via CFU urges investigation of farm-based murders since 2000 | The Zimbabwean 23.05.14 by Sofia Mapuranga
Charles Taffs, the Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) president, today urged the police to investigate murders that have taken place on farms since the start of the fast track land redistribution programme in 2000.
President Robert Mugabe’s government embarked on the unplanned exercise purportedly to resettle land hungry Zimbabweans but most of the prime farmland ended up in the hands of the ruling elite.
About 5,000 white commercial farmers were violently displaced during the land blitz and most of them are yet to receive compensation for improvements on their farms.
Speaking to journalists at the organisation’s headquarters in Harare this morning while giving his solidarity message following the recent fatal attacks on Malcolm and Catherine Francis, a Guruve farming family, Taffs urged the police to ensure that the attackers were brought to book.
No arrests have been made so far. “We understand that the police are working hard and they are investigating the murder,” he said.
Taffs reminded relevant authorities to bring to justice perpetrators of murders committed over the past 14 years under the guise of land redistribution.
He lamented the continued expropriation of land, property and other assets without any compensation from law abiding citizens and said this was affecting the country’s agricultural production and economy.
Malcolm and Catherine were attacked by yet unknown assailants on May 10 and he passed on, on Tuesday while his daughter succumbed to the wounds she sustained on Wednesday last week.
“We condemn this cowardly attack on an elderly man and a young woman and its barbaric brutality in the strongest of terms. We find these actions wholly unacceptable to us as a civilised nation,” said Taffs.
He said his organisation was “troubled by the silence of the authorities and the country’s leadership regarding the murder of the two.”
“We are left wondering whether this crime was not sanctioned or condoned by some higher office. Law abiding citizens have faced the selective application of the law and in many cases the total absence of the protection of the law,” said Taffs.
He said there was need to for Zimbabweans to work together to find a lasting solution to the crises Zimbabwe was facing and urged solidarity in the fight against hatred and violence.
The CFU president called on government to work with farmers and other sectors of the economy to create a vibrant economy.
In a related development, the CFU is appealing for donations towards the Francis Medical Support Fund, whose aim is to assist the late Malcolm’s relatives pay for medical expenses incurred during the hospitalisation of the two deceased victims and the relocation of the wife.
“The late Malcolm and Catherine spent a week and more in the intensive care unit and the family has been left with a huge debt of medical aid shortfalls and extra expenses which they cannot pay,” said Taffs.
Account details for the donation are as follows:
Francis Medical Support
Stanbic Bank
Minerva Branch
Account number: 0240026089502
COMMENTS
Unfortuately, these murders are not going to be investigated. How long people, are we going to continue acting like all is well and normalize the abnormal in the hope that one day freedom will just drop from the skies and grace us all. I have no doubt the perpetrators of these killings are ordinary people who are just suffering like the rest of us. Why do the politician’s dirty work? They don’t care about you. Wake up and stop being used. My condolences to the Francis family
This only proves these bandits do not have the countries interest at heart.
the zimbabwe human rights lawyers including civil society should be very vocal about what is happening – would not count on the opposition they seemed useless to question the splashing of money on MPS cars
The opposition can question all it wants.
The Human Rights lawyers can shout all they want.
Truth of the mater is that these deaths, like so many before them, will go unsolved by a police that’s a police in name only.
These guys have been politicised out of their skulls, with scant discipline and rotweiler mentalities.
My heart goes out to this Guruve farming family.
Their dreams have been extinguished by an evil force that’s terrorising our nation.
then they need to take the matter up with an international organisation beyond the border
they need to pluck up courage and not sit there and watch all this happen
My condolences to the Francis family. Yet another tragic murder in our troubled land. Personally i hold no hope of the police having a successful investigation, sorry public investigation, They already know who did it…We must realize that continually making plans to survive in this country is only strengthening zanu hold on power.Does any farmer or businessman/woman who daily deals with zanu ever question their use of violence and the their selective use of the law…?
my mom and dad used to farm in Mt Darwin and were evicted in 2003 I remember back in the 90s in Zimbabwe when there was law and order Murder was a huge deal and the Police then were excellent at apprehending culprits . Zimbabweans are a peace loving nation and murder was not common in the 90s as is now.
Since 2003 I have been living in new Zealand where law and order is steadily in place and where criminals are brought to book, where the police are un corrupt and the justice system in good working order for the people and not politicians
BASICALLY WHAT I AM SAYING IS WITHOUT THE RULE OF LAW YOU HAVE CHAOS
UNTIL THE RULE OF LAW IS ESTABLISHED AND UN CORRUPT ZIMBABWE WILL NEVER EVER PROSPER
Bob and his men are cold blooded murderers, thieving scumbags etc
they have no respect for the rule of law- they have it in their power to stop but they have been overcome by their bloody greed
HIS SINS WILL FOLLOW HIS CHILDREN AND THAT GOES FOR HIS CRONIES
When Bob passes from this world he is surely going to hell and hope he will look from hell and watch his children suffer
When Bob dies, that will be it.
Who knows what’s beyond?
Meantime, Zim is dying.
And most Zimbos would attest that they are in HELL.