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Farmers
group says to challenge land seizures
Simplicious
Chirinda, ZimOnline
January 28, 2008
http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2609
HARARE – A Zimbabwean
commercial farmers’ group says it will continue to explore all legal
avenues available to secure justice for white farmers after the
Supreme Court dismissed an application by a farmer who was challenging
the seizure of his property.
The largely white
Justice for Agriculture
(JAG) said it was not surprised at all by the ruling by the Supreme
Court last week adding that there were still other jurisdictions
that farmers could approach in search of justice.
Zimbabwe’s Supreme
Court last Tuesday dismissed an application by William Michael Campbell
challenging the seizure of his farm in Chegutu district. The court
ruled that Harare acted within the law to acquire the property.
The farmer last
year took his case to the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) Tribunal after his lawyers complained that the Supreme Court
was dragging its feet in dealing with the case.
"We remain
determined to finding a lasting and just solution to the crisis
currently facing the agricultural sector. As we speak farmers are
holding meetings with a view to mount a joint application at the
SADC Tribunal.
"But we are
going to appeal first to the Tribunal, then the African Commission
on People’s and Human Rights, the European Court and finally at
The Hague," said JAG President John Werswick.
Last Wednesday,
Lands Minister Didymus Mutasa said the government was ahead with
plans to seize the Chegutu farm despite an appeal at the Tribunal
by Campbell blocking confiscation of the property.
Harare’s land
seizures have resulted in the majority of the about 4 000 white
farmers being forcibly ejected from their properties without being
paid compensation for the land which Mugabe argues was stolen from
blacks in the first place.
The land reforms
have however plunged Zimbabwe into severe food shortages after the
newly resettled black farmers failed to maintain production. – ZimOnline
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