October 14, 2002
MATABELELAND
Matabeleland has been through a torrid time in the last 24 hours. The number of farmers who have been warned to leave their farms immediately or within the next 24 hours has increased to 45, and the police have been taking action throughout the area to evict farmers, regardless of their legal position. The Member in Charge of Nyamandhlovu police station went round last night checking that people had left their farms, and informing them that anything left behind was now property of the state and would be auctioned off as such. 13 farmers have so far been evicted, and although the three who were arrested last night were released either with no charges or on bail with no conditions, they have not been allowed back on their farms. Leefie Cahill has sever bruising from being carried in the back of an open truck, and is badly sunburnt (Errata: The other two arrestees reported yesterday as J. and E. Rosenthal are actually J. and E. Rosenfels. Apologies.)
Jimmy & Ruth Chatham (a 76 year old couple) were manhandled and handcuffed by the police, who had broken into the yard, and then into the house. The police (only four of whom were in uniform) removed three rifles from the house, and discharged one of them. The Chathams were driven away in the back of a vehicle, then returned and told to pack suitcases, before being escorted off the farm. Both have bruised and bleeding arms as a consequence. They were allowed back on to the farm today to pack up their house.
Many of the labour on the farms have been beaten or abused when they attempted to assist the owners. In one case, several of the labour were barricaded into a fenced enclosure until the farm owners handed over the keys for the house. Another man, Elias Mlilo (65) was beaten up by war veterans who demanded he hand over a hand held radio, whilst a pump attendant on the same farm was beaten up for the radio he held. In most cases, the workers have been told that they must collect their packages and leave within the next few days.
Furthermore, a number of foreign nationals have been caught up in the violence. On Thys de Vries' property in Lion's Den, two German hunting clients were warned to vacate the premises yesterday. They did not wish to do so, but in the face of verbal abuse and threats by armed police support unit, left for Victoria Falls today. Two Australian nationals
holidaying on the same property are now in Bulawayo, and stated that they were sincerely afraid for their lives. The de Vries have since been forced to leave the property. This morning, the ZRP broke into the homestead of Pier van Wyk, and threatened him and his Australian hunting client, John Hahn. Pier advised John to take his vehicle and drive to
Victoria Falls. The police then demanded that van Wyk produce the keys to his gun cabinet, but he informed them that the keys had gone with his client.
Current information indicates that this campaign is being directed from as high up as the Governor (Obert Mpofu)'s office, and certain police were informed to use force to get rid of the farmers "court papers mean nothing".
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