Messages From Zimbabwe

The following I lifted from “Wikipedia” and refers to the post-Zimbabwean independence life and experiences of the Rhodesian leader, Ian Douglas Smith:

“After his retirement from active politics, Smith became an outspoken critic of the Mugabe regime. Mugabe himself often uses Smith’s quiet retirement as validation of current policies. Smith has written an autobiography, “The Great Betrayal”, which is as much a criticism of the Mugabe administration as it is Smith’s memoirs. Smith is also the author of “Bitter Harvest”. Both books received mixed reviews. Long-term admirers of Smith had their view of him as a man of integrity confirmed. His critics saw in the books a stubborn refusal to acknowledge the need for any form of change. However, Smith’s bitterness at his UDI government’s isolation is a central theme.

Unlike most of his contemporaries from the UDI era (for example, P.K. van der Byl), Smith remained resident in Zimbabwe and settled into a comfortable retirement. His son Alec returned from Europe and became his business partner, taking over the running of the family farm. Attempts by activists to occupy the Smith farm have always been met by a swift police response. The activists were promptly evicted. (Alec collapsed and died at Heathrow Airport in January last year, having suffered a heart attack - Mandebvhu.)  

Smith made a number of black friends and contributed regularly to both local and foreign media reports on current affairs. Those contributions became increasingly critical of his successor Robert Mugabe. While out of the country in 2000, Smith described Mugabe as “mentally deranged.” Mugabe responded by threatening to have Smith arrested and prosecuted for genocide should Smith ever return to Zimbabwe. Upon Smith’s return, he was met by a mass of reporters waiting to witness him being arrested. Smith was greeted warmly by immigration officials at Harare airport and went home. He was neither arrested nor prosecuted.

As of 2006 Smith is living with his widowed step-daughter Jean in Cape Town, South Africa, where there is a significant Rhodesian expatriate community.”

IDS remains one of my heroes.

Take care.

‘debvhu

Hereunder is the “Executive Summary” of the report released by Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum and the Justice for Agriculture Trust (JAG) in Zimbabwe.

Sadly, reports of this nature do not get the exposure they so rightly deserve.

It is 41 pages long, but I believe it is required reading for any of us to understand the situation that the commercial farmer, his work force, family and the business of farming in Zimbabwe was subject to in the early days of the land grab, and are still experienced today as the last few farmers still in situ are soon to be removed.

Not to mention the number of farmers who were thrown of their farms without even being allowed to take their personal possessions, reap their crops or have any say in the future of the lands that they had made home.

And those farmers and their workers who sadly lost their lives - either as a direct result of the land grab, or from the tension, disruption and heart ache that the forced evictions caused…

And we must realise that the vast majority of these commercial farmers are now destitute as they have not been paid anywhere near the value of the farms - or just the improvements thereon.

The full pdf download of this report is here…

“Widespread human rights violations were inflicted upon white farmers and black farm workers by agents of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s government during the seizures of white-owned farms from 2000 to 2005.

In addition to the human rights abuses, immense financial losses were inflicted upon the farm owners. Farm workers suffered catastrophic losses of income, habitation, health services and access to clean water and sanitation that contributed to a high death rate.

The combination of the human rights abuses and loss of livelihood have contributed to a growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe.

According to this survey of 187 former commercial farmers conducted over six months in 2006-2007, only 6% reported that they are still on their farms. Seventy-five per cent of the respondents said they are Zimbabwean citizens and 65% still reside in Zimbabwe. This is significant as it shows that most white farmers identified themselves as Zimbabweans, not British.

A total of 53,022 people - farmers, farm workers and their families - were identified by the survey respondents as having experienced at least one human rights violation. Many experienced multiple abuses. These abuses included assaults, torture, being held hostage, unlawful detention and death threats. If this figure from the limited survey is extrapolated to include all commercial farms nation-wide, the number of people suffering abuses during the farm seizures could be more than 1 million.

The total financial losses incurred by white farmers responding to the survey, according to their own estimates, are US$368 million. If the survey’s figures are extrapolated to the entire commercial farming sector the figure is an astronomical US$8.4 billion. The results of the survey are line with other estimates by economists.

The amount of damages for which the Zimbabwe government should be liable, for giving open support to the land invasions, would have catastrophic consequences for an economy already in precipitate decline.

The losses suffered by the farm workers were life threatening. The survey found that about 1% of displaced farm workers and their family members have died since losing their jobs.

Extrapolated to the entire population of 1 million farmer workers and their families, 10,000 people could have died after displacement from the farms. This is clearly a gross underestimate and anecdotal evidence from commercial farmers suggests that the figure is considerably higher.

This report finds that the gross human rights violations, and the violations of rights generally, were much greater than had been previously assumed. It is also evident that the patterns of violations and those involved in the perpetration of these violations are not commensurate with conflicts over land between land owners and landless people. Instead the data from the survey suggests organised appropriation by an elite, as has been widely claimed.

The report concludes that the evidence is strongly suggestive of a systematic campaign, as evidenced by the failure of the police and civilian authorities to enforce the law and offer the protection of the law. The report finds that a plausible case can be made for crimes against humanity having been committed during these displacements. There is a compelling need for these to be investigated and the perpetrators to be charged and tried.

War veterans and members of ZANU PF were the largest number of perpetrators of the violations, followed by the police. Other significant perpetrators were found to be members of parliament, officials from the president’s office, provincial governors, and other government officials. These findings point to an organized seizure of land planned by officials, not a spontaneous seizure carried out by landless blacks, as the government claims.

All Zimbabweans have suffered as a consequence of the ill-advised land reform process, which has devastated the economy and created an enormous humanitarian crisis. There can be no impunity for gross human rights violations ever and hence there must be some process of accountability for the violations that occurred during the land reform exercise. Quite obviously this accountability must involve both criminal and civil actions, and both groups - commercial farmers and farm workers - must be supported in obtaining redress for the violations they have experienced and the losses they have suffered.”

Download the full report here.

Take care.

‘debvhu

I truly wish that I could learn how to dump code in here properly so that you can see and/or hear what I offer without having to go to another site. Sorry!

But this one is on You Tube. Bud Cockroft singing a haunting song “Dreaming” from his new CD release “Bits & Pieces” which I promise to buy when money before a little bit easier…

Track here - or, for the foreseeable future, it is also on the right hand sidebar of “The Bearded Man” blog…

Enjoy.

Take care.

‘debvhu

In early May this year, I was asked by the editor of Disability Now to write an article on disability in Zimbabwe. I didn’t take much asking and I wrote the following article. As you read it, please remember that May was just 2 months ago, and that the figures quoted reflect those of just 60 to 90 days ago

The article was published in the internet here.

“I left Zimbabwe 8 years ago, but having lived there for almost 40 years and grown up in a family with a strong medical background, I have a very good concept of what living with a disability in Zimbabwe entails.

That I myself am now disabled is a coincidence.

Family values in Africa as a whole and Zimbabwe in particular, are high.

But in the current political and economic climate in Zimbabwe, living with a disability in a huge encumbrance. The country does not have the disability network we see in the UK. Small organisations like St Giles, Jairos Jiri and RESCU have all but stopped operating, as costs are just too prohibitive.

Families with members that are disabled, whether physically or mentally, are largely left to handle the situation on their own. Some relatives see the birth of a child with a disability as a taboo that has brought bad omen to the family. One must remember that African people are very spiritual. The subject of disability in Zimbabwe has largely been sacrosanct, and therefore, remains unresolved.

Zimbabwean families are too busy just trying to get through the present day to spend time looking after the disabled. Only the fit will survive.

Whilst society is aware of their responsibilities to the disabled, time does not lend itself to providing that care.

The political and economic woes of the country no longer lend themselves to providing a society where people with disabilities can be afforded.

The British pound fetches a little more than Z$500 on the official exchange rate, whilst on the unofficial market it will fetch in excess of Z$50000! The Poverty Datum Line – the amount of money that a 5 member family requires to break even in any given month - is Z$1.4 million, but the average worker earns about Z$50000 per month.

Disabled people in Zimbabwe routinely face exclusion from education, employment, cultural activities, festivals, sports and social events and are especially vulnerable to poverty, physical and sexual violence, lack of access to health care, emotional abuse and neglect. Only 33% of children with disabilities in Zimbabwe have access to education, compared with over 90% for the able-bodied populace.

When disabled people become too much for any family to cope with, the normal thing is to book that person into a local government hospital under a false name so that when death occurs, the government is obliged to pick up the funeral costs with a pauper’s burial. This is because the family are unable to foot the funeral costs.

An elderly black man, blind at birth, used to spend his days playing a home-made guitar and singing popular hymns - his voice loud and melodic, he was almost a landmark of First Street in Harare. His son would sit with him and ‘manage’ the few coins that were donated by passers-by. But the municipal police chased them away and today they live at Hopley Farm, in a cold, crude hut manufactured for them by sympathetic neighbours,

He eats about one small meal every three days and cannot afford to purchase a regular supply of milk or bread.

He no longer plays the guitar. He no longer sings. He spends his days sitting in silence. The joy of his music is gone. He quietly sits awaiting death.

His life is cursed. He will not survive the winter this year. He welcomes death, if only for the freedom it will afford his son.

The disabled people of Zimbabwe – hidden, ignored and abhorred – nothing more, nothing less.”

Take care.

‘debvhu

I just updated on The Bearded Man about an article on the SABC where the Zimbabwean government has apparently crumbled on the forced price slash.

The example given was cooking oil that, having had its price halved, has now been allowed a 400% increase…

Let’s have a closer, calculated look at that decision. Let’s suppose that the bottle used to sell for ZW$10000 (I wish!) and in light of the Presidential order it was reduced by half to ZW$5000…

Today the government has accepted a 400% increase which means the new selling price is ZW$20000.

The nett effect is a 100% increase on the original price.

So the government is doing a total 180 degree turn about, but on SELECTED goods only and the knock-on effect is that prices before the order are doubled! So what did the order do – apart from causing a huge hole in the market, angering a lot of company owners, causing losses aplenty in the market AND lightening the load in quite a few wallets in the form of fines?

The good people of Zimbabwe went on a spending spree and may have saved a few bucks, but this is short lived.

The price stabilisation order (as they like to call it) was total waste of time and effort - and achieved nothing. The story of ZANU PF’s rule…

Take care.

‘debvhu

Hajo, a German hitchhiker and I, left Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe at 0400hrs and travelled down to Mkwasine, a distance of just over 500kms. The purpose of the visit was to see what had become of my farm since I had been forced off, two-and-a-half years previously, by the Zimbabwean Governments Land Reform Program. Maioio Farm was now in the hands of State selected ‘new’ farmers.

As we drove onto Maioio Farm, I was surprised to see that sugarcane was still alive, but on closer inspection, saw that it was only the cane by the main road that was in good health, the cane in the background, was a disaster. The new occupants had worked over, and had totally destroyed the many kilometres of drip-irrigation that had been installed at such great cost, and they had attempted to convert the fields back to flood-irrigation, a cheaper but much more wasteful form of irrigation.

Since I had left the farm, sugar cane yields have dropped by over half in the past three years. Inputs such as fertilizers, chemicals and herbicides have been zero, and there has been no re-planting of cane since 2002 - normally, as in standard practice, it should be happening every year on a 5 year rotation. It was obvious, that management was lacking and many ‘new’ farmers are now finding that farming is not as easy as it seemed.

When we drove down the tree-lined avenue to the main farmhouse, I was saddened at the state of the farm which I and my wife, had left under extreme pressure. What used to be a well graded road down to the homestead, was now covered in weeds and bushes. The main gate of the homestead was locked but we could see that the house was not being lived in at all and the once immaculate garden that we had, was now a jungle of weeds - thank goodness Joan, was not with me. The workshop area was also locked. So too, the pack-shed, which at this time of the year, should have been a hive of activity - instead it was deathly silent.

We retraced our steps up to the main irrigation dam of Maioio Farm, where two of my ex-employees, who were now working for the new ‘owners’ - met us. They expressed surprise and excitement at seeing me again. Normally, at this time of the year, we would have had at least 150 to 200 workers, busy, reaping the citrus as well as the cutting of sugarcane. Today, there were only 4 workers irrigating the citrus, and a few more which we didn’t meet, irrigating the cane.

The truth is, that since I had left Maioio, there had been no spraying, fertilizing, pruning or weeding in the orchards and the sad condition of the trees told their story. In the grapefruit orchard, previously the most valuable piece of ground on the farm, the leaves were pale yellow, there was prolific die-back and what fruit was left, lay rotting on the ground. The oranges, which were not in any better condition, would now have to be consumed on the local market, where just a few years ago, was a valuable export crop, contributing to our economy.

The cell-phone in one of the ex-worker’s pocket rang. It was Mr Musekwa the policeman/farmer from Harare, the very guy, who had given me a couple of good slaps around the face in the ‘bad ole days’, described in my book ‘Jambanja’. “What are you do doing on my farm?” he said.

I answered with heavy sarcasm - “I’m looking at some of the most magnificent oranges I’ve ever seen. You really are a great farmer!”

It flew straight over his head.

“Will you come and work for me?” he asked.

From Maioio we drove around Mkwasine Estate. The condition of the main canal delivering water to Mkwasine had to be seen to be believed. Trees were growing out of the edges of the canal, a sure recipe for the total destruction of the main artery of water from Manjirenji dam, 30 odd kilometres to the north and the life-blood of the Estate. If water did not get to Mkwasine, there was absolutely no future at all.

In general, the new settlers’ cane was in poor condition in spite of them receiving cheap fuel ($Zim1000 per litre versus US$1/litre at the black market rate (150,000:1). Not only this, the ‘new boys’ were getting cheap fertilizer, and substantial assistance from the Millers with the cutting and haulage of the cane to the Mills. What a slap in the face for the former commercial farmers who, up until 2002, produced 30% of the national cane crop, and would never have received such handouts.

After I dropped my German hiker off in the little town of Chiredzi and made my way pensively back to Harare, I thought of the changes that I had seen in the last three days, and realized the significance of seeing the last of the white commercial farmers being systematically removed. Little thought had gone into the Land Reform exercise and let’s face it, the Millers were taking full advantage of the situation. In their eyes, there would be no more demands from the die-hard commercial farmers who demanded fair-play, and, as more and more of the new inexperienced farmers’ crops failed, the new farmer had no say or experience on pricing, for both export and local sales – nor, would he gain payment for his sales from the by-products such as bagasse and molasses. Even though, the initial exuberance of gaining their new farms at the expense of white farmers, the new settlers would dance completely, to the tune of the Millers. What had taken many years to establish a fair deal for the private sugar farmers and their very survival, had now disappeared. Tragically, there could only be one result - the land would revert to the Millers, and they were rubbing their hands with glee.

As I drove, I thought to myself - “Where are we going?” I thought of all Joan and I, and the good relations we had with our labour. Where had we failed? Were we, blacks and whites, any closer now than in Cecil Rhodes’ day? Was there anyone from both of my son’s schools, Peterhouse, Ruzawi, Prince Edward, who could stand up in Parliament and show that they did give a damn for the long term salvation of this country?

This government had so much to answer for, and until they changed their attitude, who at this time could ever argue that Dr. Albert Schweitzer was wrong when he quoted the following words:-

I have given my life to try to help alleviate the sufferings of Africa.

There is something that all white men must know, as I have, that these individuals are sub-race. They have neither the intellectual, mental, or emotional abilities to equate or to share equally with white men in any of the functions of our civilization. I have given my life to try to bring them the advantages which our civilization must offer, but I have become well aware that we must retain this status - white the superior and they the inferior. For whenever a white man seeks to live amongst them as equal, they will either destroy him or devour him, and they will destroy his work. And so for any existing relationship or for any benefit to this people, let the white men from anywhere in the world who would come to help Africa, remember that you must continually maintain this status, you the master and they the inferior, like children that you would help or teach. Never fraternize with them as equals. Never accept them as your social equals or they will devour you. They will destroy you”.

I sincerely hope that time will prove that he was wrong.

Eric Harrison.

I found this article in some BBC archive pages and thought that not much has changed since March 2002, with ZANU PF still cooking the books one way or the other…

People in Zimbabwe are voting in the country’s presidential election. This is what key figures and voters have to say about how the vote is going.

President Mugabe on the vote’s outcome

“I will accept it, I will more than accept it, because I will have won.”

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai

“ZANU PF is now engaged in a last-ditch effort to stop people from voting it out of power by ensuring that the voting process in MDC strongholds is slowed down.”

Kare Vollan, head of Norway’s election observers

“There have been queues of thousands of people waiting outside for many hours and with the speed that they started today it is not possible to process all those voters over two days.”

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo

“We should not think that Harare is Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe is Harare. Suggestions that there is a massive turnout in Harare… are really pictures painted by people with creative imaginations.”

Peter Chiriseri, Harare voter

“It is not fair. Voting is not a crime. We are not happy at all. All these people are Zimbabweans and should be allowed to choose their leaders.”

Dennis Musodzi who spent a day and night at a Harare polling station

“I am prepared to spend another day and night here, and I am not making secret what I am here for. I am waiting to vote for Tsvangirai because I am sick and tired of Mugabe.”

Aleck Marange, ZANU PF supporter

“Everything at State House has the signature of our leader scrawled all over it, and no amount of wiping will delete it”

Ian Smith, former prime minister of what was then Rhodesia

“All of the reports we have had indicate that the people say they want to change. So we have a change, then once again this could be one of the greatest countries in the world, instead of being what it is now, which is despised by the rest of the world.”

Edson, who was waiting to vote in Mbare

“If it is safe to stay, I will stay, but if it is not safe to stay, I will go. People are afraid (of being) attacked because there are no lights outside.”

Howzit

Yesterday, Eric Harrison’s book “Jambanja” joined the ranks of Lulu and is available as a Print on Demand book…

“This humorous and devastatingly poignant novel is a fact based story of a white African’s agonizing battle to save his home, farm and family from brutal and intimidating terror attacks. A Major Work, exploring the collective character of a rebellious Nation torn apart by racism and rationalization and offering an exciting insight into relationships between good governance and State sponsored thuggery and terrorism. The reader is taken into the story with such gut-wrenching reality, that putting down the book, is like fighting your way out of a vivid dream.“

Click here to visit the Lulu page. The book is for sale at £11.76 plus postage.

Take care.

‘debvhu

“All I’m trying to do is not join my ancestral spirits just yet.”

ZAPU Leader, Joshua Nkomo