Posted on 07/11/2004 5:24:49 AM PDT by Clive
CHIREDZI - About US$1 million worth of oranges meant for the Russian market stand to be wasted in Mkwasine where Zanu PF militias have camped at a citrus farm for two weeks in a spirited effort to evict its owner, a white commercial farmer, in contempt of a court order.
The militias, operating on the orders of two suspected Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives and a policeman based in Harare, who have earmarked the lucrative property for themselves, have given the family of Eric Harrison today (Sunday) as the deadline for them to move out of the farm or be physically evicted.
Over the past two weeks they have laid siege at the farm looting oranges and also turning away haulage trucks coming to pick up the fruit destined for export. They also chased away the farm workers, making it impossible for the citrus orchards to be irrigated.
Apart from that, they have also rendered the farm unsafe for the Harrison family who say they now live in fear of being attacked.
According to the family, the invaders who are sometimes accompanied by police officers during the day, every night bang at their doors, singing and shouting obscenities at the family.
Yesterday, at one point, Harrison(64) and his son Russell (32) had to hide in their locked house with all the curtains closed as the militia surrounded the property threatening to "deal" with them.
Interviewed by The Standard while holed in the house, Harrison said he feared anything could happen to them and had already requested friends to come to their assistance.
"We are in a difficult position. We have no arms. We can't defend ourselves. They seem to be everywhere outside," said Harrison sounding distressed.
The two only came out when they realised that the militias had left the house and were busy looting large quantities of their maize and sugar.
Their ordeal started about two weeks ago when three people who identified themselves as "A2 farmers" arrived at the farm in a pick up truck with two policemen and informed them that they were the new owners of the property.
They (intruders) left shortly afterwards but returned armed with iron bars and chased all the workers from the shed where the oranges are graded and packed, effectively bringing work to a halt.
Clements Kwirira, Harrison's lawyer said realising the gravity of the matter they sought an interdict to stop the intruders from disturbing operations at the farm.
The lawyer said the police had assured him that no one was going to set foot on the farm but what was happening was contrary to the undertaking given by the Officer Commanding Chiredzi.
"We went to the courts seeking prohibitory and mandatory interdicts and these were granted by the courts and I do not know what is happening now," he said.
Police Spokesperson Andrew Phiri last night said he could not comment on the issue as he was yet to get in touch with Chiredzi police to get an appreciation of the situation on the ground.
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"Clements Kwirira, Harrison's lawyer said realising the gravity of the matter they sought an interdict to stop the intruders from disturbing operations at the farm."
Why do they think this will work. It never does.
They have two choices.....leave or die. The tide of history is flowing out and they will be either drug out to sea or be drowned where they stand.
Harrison's best response would have been to burn the farm and buildings, destroy all the equipment, and salt the earth. There's something to be said for the "Wyatt's Torch" approach. Unfortunately, he no longer has the resources to salt the ground, but he could probably catch a few of the looters in a fire.
I wouldn't leave a single tree standing.
I cannot understand for the life of me why anybody would stay in that hell hole. It doesn't matter what you have or don't have except for your life. Stupidity there must be contagious.
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