Mr Mugabe insists that Britain should pay compensa tion to the white owners, or they can expect no compensation at all. With parliamentary elections due in April and the unpopularity of his government at an all time high, Mr Mugabe has encouraged the seizures of the white farms, apparently to win renewed support from Zimbabweans living in the countryside. Mr Mugabe is also leading a breakdown of respect for law and order, which could have disastrous consequences for the country. Things are getting more antagonistic and I am concerned that someone is going to get hurt or even killed. We've just about exhausted all avenues of appeal, with no effect.
Most white farmers agree that Zimbabwe needs substantial land reform and redistribution.
The Farmers' Development Trust has the largest resettlement projects in the country, in which white farmers work with neighbouring peasants. There is land available for resettlement. What Zimbabwe needs is more productive farmers, not just more subsistence farmers on more land. To do it this way will make Zimbabwe like Sudan or Ethiopia.