First white Zim farmerforcibly evicted

2002-08-14 13:44

Harare - A Zimbabwean white farmer on Wednesday became the first reported to be forcibly ejected from his property since a government eviction order last week, a farming official said.

Terry Hinde, aged about 60, was preparing to leave his farm of 27 years under pressure from blacks resettled at his farm, said Jenni Williams, a spokesperson for Justice for Agriculture (JAG).

"Reports received from Bindura indicated that the Hinde family are in the process of being evicted from their Condwelani Farm, which is under compulsory acquisition," Williams said.

She said the family, which had called for a removal firm, had been pushed into one wing of the house "whilst militant settlers on the other half move household furniture onto the lawn".

The government set a deadline of midnight last Thursday for nearly 3 000 farmers to quit their property under President Robert Mugabe's controversial programme to redistribute land from minority whites to marginalised blacks.

Williams said Hinde, his son Chris and their families would take urgent legal action against the eviction, but were leaving their homestead "for safety reasons".

Police were on their way to the farm, she added.

The Hinde family's legal action will be based on a precedent set last week by a High Court ruling that the government must notify the title holder to a property before the land can be seized.

Watchful eye

Williams said: "It is confirmed that no acquisition notices were filed with bond holders - Barclays Bank."

Mugabe said on Monday that those ordered off their farms should vacate without delay.

"We shall keep a watchful eye on what is happening on the farms. Those who think (former white minority leader) Ian Smith can rally the white folk as he did in the UDI (pre-independence) days, and rally them for another war, should think again, while there is still time for them to do so," the president said.

Of the 2 900 who have been served with eviction notices, about 1 100 have left their homes to stay in urban areas or resorts, or move overseas, according to JAG.

The main farmers' body, the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), said those still with crops in the ground or animals still to be disposed of have stayed on their land.

If fully enforced, the eviction orders would affect not only the farmers and their dependents but more than 250 000 farm workers and their families, or more than one million people.

The CFU said it had received "no reports of undue violence" on the farms.

"So far today things have been relatively quiet. We have one farmer under pressure to leave the farm in Bindura, but generally speaking things are peaceful," said a spokesperson for the CFU. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA