Zimbabwe’s white farmers report new surge in violence, 16 farms attacked in a week
By APWednesday, June 9, 2010
Zimbabwe white farmers report surge in violence
HARARE, Zimbabwe — A farmers’ organization says a new surge of violence erupted on 16 farms across Zimbabwe in the past week as loyalists of President Robert Mugabe try to seize more land.
The Commercial Farmers Union, representing some 300 white farmers still on their properties, says crops and equipment have been looted. In eastern Zimbabwe, a black farm foreman was beaten unconscious in the same Manicaland district a farmer’s wife was barricaded into her homestead and given four hours to leave.
Both incidents took place Tuesday, union leader Charles Taff said Wednesday. He said police have not responded to calls for help.
No comment was immediately available from police. In often violent land seizures since 2000, about 4,000 white farmers have been removed from their land.
