4
commercial farm workers amongst the victims of organised violence and torture seen in the
past two years, but the numbers have been increasing over the past six months. As the pace
of land acquisitions has accelerated, so have the numbers of farm workers displaced, but it is
clear that there is no hard information on the actual numbers.
The Amani Trust carried out a survey in early May 2002 of a group of one hundred and thirty
nine commercial farm workers displaced from Marondera (Mashonaland East region). These
workers had been forcibly removed from their homes on the farms and prevented from
working by ‘war veterans’ and Zanu(PF) supporters. In the process, they had faced
harassment and physical violence, as well as losing all their belongings. They were all given
temporary refuge by the Amani Trust, and are now being assisted by other non-governmental
organisations in Harare.
This preliminary report was predicated by the need to provide some hard information on the
issues faced by displaced commercial farm workers. It was not the intention that this survey
provide any estimate of the numbers, but rather to provide some qualitative data on the
population in question. A detailed interview form was used, covering a variety of areas, and
this took about one hour to complete. Experienced nurses were used as the interviewers, and
they were all given basic orientation and training prior to being deployed.
A more detailed report will be available in due course, but this preliminary report is being
released in view of the urgency to provide hard information for current planning on internallydisplaced persons (IDPs).
2.
HISTORY OF THE DISPLACEMENTS
The displaced persons came from 5 commercial farms, but the majority came from two farms,
as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
Chipesa Farm
Chakadenga Farm
Hind Farm
Kesela Farm
Melara Farm
87
38
1
3
9
2.1
Chipesa Farm, Marondera
There have been war veterans living on this farm since 2000. In that time, as well as the farm
owners being harassed and assaulted, the farm workers have had their houses burnt and
rebuilt several times, and have had to live and work in conditions of fear and assault. On the
15th of March, war veterans and ZANU(PF) supporters, some driving Zanu(PF) District
Development Fund vehicles, went to the compound and fields, where the paprika crop was
being harvested and rounded up the workers. A tractor driver was assaulted along with other
farm workers who were beaten for resisting. They were accused of supporting the MDC and
were told that the owner of the arm was going to be killed. The farm workers led to nearby
hills where they hid for several days before seeking food and shelter at a nearby farm. They
were then ferried into Harare where they were given food and shelter.
2.2
Chakadenga Farm, Marondera
On the 10th of April resident war veterans and Zanu(PF) youths were went to the farm
compound, and fields and told the workers that they were now the owners of the farm. They
accused the workers of supporting the MDC and told them that they had 20 minutes to pack
their belongings and vacate the farm. In the ensuing pandemonium, several workers were
assaulted. Not all of them had time to take possessions so many had to leave with the clothes
they were wearing. They were taken by tractor to bus stops and told to wait for buses there. It
was raining, and they slept in the open for several days before local farmers made
arrangements for their food and shelter, eventually taking them to Harare to the Amani Trust
offices.
AMANI TRUST: Preliminary Report of a Survey on Internally Displaced Persons from Commercial Farms in
Zimbabwe.