a move apparently centrally
orchestrated by the GOZ. Looting of the end-of-season
tobacco, maize and soya crops is feared. In a further adverse
development, there are indications that Zimbabwe's courts do
not regard the recent SADC Tribunal ruling of temporary
relief for Zimbabwe's white farmers as binding and have begun
new prosecutions. END SUMMARY.
-------------- --------------
45 Commercial Farms Under Siege in Apparent Orchestration
-------------- --------------
2. (SBU) Gifford told econoff on April 8 that 45 white-owned
commercial farms in the provinces of Masvingo and Mashonaland
had come under siege since April 5. Mobs had forced most of
the farmers off their properties. There had been no
violence, but the level of verbal abuse and intimidation was
high. In most but not all cases the police had failed to
respond to the farmers' requests for help. Although the
government mouthpiece The Herald reported today that the
police had ordered war veterans off farms, Gifford said that
in many cases in which the police had intervened the mobs had
re-invaded the farms. Gifford saw no indication of a letup in
this new wave of invasions.
3. (SBU) In Gifford's view, the attacks were being
orchestrated by ruling party officials. He maintained that
the Politburo had given a green light to the action at its
April 3 meeting. He said he had information, for example,
that an alleged employee of the Ministry of Information had
been based in a Masvingo hotel and paying out "rent-a-mob"
cash to people to harass farmers in the area. Illustrative
of the planned nature of the attacks, a crew of Zimbabwe
state television cameramen had been on the scene to film the
seizure on April 5 of one of the first farms to be invaded.
4. (SBU) The evictions could not have come at a worse time,
Gifford explained: The tobacco crop was off the field and in
the handling sheds, and the maize and soya were being
harvested. Gifford anticipated that the crops would be
looted on the seized farms.
-------------- -
SADC Tribunal Relief "Not Binding In Zimbabwe"
-------------- -
5. (SBU) In a further adverse development, 14 of the 77
applicants who had joined the Michael Campbell case (Ref B)
seeking relief from the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) Tribunal in Windhoek have also fallen under
renewed pressure. Despite the Tribunal having ruled last
month that all the applicants could remain on their property
pending a hearing in late May (Ref A),Gifford said the
HARARE 00000294 002 OF 002
police had telephoned them in the past days to say that the
SADC ruling was not binding in Zimbabwe and they should
appear in court the next day (none were subpoenaed) to face
charges of contravening eviction rulings. Gifford expected
many of the remaining approximately 400 white commercial
farmers in Zimbabwe to file to join the Campbell suit as
their last hope of keeping their farms.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
6. (C) The race card and ZANU-PF claims of sovereignty are
once again being used by the ruling party to rally the base
as it prepares for an unexpected runoff election. Land as an
issue may have less resonance, however, than in the past as
many rural Zimbabweans are desperate for change. ZANU-PF
prospects for victory will be less dependent on rhetoric and
land seizures than on ability to intimidate and coerce
voters. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN
TREASURY FOR J. RALYEA AND T.RAND
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: ASEC EAGR PGOV ZI ECON
SUBJECT: NEW WAVE OF COMMERCIAL FARM INVASIONS
REF: A. HARARE 0281
B. 07 HARARE 0942
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) According to Commercial Farmers' Union (CFU)
President Trevor Gifford, 45 white-owned commercial farms in
the provinces of Masvingo and Mashonaland have come under
siege since April 5. Mobs have forced most of the farmers
off their property in a move apparently centrally
orchestrated by the GOZ. Looting of the end-of-season
tobacco, maize and soya crops is feared. In a further adverse
development, there are indications that Zimbabwe's courts do
not regard the recent SADC Tribunal ruling of temporary
relief for Zimbabwe's white farmers as binding and have begun
new prosecutions. END SUMMARY.
-------------- --------------
45 Commercial Farms Under Siege in Apparent Orchestration
-------------- --------------
2. (SBU) Gifford told econoff on April 8 that 45 white-owned
commercial farms in the provinces of Masvingo and Mashonaland
had come under siege since April 5. Mobs had forced most of
the farmers off their properties. There had been no
violence, but the level of verbal abuse and intimidation was
high. In most but not all cases the police had failed to
respond to the farmers' requests for help. Although the
government mouthpiece The Herald reported today that the
police had ordered war veterans off farms, Gifford said that
in many cases in which the police had intervened the mobs had
re-invaded the farms. Gifford saw no indication of a letup in
this new wave of invasions.
3. (SBU) In Gifford's view, the attacks were being
orchestrated by ruling party officials. He maintained that
the Politburo had given a green light to the action at its
April 3 meeting. He said he had information, for example,
that an alleged employee of the Ministry of Information had
been based in a Masvingo hotel and paying out "rent-a-mob"
cash to people to harass farmers in the area. Illustrative
of the planned nature of the attacks, a crew of Zimbabwe
state television cameramen had been on the scene to film the
seizure on April 5 of one of the first farms to be invaded.
4. (SBU) The evictions could not have come at a worse time,
Gifford explained: The tobacco crop was off the field and in
the handling sheds, and the maize and soya were being
harvested. Gifford anticipated that the crops would be
looted on the seized farms.
-------------- -
SADC Tribunal Relief "Not Binding In Zimbabwe"
-------------- -
5. (SBU) In a further adverse development, 14 of the 77
applicants who had joined the Michael Campbell case (Ref B)
seeking relief from the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) Tribunal in Windhoek have also fallen under
renewed pressure. Despite the Tribunal having ruled last
month that all the applicants could remain on their property
pending a hearing in late May (Ref A),Gifford said the
HARARE 00000294 002 OF 002
police had telephoned them in the past days to say that the
SADC ruling was not binding in Zimbabwe and they should
appear in court the next day (none were subpoenaed) to face
charges of contravening eviction rulings. Gifford expected
many of the remaining approximately 400 white commercial
farmers in Zimbabwe to file to join the Campbell suit as
their last hope of keeping their farms.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
6. (C) The race card and ZANU-PF claims of sovereignty are
once again being used by the ruling party to rally the base
as it prepares for an unexpected runoff election. Land as an
issue may have less resonance, however, than in the past as
many rural Zimbabweans are desperate for change. ZANU-PF
prospects for victory will be less dependent on rhetoric and
land seizures than on ability to intimidate and coerce
voters. END COMMENT.
MCGEE