HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Militant ruling-party supporters invaded white-owned farms yesterday, a day after President Robert Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to defend seized land, fanning fears he would stage a violent crackdown to retain power.
Invasions that began Sunday worsened with intruders entering at least 23 farms in southern Masvingo province and northern Centenary, said Trevor Gifford, president of the Commercial Farmers Union.
“In Masvingo, where the police have been very cooperative, every time they remove invaders, within five, six hours they’re reinvading,” he told the Associated Press. “It’s very apparent that this is being coordinated from higher up the chain of command.”
Workers were being rounded up on the farms and forced to chant anthems in support of the ruling party, he said, and many of the farm owners had fled out of concern about their safety.
“The farmers are being told that everything on the farm is the property of those invading,” he said.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who claims to have won the March 29 election outright, was holding meetings in neighboring South Africa yesterday, the same day he issued a call for international pressure to persuade Mr. Mugabe to step down.
Mr. Tsvangirai flew out of Zimbabwe Sunday evening, said Tendai Biti, secretary-general of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, declining to give details.
South African President Thabo Mbeki, who mediated failed pre-election talks between Mr. Tsvangirai’s and Mr. Mugabe’s parties, was out of the country yesterday.
Zimbabwean electoral officials have yet to say whether Mr. Tsvangirai or Mr. Mugabe won.
Mr. Mugabe, 84, started the often-violence seizure of white-owned farms in 2000. He said the farms would go to poor blacks. In reality, many of the 5,000 seized farms went to his friends and cronies.
The seizures touched off an economic collapse in the country that used to thrive on exports of food, minerals and tobacco.
Unofficial tallies by independent monitors show Mr. Tsvangirai won more votes than Mr. Mugabe — but fewer than the 50 percent plus one vote required to avoid a runoff.
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