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Govt backtracks on white farmers' payouts
Zhean Gwaze, The Financial Gazette (Zimbabwe)
June 22, 2006

http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=1372

THE government has reportedly reneged on its pledge to compensate fully, displaced white commercial farmers for developments on their acquired properties.

This represents a major government volte-face and could draw sharp attacks from the international community, which has accused Zimbabwe of spurning international advice on how to proceed with land reform.

Although exact figures could not be ascertained at the time of going to press, displaced white farmers this week claimed that they have since been advised that contrary to earlier official assurances, they will now get only between five and 10 percent of the total value of infrastructural developments on the farms.

Government had pledged to pay for the developments in full and had proceeded to set aside $820.8 billion for the exercise in the 2006 national budget, which critics say falls far short of the true market value of the improvements on the farms up to the time the fast-track land reform exercise began. The authorities insist that compensation for farms acquired under the controversial land reform exercise, which has led to tragic consequences for the economy, is the responsibility of former colonial master, Britain.

Government, which accuses Britain of pushing for regime change in Zimbabwe, says this is what was agreed at the Lancaster House Conference of 1979. The British government, however, says it made no commitment to compensate dispossessed farmers. Between 1980 and 1985 it provided 47 million pounds for land reform under the United Kingdom Land Resettlement Grant. The grant was signed in 1981 and was terminated in 1996 with three million pounds still unspent. The British government has maintained that it will support a "transparent, just and fair land reform" programme implemented in accordance with the principles agreed at the 1998 Land Conference held in Harare.

The latest turn of events will stir up bitter feelings among the over 4 500 farmers who have waited for compensation for the past six years. Farming sector sources indicated that only 200 farmers in near-destitute situations have accepted the revised offers. Sources said the rest of the white farmers were still trying to persuade the Land Reform Ministry to revise the figures.

"It puts the industry into disarray," lamented John Worsick, president of Justice for Agriculture, a radical farming pressure group.

Contacted for comment this week, Lands and Land Reform Minister Didymus Mutasa darkly hinted that government was unequivocal on the issue. He said compensation would be based on calculations by government evaluators without saying exactly how they would assess improvements on those farms where movable property had been looted.

"What is important is that the offer is available for those who qualify and the farmers know the modalities," he said. "Of course they (farmers) can do their independent assessments, but we will go by what is done by a government evaluator," he added.

Mutasa dismissed the farmers’ complaints as "statements from people who just want more money".

This is not the first time the government has tried to coerce displaced farmers to accept paltry compensation offers. In 2003, the government paid less than $100 million instead of the $72 billion it should have coughed up to compensate displaced farmers. By then the former commercial farmers claimed that $23 billion worth of equipment was looted, seized or vandalised before and after the expiry of Section 8 orders.

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