EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/365

(2004/C 78 E/0385)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1322/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(8 April 2003)

Subject: Zimbabwe: land, violence and nepotism

Last week saw the first anniversary of the murder of the Zimbabwean farmer Terry Ford, on his own Gowrie Farm, in the Norton District to the west of Harare.

A report published in The Independent of 23 March 2003 states that Sabina Mugabe, the Zimbabwean President's elder sister, a ZANU (PF) MP for Zvimba South and a member of the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee on the Indigenisation of the Economy, has reserved the Norton District farms for her own family; they occupy some of the country's prime land. Some dozen farms around Lake Darwendale have already been occupied, including Terry Ford's.

Local bodies had apparently described these farms as being reserved for the ‘royal family’.

The farmers believe that as things die down, the ‘war veterans’ deployed to occupy the farms will be driven out and the farms will be taken over and run by members of the President's family and other high ranking government and ZANU (PF) officials. Leo Mugabe, the President's cousin, apparently holds Diandra Farm (500 hectares), while it is believed that Sabina has demanded Audley End Farm (1 000 hectares) for herself.

At the time of Terry Ford's brutal murder, Sabina Mugabe was immediately singled out as one of the alleged instigators of the crime.

Can the Commission answer the following:

— now that a year has gone by, what information does the Commission have about these events;

— can the Commission confirm the existence of nepotism in the way that the ‘indigenisation’ of Zimbabwe's economy is being carried out;

— what up-to-date details does the Commission have about the results obtained by the new ways of operating farms;

— does it intend to take fresh measures to tackle the constant violation of human rights in Zimbabwe?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2003)

The Commission is aware of the information reported by the media on the subject but does not have detailed information on the particular cases of abuse raised by the Honourable Member.

Widespread nepotism and cronyism is believed to have taken place in the ‘fast track’ land reform process. However, as there has been no independent audit of the process to date the Commission does not have firm evidence regarding the details and extent of the abuse. The Minister of Land Reform, Ms Flora Bhuka, carried out her own audit in late 2002 which has remained confidential but details leaked to the press show a number of leading Zanu Patriotic Front (PF) related persons to own several farms. To date there has been no government move to release this report to the public but instead it appears to intend to launch a further internal audit. The Commission position is that only an independent audit carried out under the auspices of a body such as the United Nations can form a credible basis for a review of the process to date and the righting of the injustices that have occurred.

With regard to any form of nepotism in the ‘indigenisation’ of Zimbabwe's economy the Commission cannot confirm specific cases.

The main information the Commission has on the negative effects of the land reform relates to the current drop in output and comes from the commercial farming sector. As of February 2003, 73 % of the Commercial Farming Union's membership (representing the majority of the commercial farmers) are no longer farming. Maize production by commercial farmers had fallen from 810 000 tonnes in 2000 to an estimated 80 000 tonnes in 2003. Soya-beans from 162 000 tonnes in 2001 to 30 000 tonnes in 2003. Tobacco production has also been seriously reduced and beef and milk production has seriously declined. This in turn has had a knock on effect on the food processing industry.

The current critical state of the Zimbabwean economy is well known. The lack of foreign exchange for essential imports is also a direct result of the decline of the commercial farming sector, in particular the tobacco sector which was responsible for approximately 40 % of Zimbabwean export earnings. As yet, there is no information available on any positive effects of the reform.

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's deep concern on the human rights situation and is taking every opportunity to convey to the Government of Zimbabwe its anxiety in relation to increasing political violence and ill-treatment of the opposition and civil society. The Council Presidency has, on 20 February 2003 and 28 March 2003, issued declarations expressing its concern over the recent arbitrary arrests, inhuman treatment and torture of members of the opposition and civil society organisations. The Union has called on the government of Zimbabwe to end all harassment, intimidation and violence against them. It urges the government and all political stakeholders to open serious dialogue to overcome the current overwhelming problems facing Zimbabwe on the humanitarian, social and economic fronts.