Zimbabwe -- Labour Force Stopped from Harvesting

Commercial Farmers' Union ^ | june 26, 2002 | Press Release

[Clive]

Mr Colin Taylor of Insingisi Farm in Bindura, Mashonaland Central has called in to report that a group of youth have stopped his labour force from harvesting citrus on his farm at 11:30 am this morning. The Citrus is valued at over ZD $ 5 million.

Acquisition of the farm was thrown out of court early May on a technicality so this farm is under no legal notice of acquisition.

The youth who live on the farm are in the employ of Mr Saviour Kasukuwere Member of Parliament for Mount Darwin. It is alleged that the Member of Parliament has identified himself to the Taylor's as the beneficiary of the farm under the A2 Model Phase of the Land Reform Programme. Kasukuwere is said to have "acquired" millions of dollars of irrigation equipment which he has diverted to his own use. He has a wheat crop planted on the farm.

The Citrus crop (40 hectares) is for sale to Mazoe Citrus Estates and the farm also has a Z$ 25 million dollar packing shed where the fruit is processed for sale as juice.

The Taylor family were evicted by the youth two months ago and a Supervisor and 50 staff have remained on the farm to harvest the fruit from the 12 year old trees. At least 10 staff were evicted from the orchard today as they were picking fruit. A transporting contractor was also threatened and chased away.

More information will be made available as information comes to hand.

ends

[Clive]

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[Chewbacca]

Just before they kick this farmer off his property he needs to remember to cut down all the citrus trees.

[another cricket]

What to say? The world has gone mad.

a.cricket

[rudehost]

These farmers need to salt the ground before they leave. Not that they need to. With socialists thugs running things nothing will grow there for the next 25 years anyway.

[dougherty]

Cut them down? I say burn them down.

[JoeGar]

The G8 has just pledged to send half of its foreign aid to Africa. Let's hope that none of it goes to Zimbabwe.

[ikka]

When the inevitable happens, LET THEM STARVE.

[I still care]

He doesn't have to - the squatters will kill them anyway. Did you read the post the other day where the squatters pulled out hundreds of mature macadamia trees because they thought they should plant wheat in the area? The farmer kept telling them how much the tree crop was worth and not to do but they were too stupid to care.