COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION

INFORMATION ROOM

FARM INVASIONS UPDATE - 9 MAY 2000

Mashonaland Central
Centenary - The situations at Maclear and Mavuradonha have been
stabalised and one owner has returned, while the other intends to in due
course.

Glendale - Brecon Farm was revisited yesterday. Some war vets in a
white mercedes visited Mazowe Citrus and were demanding that the owner
hand over part of the land to them. It is suspected that it was the
same group that visited Chirobi yesterday and advised the owner that
they would return to peg his farm.

Mutepatepa/Bindura - War vets at Condwelani Farm have put in a claim for
goods lost when they moved off previously and have also climbed over a
security fence to fish in a dam close to one of the homesteads on the
farm.

Shamva - Koodoo Vlei Farm was invaded by a group of 20 this morning.

Harare West/Nyabira - PGS Farm and Stapleford Farm were visited
yesterday and a group of about 500 has returned to Stapleford today.

All other areas were quiet as at midday.

Mashonaland East
Lonely Park continues to be an issue discussed at provincial and
national task force level.

Marondera - One new invasion on Dudley Estates today.

Harare South - There was a new invasion on Nyambiri today. Four men
armed with shotguns were sighted on Braemar and Longlands on Friday. 7
people visited Bhara Bhara seeking a monetary donation with threats of a
large occupation to arrive.

Beatrice - Maasplein Farm has been evacuated, and his family moved to
Harare. A death threat has been given on a farmer, his wife, and his
son's family in the area, and they have also evacuated their farms.

Mashonaland West North
Doma, Banket, Tengwe and Trelawney were all quiet today.

There has been prevention of land prep for wheat on Gainfall and
Piringani today. There was a tense situation at Murereka Township, and
some people were assaulted on Sunday night. There has been more trouble
in the township today, but no details are available.

On Renrock Farm in Karoi the foreman's house has been burnt down.

Raffingora - all the people that were in a safe house yesterday have
returned to their farms. No known movement has taken place in the
Raffingora area.

3 new properties were invaded in the region.

Mashonaland West South
Death threats are continuing throughout the region, including a 14 year
old boy who has been threatened twice and had a knife held to his
throat. It is difficult for farmers to know how to handle these threats
in the light of the recent murders of farmers.

A farmer's lorry has been commandeered in the Chakari area to transport
war veterans.

Matabeleland
Fairly quiet and 80% of farmers are now back on their farms.

Masvingo
A few new invasions continue in the Mwenezi area.

Please note that we made an incorrect report yesterday concerning Hippo
Valley Estates. Below is the response we have had from the
above-mentioned.

"Your statement dated 8 May 2000 on farms referred to the situation at
Hippo Valley Estates. Contrary to what is in the statement, there was
no political agenda and the illegal strike action at the Estate was an
industrial relations problem involving cane-cutters who were demanding
an increase in the cane-cutting bonus.
Hippo Valley has received active assistance from the police and the
situation has been quiet for the last two days. Employee
representatives and company management are in discussions which are
aimed at resolving the problem."

Our apologies for the incorrect report.

Manicaland
Quiet

Midlands
Quiet

Note
An appeal to ANYONE that hears any rumours about incidents of violence
relating to farm invasions: Please confirm any reports you may hear
with the CFU before anything else. This will eliminate unnecessary panic
as well as advise the CFU, who will be able to investigate and confirm
whether true.