Mugabe to invoke land seizure powers
White farmers agree to end political activity as opposition feels the heat
Chris McGreal in Harare
President Robert Mugabe will invoke special powers next week to seize white-owned farmland without compensation and redistribute it to poor blacks, effectively legalising the recent occupation of farms led by veterans of the independence war.
Mr Mugabe's spokesman, George Charamba, said the president would give himself the authority to continue the confiscations for six months.
The Zimbabwe move follows the failure of talks in London last week aimed at resolving the land issue. The British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, offered British aid to buy out white-owned farms, but the delegation of three Zimbabwe ministers refused to give a commitment to end the violence in the country.
The opposition accused Mr Mugabe of misusing his powers. The leader of the white farmers union, David Hasluck, said: "The [union] feels that this is a lack of good faith on behalf of the government while we are trying to negotiate in good faith with the war veterans in an attempt to stop violence and prepare the situation for a free and fair election."
Mr Cook, said: "The confiscation of farms without compensation would be a big step backwards. There can be no justification for this. This cannot be the way to solve the genuine problems of land reform."
The announcement from Mr Mugabe's office appears to reflect a new confidence before the parliamentary elections, which are expected to be called soon.
Increasing violence against and intimidation of the government's opponents, and an agreement by white farmers that effectively ends their political activity in many rural areas, has delivered a severe blow to the campaign to topple Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.
In a sign that the opposition is shying away from further confrontation the trades unions congress called off the strikes and protest rallies planned to mark May Day, and asked its members to stay at home and pray.
However, the main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), insisted that his supporters would not be intimidated. On Mon day more than 3,000 MDC supporters gathered in Harare to protest against the government and encourage voters not to be intimidated. But the impact of the coercion could be seen at a rally in the Harare township of Chitungwiza last Sunday, when fewer than 200 MDC supporters turned out. One young man said that his family had urged him not to go. "People are very afraid to show they support Tsvangirai," he said.
Zanu-PF has effectively conceded a general election victory to the opposition in the cities, leaving rural areas to decide whether the ruling party will be humiliated at the ballot box.
But that issue appears to have been settled by an agreement between the Commercial Farmers Union, which represents most of the country's 4,500 white farmers, and the war veterans' leader, Chenjerai "Hitler" Hunzvi.
Mr Hunzvi has promised to end the violence in which at least 14 farmers and farm workers have been killed, and hundreds beaten. In return, the union has agreed that its members will stop supporting the MDC and curtail opposition rallies and activities on their farms.
It is a blow to the opposition, which has relied on white farmers and businessmen for funds, communications and transport in the campaign, and was hoping to gather considerable backing from farm workers.
The white farmers' evident support for the opposition increased the government's fear that many black labourers and their families were swinging behind the MDC. But the widespread intimidation and scattered violence unleashed during the land invasions has effectively corralled the farm workers under Zanu-PF control.
Labourers are being subjected to political indoctrination and forced to denounce the opposition. It is unlikely that many will dare to vote against the government.
Mr Tsvangirai clearly feels betrayed. "The farmers and farming leaders are wrong to be negotiating with outlaws," he said. "They are pursuing an unsustainable strategy. The farmers must be advised that we must first have the resurrection of law and order."
The Guardian Weekly 4-5-2000, page 2