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White
farmers shun compensation exercise
ZimOnline
November
17, 2006
http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=480
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s
white farmers are shunning a government exercise that began this
week to pay compensation for improvements on farms seized during
a controversial land reform exercise six years ago, ZimOnline has
learnt.
In a notice
published in state newspapers since last week, President Robert
Mugabe’s government invited the former commercial farmers to contact
the Ministry of Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement for their compensation.
Sources within
the Lands Ministry told ZimOnline yesterday that the call had received
very few takers because of the paltry amounts that the cash-strapped
government was offering to the dispossessed white farmers.
"We published
the list over the weekend but there has been a terrible response
over the matter," said the source. "It seems the owners
are not happy with the compensation the government is proposing."
ZimOnline understands
that the lowest paid commercial farmer would walk away with a paltry
Z$42 100 000 while the highest paid farmer will collect Z$1 005
600 000.
A spokesperson
of the largely white Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), Emily Crookes,
confirmed that their members had not responded positively to the
government’s call.
"We have
received very few calls from our members showing interest in the
compensation exercise. But we have advised our members to get the
details in writing rather than shun the exercise completely.
"Of course
the farmers are not happy with the compensation plan as it does
not factor in the land," she said.
The Zimbabwe
government has sternly refused to pay compensation for the land
saying it will only pay compensation for improvements on the farms
such as boreholes, dams and buildings.
State Security
Minister Didymus Mutasa, who is also in charge of the government’s
land reform programme yesterday confirmed that there has been a
lukewarm response from white farmers over the offer.
But Mutasa insisted
that the government would forge ahead with plans to pay off the
farmers.
"We are
not worried at all over the poor response. It could have been better
had they come to our offices with their grievances.
"But we
will not pay for the farms. Compensation is just for the improvements
made. The farmers did not buy the farms – they displaced our ancestors,"
said Mutasa.
Commenting on
the compensation system yesterday, Renson Gasela, an agricultural
expert and senior official in the splintered opposition Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) party, dismissed the proposed monetary
figures as "ridiculous."
"The figures
are just pathetic that’s why the government has kept them a secret.
Only a thoroughly desperate farmer can take up the offer,"
he said.
At least 600
out of an estimated 4 500 white farmers are still on their land
after Mugabe seized thousands of farms as part of his government’s
land reform programme.
But the farm
seizures have resulted in massive food shortages over the past six
years because the government failed to support the new black land
owners who were resettled on the farms. – ZimOnline
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