Zimbabwe February 2006 |
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| Zimbabwe government will seize all land still in white hands, (Zim Online, 2006-02-11):-Zimbabwe State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa, who also oversees land reform, vowed to seize all land still in white hands, adding that white farmers who have continued farming were doing so illegally. Dismissing speculation in the international Press that President Robert Mugabe's government could give in to widespread criticism and stop farm seizures which started six years ago, Mutasa said: "We are still hungry and we want all our land back and all our land to be used by our own people." Mutasa, who also oversees food aid distribution and is one of Mugabe's most trusted lieutenants, made the comments in an interview with state television on Thursday night. He said a controversial constitutional amendment passed by the government last August had given all farmland to the state and that white farmers were farming illegally because they had not sought permission from the government to continue farming as is required under new regulations. "It is illegal to continue farming without a permit," Mutasa said. He added: "They (white farmers) should apply to the ministry of lands for permission to farm. Amendment number 17 by that stroke, nobody is allowed to farm unless they have permits from the Agriculture minister. To my knowledge the (white farmers) are farming illegally." Following the constitutional reforms, Zimbabwe's administrative court struck off legal appeals by farmers who were contesting the seizure of their properties. Zimbabwe's chaotic and often violent land reforms have seen food production in the country drop by about 60 percent because black villagers resettled on former white farms lack the skills and resources to maintain output. Mutasa's comments come in the wake of a call last week by the Commercial Farmers Union that represents white farmers on the government to declare a moratorium on all land policies to allow white farmers to use their expertise to help resuscitate the agricultural sector and beat off hunger choking Zimbabwe. | |
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp |