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Bid
to save remaining white farmers
Zhean Gwaze,
The Financial Gazette (Zimbabwe)
January 11, 2007
http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=2245
WITH eviction
notices due to expire next month, the Commercial Farmers'
Union (CFU) has met government officials in a last ditch attempt
to get a reprieve for the remaining 600 white commercial farmers
to be allowed to remain on the land.
CFU spokesperson
Emily Crookes this week said the union, which represents mainly
white farmers, had held talks with government officials in a bid
to reach an accommodation to enable the affected farmers to continue
farming.
"We are
in talks with various agriculture government officials to ascertain
the position of farmers as the deadline approaches," Crookes
said, without identifying the officials involved in the meetings.
The deadline
for complying with eviction orders is February 3. It was set after
the promulgation of the Consequential Bill, under which farmers
clinging to gazetted land can be prosecuted and jailed for up to
two years.
The CFU's
membership stood at about 4 000 before government embarked on its
fast-track land reform programme in 2000. The union says now, only
600 of its members are still farming.
But Lands and
Resettlement Minister Didymus Mutasa this week said in press advertisements
that the government would offer farms to "former (white) farm
owners who are genuine farmers who desire to continue farming in
this country."
However, out
of nearly 600 applications from white commercial farmers for 99-year
leases last year, only 16 were successful.
The leases were
given to farmers who have been on their pieces of land for at least
three years. They were vetted by the National Land Board for competence
and commitment to farming before being granted the leases.
"Although
we have only received a few cases of wholesale disruptions, the
most worrying issue is who is taking over the crops. Most of the
crops are from loans that the farmers borrowed from financial institutions,
and if they are chased away, who will take responsibility (for paying
back loans)?" Crookes asked.
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