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Human Security of the Farm worker
Coalition on Conflict Management
May 10, 2002

A coalition of non-governmental organisations dealing with conflict management has noted with great concern the continuation of human rights violations on farm workers throughout the country. These violations have been noted on both designated and undesignated farms during the fast track land redistribution exercise.

Farm workers are among the poorest members of our society and yet, the resettlement programme has been instituted without any consideration for the welfare of thousands of farm workers and their families. The methods being used to implement the resettlement programme violate the basic human rights of the farm workers. The programme has resulted in a sudden termination of their employment resulting in an immediate loss of income with no provision for compensation or retrenchment packages. There is the forced and oftentimes violent removal from their homes and the destruction of their property. These people can no longer feed their families nor educate their children. This situation does not provide any form of hope and security for the thousands of displaced farm workers and their families.

With the exception of a very small number, the farm workers have not benefited from the land resettlement exercise. A large majority are the descendants of people of foreign origin and are therefore not considered Zimbabwean citizens. This is despite the immense contribution made by generations of farm workers to Zimbabwe’s economy.

The coalition believes that the situation of the farm workers can be improved in a number of ways:

1. Farm workers must be acknowledged as workers and as such their rights must be respected and enforced.
2. The brutal assaults on farm workers and the wanton destruction of their property must stop and their security guaranteed.
3. The land resettlement programme must incorporate a system of compensation for the workers who have lost their homes and/or employment as a result of its implementation.
4. The citizenship rights of Zimbabwean farm workers of foreign origin must be enforced.
5. Farm workers must be considered for resettlement.

The coalition notes that apart from all these human rights abuses, the bio-physical environment is not being spared. There is massive destruction of the environment characterised by tree cutting for either shelter or clearing of land for cultivation, uncontrolled hunting and fish harvesting in search of food. These practices are not sustainable and will lead to widespread environmental degradation which will make the land unsuitable for any form of commercial or subsistence farming.

Contact: Coalition on Conflict Management, c/o Box CY 369 Causeway, Harare; email novasc@ecoweb.co.zw, telephone +263-(0)4-791 994

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