COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION
FARM INVASIONS UPDATE : 6TH MAY,
2000.
This report was not sent out on 6th May due to a power
failure at the
CFU and attendant problems with the Server - we apologise for
the delay.
CENTRAL MASHONALAND.
The
situation in Centenary still fairly volatile. One new incident on
Westbury
Farm where demands were made that the homestead be vacated to
make way for
war vets. The negotiation team are to go there today at
11.00am and to Mvurwi
at
2.30pm.
MIDLANDS
Quiet
MATABELELAND
Some
20 people arrived at Heany Junction Farm. One of them was a war
vet and the
rest were people from a nearby communal area. No
aggression. Two people
approached the farmers wife and a meeting was
arranged with the farmer for
the following day.
MASVINGO
Senuko Ranch -The game
scouts that were reported to be abducted on
Senuko Ranch within the
conservancy have been beaten up quite badly and
have been sent to Chiredzi
for medical examination.
Another Motorola Handset has been
stolen. This brings the total to 2
which are in the possession of the war
vets. It is believed that they
are now using them to communicate with each
other. The main concern is
that no radio messages\communications between
farmers can be made. Some
farmers are dependent on the radio as no PTC lines
are available or are
malfunctioning.
These war vets have made
a threat towards Kenneth Moyo, a staff member
of the Senuko Ranch. They have
indirectly threatened the guests in one
lodge by saying that if they see
guests within the territory they will
kill them.
No response
from police.
It is believed that the leader of the war vets on
Sango Ranch is
unbalanced. Police at Chipangai are presently investigating.
There is
no change from yesterday concerning the situation on the western
and
eastern boundary.
War vets have also moved into the Suni
Pan area.
Chisakwe - have been advised that they will
be invaded today or Monday.
New invasions in Mwenezi Limburgia
Ranch. Pegged and moved off - numbers
unknown. Umfula Ranch pegged and moved
off - 11 war vets.
Klipdrift Ranch Mwenezi - now 500
people.
Mucheni Ranch - now 200 people.
Labour unrest at
Hippo Valley Estates for past 3 days mainly caused by
cane cutters demanding
an increase in salary. Beatings have taken place
and ZRP had to use teargas
to disperse the crowd.
On Malilangwe ranch there has been a turn
around of events. After an
attempted abduction the war vets have now
indicated to management that
they will not in any way interfere with farming
operations. It appears
that either the Governor or Officer Commanding Dispol
have spoken to the
leadership.
War vets in the Mwenezi area
are in possession of a list concerning all
properties. Details of this list
indicate all foreign owners of
properties and farmers in possession of more
than one farm.
One resident war vet on Yetham and Marah farms
continues to poach with
his 303 rifle. He is now poaching close to the
actual homestead.
A ZANU\PF Rally marched in Masvingo this
morning shouting derogatory
slogans in Shona..
MASH
EAST
Marondera
Correction on last national
Sitrep - Botha's Rust is a continuing and
not a new invasion. Rufaro -
invaders who left the farm earlier this
week returned yesterday. On Cambridge
there are no resident squatters
but two cattle were slashed possibly by
squatters from Dormervale.
Gresham - confusing signals from war vets are
making it difficult to
ensure workers safety. The Ruzawi area under self
styled warlord Wilfred
Marimo is continuously
volatile.
Macheke\Virginia
Yesterday's operation
on the Stevens farm to remove crops, cattle and
equipment went well and
continues today - the area is
quiet.
Enterprise
Remani - interference with
land prep for wheat crop continues.
Ivordale - extreme pressure to
provide transport for farm labour and
invaders to attend a rally at Musami St
Paul's Mission, which falls into
a different constituency. Lonely Park
remains evacuated. Work has
resumed on Rudolphia and Devonia but the farm
managers are not being
allowed to return.
There is a problem
with war vets leadership in the area and a
requirement for Provincial War Vet
Chairman Kochi to address all camp
commanders who continue to do their own
thing and will not be
disciplined.
Shamva road - youths
continue to obstruct traffic.
Wedza - 7 accused of arson on Dean
appeared in Court yesterday. Out on
bail with warning to desist from
harassing labour. Back to Court in 2
weeks time. Identity of an eighth
accused known but still at large.
Following visit of National
Task Force to Wedza there are indications
that things are cooling off in the
area. War Vet chief Chigwedere has
apologised for the arson which took place
on Dean.
Harare South\Beatrice - Braemar, Dunottar, Cawdor
Tantallon and
Edinborough -these farms adjacent to Chitungwiza continue to be
affected
by invaders from there. Stoweridge Farm - the old Blackfordby
-
yesterday rain caused invaders to abandon activities but it is
believed
they will be back.
Four farmers in the area received letters
yesterday from warvet leader
Mavima Solo "requesting" their attendance at a
meeting at his base at
Charter Grading Shed at the 38km peg on the Beatrice
road. The farmers
intend to comply.
Featherstone - After
escalation of activity earlier in the week the area
has been quiet for the
last two days.
MANICALAND
Quiet
COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION
INFORMATION ROOM
FARM INVASIONS UPDATE
- 7 MAY 2000
MASHONALAND CENTRAL
The national taskforce
visited Centenary and Mvurwi yesterday afternoon,
but the local war vets
leadership declined to attend the meeting. They
stated that their hierarchy
had not briefed them on the national
agreement and that they had not been
informed about the meeting through
official channels. The Secretary General
of the War Vets went to the
extent of going to collect the provincial war
vets chairman by
helicopter, but he still declined to attend the meeting.
Centenary and
Mvurwi meetings have been rescheduled to Friday 12th May.
Centenary
The situation is still tense on Mavuradonha and
Maclear Farms where war
vets have occupied the farm cottages. The war vets
had initiated the
occupation of a farmhouse on Westbury Farm, but the
situation was
defused. Today, there are large gatherings of war vets and ZANU
PF. Two
roadblocks have been set up, but there were no major incidents
by
midday.
Horseshoe
The area remains stable, with a strong
chain of command on the part of
the war vets.
Mvurwi
Last
night there was tense period at Hariana Farm when a noisy crowd
proceeded
towards the main homestead. In the event, it was a group that
had come to
collect the farm labour for a rally and there was no
incident.
Tsatsi
Relatively quiet, but there was one new, but non-hostile
invasion of
Home Eden Farm.
Glendale No new developments. The MP of
the area addressed a large ZANU
PF rally at Nzimbo in Chiweshe over the
weekend. The message of
non-violence and no disruption to work passed on at
the rally.
Mutepatepa
Muteptepa North has been occupied by large
groups from mount Darwin
(transported using lorry commandeered from a
Centenary farmer). Tara and
Minto are tense, but there have been no major
incidents. The group 70
that arrived on Granta yesterday has been peaceful so
far.
Shamva The area has been quiet for several days and there have been
no
major incidents over the weekend up to midday today.
Mazowe
There was a ZANU PF rally of about 1000 on Trianda farm yesterday,
but
there were no major incidents.
Harare West/Nyabira
Being
so close to Harare, this area is subjected to intense weekend
activity. The
situation is fuelled by different factions staking a claim
to the same farms.
Groups from Harare Province, Mashonaland Central and
Mashonaland West are
active in the area.
a.. One farm - Goodhope has had visitation from
all three groups.
b.. Yesterday the Mazowe ad Harare groups had a violent
confrontation
on Komani Estate. The owner, who was an eye-witness, describes
the scene
as "brutal".
c.. ZRP Marlborough intervened to control the
situation.
d.. The group that started pegging residential plots last
weekend at
Granlea Park, which is owned by a Harare Businessman dispersed
aftera
meeting with the owner.
e.. The owners of Unzururu Farm have
been told to vacate their two
occupied farms and to consolidate on their
third farm
f.. Dover farm was visited by the group that invaded R & B
ranches
four weeks ago and this same group went on to visit Rydale Farm.
g.. Carswell Farm was visited yesterday and a portion was pegged.
h.. Warwick Farm was also visited yesterday
MASH EAST
Dudley Estate
has been pegged, war vets left and announced they would
return next weekend
for payment. Vrystaat Farm - owner has 3 farms -
threatened by war vets and
made to sign over two of his farms.
Macheke/Virginia - Renegade war vet
group under leadership of Mr Makundi
- attempting to get signatures out of
farmers to in due course give up
farms. The farmers have a good relationship
with Mr Muchemwa, who is
also a war vet leader, and they have told him about
the new invaders and
he agrees that this is unacceptable. Mr Muchemwa went to
Murewa to try
and meet with Mr Makundi and plans to meet Mr Kochi the
provincial war
vets chairman tomorrow to discuss this.
MIDLANDS
In the Gweru, Lalapanzi area a farmer who operates a butchery on
the
farm was visited by five war vets wanting to purchase meat - they
then
entered into discussion with the farmer about the adjacent farm (Mlizu
-
on the property) which they felt could be acquired for settlement.
A
long discussion ensued. The war veterans advised they would return
to
the farm on Monday to continue negotiations.
Safago Farm, Shurugwi
were told to expect 100 war veterans. 12 war vets
arrived for a short time
leaving behind 5 war vets - busy pegging.
War vets at Karamite Farm
Shurugwi, became vocal after drinking. Fears
that they might invade the
homestead caused the farmer and his wife to
spend the night with his brother
next door. When they returned to the
farm to collect their guard they were
told they should meet with the war
vets at the police station. As yet nothing
has happened.
MATABELELAND
Heany Junction Farm was visited by
50-60 war vets/communal crowd
yesterday - today 27 returned and had a meeting
with the farmer and
returned home peacefully.
MANICALAND - Nothing to
report
MASH WEST SOUTH
Had lot of activity today a number of
farms visited, a few new
invasions, including
Sivundazi which is
occupied as is Riverside, also occupied is Chigwell,
and Hippovale. Also on
Beersheba had group of about 40 broke the chain
to the homestead gate and
demanded that 850 ha of the farm be signed
over to them otherwise they would
kill the farmer and burn the farmhouse
down . Had to sign under the
circumstances.
MASH WEST NORTH
Umboe Farm invaded at about 7.30
am. Had meeting with farmer and left at
about 8.00, saying they would take
over the farm once harvesting was
complete. Want maize meal and meat tomorrow
and they were planning to
move from farm to farm.
MASVINGO
Mwenesi - Umfula Ranch invaded by 11 war vets, pegged and moved
off.
Lumbergia - no's unknown, very peaceful, came on and then moved off.
Ingwe Camp/Songo Ranch taken over by 850 upset war vets. Unhappy
because
they were not addressed this morning by war vet leaders. A senior
member
of the camp staff is negotiating with the senior war vet.
Regional
Executive CFU on his way to the police station now to try and get
them
to intervene.