White-owned farms reported seized in Zimbabwe

Africa: It worked well before so lets try it again to save Mugabe's political career.

Zimbabwe militants, mostly war veterans, have forcibly seized at least 60 white-owned farms, apparently on government orders, a farmers' representative said Tuesday. Dozens of farmers have gone into hiding for fear that their land will be taken, according to John Worsley Worswick of Justice for Agriculture, a Harare-based group that supports farmers' rights in Zimbabwe. "We've witnessed a backlash, an outright attack on commercial farmers," Worswick said. "There are 450 farmers and workers left. ... They're in the process of being driven off their farms." The farm seizures began sporadically Saturday and Sunday, but they have spread in the last 24 hours, he said. In some instances, Zimbabwe police have responded, but instead of helping, the authorities are making sure the ousted farmers don't come back, Worswick said. "Police have moved in afterward and are guarding those properties against the return of the farmers," he said. The veterans are hard-line supporters of President Robert Mugabe, who is struggling to remain in power after a close race with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Zimbabwe's electoral commission hasn't released results from the March 29 election, but Tsvangirai has claimed victory and warned that Mugabe will try to use violence to overturn what he says is "the people's win."