COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION
INFORMATION ROOM

FARM INVASIONS UPDATE - 12 MAY 2000

The Task Force met with President Robert Mugabe this morning to put
forward their concerns about violence and damage. The President has
reiterated that this is to stop and has indicated that his Ministers
will be involved to curb this violence.

REGIONAL REPORTS

Mashonaland Central
Centenary: Demands for food and accommodation continue and war vets have
moved into the manager's house at Westbury.

Horseshoe: All quiet although there has been some movement in the area.

Victory Block: Generally quiet and no confrontation of farmers; requests
for transport have been granted.

Mvurwi: Quiet today, but there is still a presence on some farms and
requests for food and transport continue (the majority of which have so
far been refused).

Tsatsi: Thomas Majuru was in the area yesterday and had a list of
farms/portions of farms wanted. The area is quiet so far today.

Glendale: Chirobi, Norfolk and Bemersyde farms were revisited yesterday
and the area is quiet today.

Mutepatepa/Bindura: The situations at Chiveri and Condwelani have been
resolved and work has been allowed to continue.

Shamva: War vets have asked the owner of Robin Hood Estates for $1.4
million to replace "lost property", which he has already replaced, as
well as for video footage of them of which he is supposedly in
possession.

Mazowe/Concession: War vets went to Raffeen Farm and informed the
foreman that they were going to impound farm vehicles and that the owner
was to collect them from the Police Station in exchange for his farm,
but the owner is not at the farm at the moment.

Harare West/Nyabira: Haydon Farm was invaded and pegged yesterday and
Stableford and PGS were revisited.

Harare: 3 people visited the National Sheep & Goat Abbattoir asking who
owners are and if they could have free meat. They forced workers'
families to go to PGS where they were made to sing. The three returned
to Stapleford.

Mashonaland East
Bromley/Ruwa/Enterprise - There were three more invasions today and
demands on one farm have continued. On another property an onion thief
was claiming to be a war veteran and was beaten in front of the labour
force as an example of the war veterans discipline.

Harare South/Beatrice - Last night there was an armed robbery at
Nyachidze Farm belonging to John Weeks, Beatrice. Mr Weeks was shot in
the abdomen and is in intensive care, but will be alright. One of the
thiefs was shot by Mr Weeks and managed to escape in a vehicle with the
other four men.

Mashonaland West South
Norton - The owner of Parklands has received a letter telling him that
no farming operations can continue and that he must leave the the
country. His labourers were told that the war vets will be doing land
prep with the Parklands tractors and drivers on Kintyre Estate. Last
night the labour were shown that the invaders' weapons work and shots
were fired. A tractor driver was abducted for some time but he is
unharmed.

Selous - Wicklow Farm was invaded yesterday. The owner was absent but
heard about it. On his way back he happened to see the local MP, who
promised he would send some Zanu (PF) people to sort the problem out.
When they arrived they started to assault the invaders but the farmers
intervened.

Chegutu - There is evidently a group of approximately fifty re-invading
Lions Vlei Farm.

Chakari - A group of approximately 30 moved on to Balwearie Farm.
Numbers have increased to 160 on Blackmore Vale farm.

Kadoma - A miner who works for a international Italian mining concern
has had a death threat.

Midlands
Nothing serious to report.

Masvingo
Save Conservancy - Problems continue with large numbers of war veterans
on properties, some war veterans are still occupying safari camps. Game
Scouts are being given a hard time by war veterans. The war vets have
indicated that they will not adhere to the governor or Hunzvi.

Masvingo Central and East - The situation on Lothian farm is still tense
and threatening.

Mwenezi - Massive political violence reported from Maranda and Matibi 1
communal areas, over the weekend. Hospitals and clinic very busy. 3
schools closed this week.

Chiredzi - Ranchers and war vets waited in vain for Task Force to
address them on 9 May after their visit to Mutare, but this never
happened. On the 10th, the Governor addressed a meeting of about 350
people and 20 farmers (where the Task Force were due to talk). His
address included allowing fences to be repaired and to allow
unrestricted tourism and hunting to continue. His presentation also
included the land issue and political aspects.

Mashonaland West North
Banket - Land preparation being prevented on one property, the war vets
are pegging the area for a centre pivot.

Lions Den - Threats continue on one farmer to close down business

Doma -Three farms still cannot establish wheat and one new invasion in
the area.

Chinhoyi - Wheat stoppages, land preparation for tobacco, seed bed
production and tomato work has been affected on some farms.

Some farmers have had to move cattle off their properties.

Trelawney/Darwendale - All quiet

Karoi - War vets are still demanding land. War vets demanded to search
one of the houses for arms and assaults continue on labour.

Ryding school is still closed, meeting being held at 10:30 today.

Matabeleland
Invasions have continued and we expect more invasions over the weekend.

Manicaland
A few new invasions have occurred today in the Mutare area.