ZIMBABWE: The Zimbabwean government has ordered a police sweep of defiant white farmers across the country in a major escalation of its controversial land-redistribution programme. From Declan Walsh, in Harare
Five farmers appeared in court yesterday morning in the south-western town of Gwanda, charged with defying an order to leave their farms. They were released on bail.
A further 34 were arrested in four provinces by evening, according to the pressure group Justice for Agriculture (JAG). The majority, including a man in his 70s, were expected to spend the weekend in jail.
"Many said they were told that signal had been sent out to arrest all white farmers," said JAG spokeswoman Ms Jenni Williams. "I think they are picking on the prominent farmers first, then they will go after the rest."
The arrests are seen as an attempt to break a tense stand-off between President Robert Mugabe's government and the white farmers. Last week an estimated 2,900 farmers were ordered to get off their farms or face eviction. JAG says more than 1,700 are defying the order and are staying on their properties.
There were also unconfirmed reports that some farmers had been threatened with forceful eviction by war veterans. Earlier this week black peasants armed with sticks and clubs evicted farmer Mr Terry Hinde from his home.
State media reports subsequently denied evictions had taken place, claiming they were stage-managed by farmers seeking international sympathy. However, the police warned they would crack down on white farmers who refused to go peacefully.
"Those who are encouraging the commercial farmers to ignore the law will be dealt with," yesterday's edition of the official Herald newspaper quoted a police spokesman as saying.
Many white farmers hope to retain control of their properties by fighting the eviction orders through Zimbabwe's courts. The government appeared yesterday to be ignoring a High Court ruling delivered last week which nullified some eviction orders on the basis of a procedural flaw.