Seven African presidents to discuss Zimbabwe farm crisis, Congo war

Black foreman found dead as attacks renewed against Zimbabwean workers

April 20, 2000
Web posted at: 9:53 a.m. EDT (1353 GMT)

In this story: Second farmer murdered had been honored by Mugabe Talks held with farmers' representatives 'We've discussed each others' problems' Some worry that tough action could backfire RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- The presidents of six African nations are expected to meet with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Friday to discuss the deepening Zimbabwe crisis over the occupation of white-owned farms by war veterans and supporters of Mugabe's political party, according to South African sources.

MESSAGE BOARD Zimbabwe land invasions    VIDEO CNN's Mike Hanna reports on the meeting between leaders of the squatters and farmers union. (April 20) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, Laurent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Sam Nujoma of Namibia and Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique will meet with Mugabe in the Zimbabwe resort of Victoria Falls. The leaders also are expected to discuss the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has added to Zimbabwe's economic troubles.

Overnight there were fresh attacks in Zimbabwe, this time against black workers on white-owned farms, while farmers in the Marondera district said they had found the body of a black foreman missing since the death on Saturday of David Stevens, the first of two white farmers to be killed.

The Star quoted Mbeki as saying, "Certainly any instability in the region is a negative. We are very keen that stability should prevail in Zimbabwe."

The Star newspaper reported that Martin Olds, the second farmer to be killed during the crisis, was honored for bravery by Mugabe in 1989.

Citing an aunt of the murdered farmer, The Star said Mugabe had awarded Olds a bronze Medal of Valor after he saved a friend from the jaws of a crocodile on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba.

"A decade ago he was a national hero embraced by Mugabe, and a decade later he is brutally murdered and Mugabe just keeps mum about it," The Star quoted Olds' aunt Joy Smith as saying.

Olds was beaten and shot to death Tuesday on his farm about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southwest of Harare by a group of heavily armed, self-styled veterans of Zimbabwe's 1970s war for liberation.

The attacks on farm workers came after talks between Mugabe, farmers and veterans ended without a resolution.

No details were immediately available on the identity of the foreman, who appeared to have been killed because of his loyalty to Stevens, or on the circumstances of his death, which raised the toll to four after a police officer was killed while trying to help a white landowner.

"There were lots of attacks on farm workers in their compounds last night," a farmer from the Marondera area told Reuters.

"You could hear screams, The police were there but did nothing."

Mugabe mediated a two-hour meeting on Wednesday between leaders representing thousands of squatters occupying white-owned farms and leaders of the Commercial Farmers Union, which represents most of the country's 4,000 white farmers.

"What we have agreed is that hostilities should cease and we should work towards a solution," said war veterans leader Chenjerai Hunzvi.

The council of the farmers' union called an emergency meeting after the talks to discuss their next move.

Also on Wednesday, Zimbabwe's High Court convicted Hunzvi of contempt of court for inciting his followers to occupy the white farms after the invasions were declared illegal.

Judge David Bartlett gave Hunzvi until May 3 to produce proof that he had actively sought to end the land invasion by thousands of his supporters.

In Washington, meanwhile, White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said the United States deplored the violence and a "climate of lawlessness." In the past week, two white farmers and two black members of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have been killed. At least six white farmers were badly beaten.

Lockhart added, "We also deplore President Mugabe's labeling white farmers as the enemy."

After a memorial ceremony on Tuesday to Africans who died in Zimbabwe's liberation war, Mugabe said of the white farmers: "Our present state of mind is that you are now enemies, because you really behaved as enemies of Zimbabwe, that we are really full of anger and make our entire communities angry, and this is why the war veterans now are seizing land."

U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin said, "The government's failure to provide equal protection to all of its citizens and its refusal to implement court orders have grave implications for the rule of law in Zimbabwe."

The day had begun with the occupation of yet another white-owned farm as men claiming to have fought in Zimbabwe's war for independence from Britain and their followers continued to seize land they insist should belong to them.

But after the meeting, Tim Henwood of the Commercial Farmers Union, said, "We've seen each others' side and discussed each others' problems, and I believe that in the interests of national unity we will be able to get to a result that is satisfactory."

The key question in coming days is whether the commitment to a peaceful resolution by the leaders is followed through by their followers. The thousands of squatters who have occupied white-owned farms in recent weeks do not appear likely to withdraw immediately.

The first step, Mugabe said, is that land has to be made available by the farmers. "What are the farmers prepared to do?" he said. "What land are they prepared to yield at the moment?"

Mugabe backs the squatters, who began their campaign in February, days after the defeat of a proposed constitution that would have allowed the government to seize the white-owned farms without paying compensation.

Fearing worse violence, farm union officials advised white farmers to evacuate their families from the western province of Matabeleland.

After the meeting, Mugabe said those farmers should be able to return.

"If the war vets can pledge not to interfere with them, I don't see any reason why they should not go back," he said. Mugabe said that with the squatters' promise to refrain from violence he saw no reason to deploy extra police.

The farmers, meanwhile, feel abandoned and defenseless, without support from their president, the police unwilling to help them and the courts essentially ineffective.

"We're scared. We've got nobody to look after us," farmer Martin Pereira said. "We are totally alone ... we just have to trust in what happens."

Many are thinking of turning their backs on Zimbabwe and emigrating. There is little confidence in those who say they're committed to a peaceful resolution.

White Zimbabweans of British origin have been applying to renew their British citizenship against the day they fear they may be forced to flee. Lines have also been reported at the South African and Australian embassies.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, while calling the killings of the farmers barbaric, also indicated that tough action against Mugabe could backfire. Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said last week that punishing Mugabe by getting the country suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations could help the president portray himself as a martyr.

Opposition politicians say Mugabe organized the violent occupation of white-owned farms and other political attacks because he fears his party can't win elections expected to be called in May.

"He's been trying to create the conditions necessary for a state of emergency because that's the only way he can postpone this election," said David Coltart, an official with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

Senior International Correspondent Mike Hanna, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Mugabe mediates talks between Zimbabwe squatters, farmers union
April 19, 2000
Zimbabwe President Mugabe labels white farmers 'enemies'
April 18, 2000
Zimbabwe president tells white farmers he'll regain control in land crisis
April 17, 2000
White farmer killed as Zimbabwe land crisis deepens
April 15, 2000
Zimbabwe's vice president asks squatters to leave white farms
April 13, 2000
Zimbabwe Parliament dissolves ahead of elections
April 11, 2000

Africa News Online
U.S. Department of State, Human Rights Reports for 1999
Zimbabwe Independent Newspaper Online
Zimbabwe Page
Land Issue in Zimbabwe
Commercial Farmers' Union
Zimbabwe Government Online

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.