Salon - - The news from Zimbabwe - Page 10

jeaniesa · #**136** 03-23-2002, 12:07 AM

Quote:

The "resident war-vets" are those who've assumed ownership of the farm and built their houses in the fields. In fact on that farm there is quite a village that's sprung up out of nothing. In that instance, they have not invaded my brother-in-law's own house, as yet, so he is still living in it.

Very interesting - a twist I hadn't yet considered. So the war vets aren't necessarily violent all the time, just kind of "move in" and build houses? Is your BIL able to do any farming? If not, are the war-vets taking "care" of the farm and animals? (I assume he has/had animals like you.)
Jeanie

Sam · #**137** 03-23-2002, 02:51 AM

It's a strange scenario and one that is different on every farm. Some w-vs say they want "co-existence" while others just try and drive off the farmer and take over completely. On my BIL's place the war-vets have kind of got "their" area and he has his, so yes, he is able to carry on some sort of farming operation, although with the w-vs taking advantage of their current impunity in the eyes of the law, there is so much criminal activity going on (blatant theft & extortion, not to mention the nastier stuff) that normal farming is pretty much impossible.

jeaniesa · #**138** 03-23-2002, 09:54 PM

Hmmm - interesting. The possible scenarios seem endless. I just can't imagine how hard it must be to make contingency plans when there are so many factors involved.

I was just reading a report that says some of the food shortages in Zimbabwe are due to the reduced output of the white farms being occupied by the w-vs (that in addition to the drought.) So it's obvious that Mugabe is exacerbating the food shortage situation by allowing the w-vs to run rampant.

You said that the w-vs have built a small "village" on your BIL's land. Do they do any farming themselves? How do they support themselves? Are they supported by the government?

I guess I'm trying to make sense of some of this using my "western logic" and it's not working too well.

Jeanie

BigAl · #**139** 03-23-2002, 10:10 PM

It's quite sad that Zim used to be self-sufficient as far as food production was concerned (one of three or four countries in Africa). Now they rely almost totally on food aid (which I'm sure that Sam will confirm, is also manipulated by govt "agents").

It's much easier to sit under a tree and get food for free

Sam · #**140** 03-24-2002, 12:20 AM

Jeanie - most definitely the food shortages are exacerbated by the land invasions. Hundreds of farmers have been prevented from carrying out any farming activity at all. Given that many of these are large scale commercial producers, that's a big chunk out of the country's crop.

Africans, by tradition, farm at "subsistence" level, i.e. small, hand-tended crops with poor yields in comparison with commercial crops. That's fine if all they need to grow is enough food for their (extended) family plus a bit over to sell for cash, but not much good for filling the nation's grain stores. And what the war-vets are doing is turning highly productive farms over to this traditional, low-yielding agriculture. Hence the food shortage.

Added to that is the fact that the government hasn't supplied the seed & fertiliser that the warvets had been promised, so what crops they have planted are hopeless.

Al - I'm sure a lot of food aid has ended up in private bank accounts in Switzerland ... and thereafter spent at Harrods ...?!

chris h · #**141** 03-24-2002, 04:25 AM

So is famine in Zimbabwe a possibility or do surrounding countries have a surplus that Zimbabwe could use ? Of course thats only a short term solution if the agricultural infrastructure is wrecked and those with the knowledge departed to safer climes !

Sam · #**142** 03-25-2002, 02:12 AM

Famine in Zimbabwe is a reality, happening right now, although not on such a massive scale (yet) to be headline news. It's reckoned that nearly a million people are seriously starving right now - and several millions more going that way.

It doesn't look like we can scrounge any more grain from other countries, either - the neighbouring countries don't have enough to spare and if they did, Zim hasn't got enough money to pay for it.

And yet right up until very recently, this government was still exporting grain ... even when it was desperately needed here at home.

jeaniesa · #**143** 03-25-2002, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Famine in Zimbabwe is a reality, happening right now, although not on such a massive scale (yet) to be headline news. It's reckoned that nearly a million people are seriously starving right now - and several millions more going that way.

Zimbabwe dropped out of the running for headlines as soon as the election was over.

It is a very sad statement of our times that nearly a million people starving isn't enough to make headlines. I guess when estimates range from 750 million to 1 billion people worldwide who do not have enough food to eat, 1 million people is "just" a tiny fraction and there's no real news story - unless of course the famine is caused by a natural disaster.

Sam, the news that I am able to find on Zimbabwe indicates that people are waiting in long lines to purchase food staples when they are available. Does this affect you at all?

Still thinking of you often and sending good thoughts,
Jeanie

d_kendal · #**144** 04-05-2002, 12:47 AM

hey Sam,

this thread has been pretty quiet lately, and I haven't really seen much in the news about Zimbabwe, so I was wondering whats been going on there lately?

- David

Sam · #**145** 04-05-2002, 10:16 AM

Hi David - "Nothing new" is the best answer I can think of to that question!

Nigeria and S.A. are trying to get talks going, but they've got an uphill battle on their hands!

DJ Dubovsky · #**146** 04-05-2002, 10:59 AM

I was hoping no news was good news on this front. Also the fact that you've been submitting challenges and chatting on the forum led me to believe things were quiet on your farm at least. Hope it stays that way.
DJ

d_kendal · #**147** 04-05-2002, 03:14 PM

yeah I've been reading a bit lately about S.A and MDC trying to get into talks but who knows how long it'll be until it happens or if it even ever will. good to hear that you're still there at your farm. good luck for being able to stay there in the future!

- David

Sam · #**148** 04-05-2002, 11:07 PM

DJ & David - thanks for your interest & good wishes. I'll surely let you guys know if anything dramatic happens!

Sam

Sam · #**149** 04-23-2002, 08:54 AM

Hi all, just thought I'd check-in to let you know I'm still here!

Haven't been contributing much lately, as we've got rather a lot going on here ... we've just heard that our farm is going to be "pegged", i.e. divided up into plots for "resettlement", next week. And when that happens, we're not allowed to move any of our machinery or equipment off the farm - it's got to stay put for the resettled masses to use ... We suspect that some senior police guys, who visited us last week, have their beady eyes on the place, which would be par for the course - a lot of these farms have been taken over by big shots in the police, army or government. So much for landless peasants!

So, I haven't forgotten you guys, really! It's just that other things are taking priority right now!

jeaniesa · #**150** 04-23-2002, 09:35 AM

Wow Sam - thanks for checking in. I'm surprised you've even found the time to say that much! Given all you've told us in the past, I can't even imagine the logistics that you're having to work through - your animals, your belongings - and most importantly your safety!!

Sending good thoughts for your safety as well as a (relatively) "smooth" transition (since a "transition" seems inevitable at this point.)

Jeanie