July 2001 Africa News Headlines

Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - Web posted at 12:24:42 GMT

45 Zim farmers flee,leave crops to perish

HARARE - Forty-five commercial farmers in the rich Karoi farming area of Mashonaland West province have abandoned operations as a result of a recent wave of threats by war veterans.

Zimbabwe faces an imminent food crisis because war veterans and Zanu-PF supporters have disrupted farm operations since February last year.

The war veterans have forced at least 45 commercial farmers in Karoi to cease operations on their farms.

Some of the farmers have already fled their farms and are living elsewhere.

One of the affected farmers, Headly Lilford of Dixie Farm, said about 48 war veterans descended on his farm a month ago and established a base.

They ordered him out, saying they had taken over the farm.

Lilford identified the leaders of the war veterans only as Matenga and Munyanyi.

The settlers pegged the farm and parcelled out plots among themselves with the assistance of the government's Department of Agricultural Technical and Extension Services officials.

- The Daily News

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