Posted on 02/04/2007 2:54:12 PM PST by blam
Zimbabwe's farm deadline lapses
Thousands of white farmers had their properties seized
The last remaining white farmers in Zimbabwe are resisting a government deadline for them to leave their land. Many of the 400 farmers had until the weekend to hand properties over to new black owners or face prosecution.
But the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) has advised members to resist - saying arrest and prosecution is their only way of getting a hearing in court.
Zimbabwe's food production has plummeted since land reforms that saw thousands of white-owned farms seized.
A government deadline for almost all the remaining farms to be transferred lapsed on Saturday.
But CFU official Emily Crookes said the farmers hoped they would be allowed to stay on to harvest their crops - as President Robert Mugabe has promised.
"Some farmers are still a bit anxious about what the future is going to be," she told AFP news agency.
Sugar farmers contacted by the BBC said they expected arrests to begin on Monday.
Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of southern Africa, has had to rely on food imports since the seizure of white-owned farms began seven years ago.
President Robert Mugabe launched the programme with the aim of redressing economic imbalances left over from British colonial rule.
But critics say the often violent campaign has devastated Zimbabwe's agriculture-based economy, leading to massive food shortages.
Zim Ping.
Oprahs friend.
Africa wins again...
Resistance to these seizures appears to have resulted in violent death in all the cases I've read about. So the advice to resist is questionable, to say the least. Cruddy situation.
"When will the western imperialists stop oppressing Africa?"
Thank you Kremlin for giving us this stupidity.
Let the rest of the country wallow in its just rewards.
Bring back cannibalism. Beats growing crops.
Can you imagine if the NHL was required to dump all the white players and use only blacks? Heh. It boggles.
We will be sending aid (if we aren't already) to the poor starving masses as a reward for Mugabe's racism.
Can you believe the last quote:
"But critics say the often violent campaign has devastated Zimbabwe's agriculture-based economy, leading to massive food shortages"
Talk about your lazy journalism. It would be easy to get farm statistics for the falling production, and, combined with the knowledge that the only change has been farm ownership, conclude that seizing the farms has resulted in reduced production. It is not an opinion of some critics, but an established fact.
Let them starve. I will not support sending one dime of aid to Zimbabwe until this madman is put out to pasture.
Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of southern Africa, has had to rely on food imports since the seizure of white-owned farms began seven years ago.
They are trying to save a way of life that was doomed when Mugabe took over. The time and energy they are expending trying to save their farms would be better spent building a life elsewhere.
As to those left in the country, let them starve and let Mugabe and his followers be torn to pieces. Jimmah Carter can give the Eulogy.
***But the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) has advised members to resist - saying arrest and prosecution is their only way of getting a hearing in court. ***
I thinkm its a pretty good way to get your throat cut, and thrown in a stew pot.
Get the hell out while the getting is good. I cant belieev white can be this dumb. They wont get a fair hearing in any court in that country.
Havent they been watching the Libby trial in DC right here?
You are right, and the handwriting is on the wall for whites in South Africa.
ANDD....
south africa will suffer the same collapse
then it"ll be send us more money yu rich ex slaver imperialists
you need to share with us - the oppressed
Load up the irrigation machines with saltwater, run them for a week, then burn everything down and leave.
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Only 400 white farms left in Zimbabwe...and now the farmers are going to be arrested for feeding starving Zimbabweans.
Orwell's got nothing on Mugabe.
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