I t was just announced that Mugabe will nationalize (confiscate) the remainder of the (roughly 500) farms in Zimbabwe that are owned by White farmers.

I heard no other details that might be of interest to hunters.

Zanu PF to seize remaining white-owned land

author/source:Zim Online (SA)

published:Mon 13-Dec-2004

posted on this site:Mon 13-Dec-2004



Harare - Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF party has resolved to seize all land from the few white farmers still remaining in the country, according to a confidential report of the party's key central committee leaked to Zim Online. The central committee is Zanu PF's highest decision-making body outside congress and its report, which was adopted by the party's congress last week, forms the party's working plan, guiding its actions and policies in government. Noting "successes" already scored under the government's chaotic and often violent land reforms, the central committee resolved that "all whites that were left with farms must vacate those farms including the (Roy) Bennetts." Bennett is a white Member of Parliament for the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party. He is in jail after Zanu PF legislators used their majority in Parliament to imprison him for 12 months for shoving Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, during debate last May. The central committee resolution, which party insiders said was certain to be implemented in coming months, will see about 500 white farmers still holding on to farms lose their properties to the state.



According to the 2004 annual report of the Commercial Farmers Union that represents white farmers, out of the 4 500 white farmers in Zimbabwe four years ago, only 500 were still fully or partially farming. The central committee resolution however contradicts claims by Mugabe and his government that they have completed land reforms and there will be no more land seizures in Zimbabwe. At least nine white farmers were murdered and thousands of their black farm workers injured by marauding Zanu PF militants who invaded and seized white-owned farms in the last four years. Mugabe and his government refused to act against the farm invaders saying the farm seizures were genuine demonstrations against land hunger. Food production fell by 60 percent because of disruptions caused in the agricultural sector by the farm invasions and Zimbabwe has escaped starvation in the last three years only because donors chipped in with food. The economy has also been in a painful freefall for the last four years.



http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=10781







EDIT: This has no effect on most big game hunting, which is done in National Parks and Safari Areas.

does anyone know if the refrence to "farms" is limited to those used for agricultural growing only... or have they always included hunting operations in this "farms" label?

I say they should salt the earth. Poison the bore holes. Burn the homes. Then move.

where is the outrage in all this. Why isn't there outrage like once was seen about south africa. Why you ask it is because of race. If the whites where taking from the blacks in such a manner a mugabe there would be world wide outrage the UN would be involved it would be a big deal. it is all kinda a double standard. Didn't things in africa run better when the british empire was in control?? no the country will go to shit and guess what mugabe will be the ruler of what a bunch of shit.

I suppose that will put a stop to hunting in Zimbabwe? Unless you don't care who profits from your hunt.

This was a topic on Rush Limbaugh yesterday, but nary a peep out of our freedom-loving liberal press. I guess only blacks get oppressed.

Maybe they aren't hungry enough yet.

You never know... Friends of mine were driven off their farm by armed police a month back. Alowed to take nothing except the cloths they were standing in - oh and the truck they left in. All his hunting trophies including alaskan bear, etc from 20 years hunting arround the world, All his photo's of hunts famly and friends were destroyed. He and his fife had been out for a game drive and arrived back to find the police and a mob waiting...

Last week though, an old farmer now living oposite us in town who was pushed (fairly amicably) off his place a couple of years back was given a call - all is forgiven can you please come back to your farm. He arrived to find four of his neighbors moving back as well and the riot police pummeling any squaters they could find off the place. The war vets who had settled on these farms were just burnt out. The police burned their belongings and slaughtered their livestock, and left many of them naked or in rags on the road side. Government even supplying the "reinstated" white farmers with tractors, fuel and impliments.

Go figure. Same Police force 100 miles appart.

I suspect that all the hunting conservancies still in private hands will be left alone. If government could have taken them and dished them out to loyal officials they would have done so already. - There is foreign ownership (whole or in part), there is already a black partner, or often, it was already government land just leased to the conservancies.