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Redeeming Disaster
There can be little doubt that the 'fast track land reform programme'
launched by Zanu PF in 2000 has been an unmitigated disaster. Not only has
it resulted in agricultural output declining over 70 per cent but all the
industries that were built up to supply agriculture with its many needs and
those companies that depended on farm output for raw materials, have
suffered collapse.
While the target of this unlawful and unjust campaign were 4000 white
Zimbabwean large scale commercial farmers, the impact was felt across the
whole economy - small scale farmers suffering even more than their large
scale counterparts because they were less able to protect themselves from
the side effects. Whatever the protagonists of this campaign might say, this
was just an act of wholesale piracy with the State offering the booty to
their thugs in compensation for doing their will.
Where was God while all this was going on? The Bible teaches that He is the
'defender of the poor' and that He will bring justice to those treated in
this way. But this is little compensation or comfort for the thousands of
families whose lives were torn apart and homes destroyed. Farmers, whose
lives had been invested in their farms and who know no other occupation and
who now live a much diminished existence in towns and foreign lands.
In Genesis we read about how and why God set up the world and then brought
mankind into existence. We read that He put us in charge and made us
collectively responsible for the welfare and management of this tiny globe
He has hung in space to act as our abode. He watches with sadness when we do
crazy things - but He seldom intervenes, that is our business and He leaves
us to create or destroy the creation we are a part of.
However He always acts to protect the interests and lives of those who are
His children and follow His teaching. In addition He often turns a bad
situation to good in unexpected ways. So it is with this particular human
made disaster.
Among the farmers displaced are many fine Christians. Their faith calls on
them to forgive those who did these awful things to them and in most cases
they have done so. However at the same time He has often called them to
devote their skills to helping the small farmers to make a better living for
themselves.
One farmer has become the largest ostrich producer in the world - using
small growers to produce the birds while he organises all the inputs and
markets their production. Another has taken all he learned farming nearly
4000 hectares of dryland crops employing what he felt were godly principles,
to train farmers how to use their land more effectively. This system now
guides tens of thousands of small farmers in Zimbabwe and the technology and
systems are being adopted in over 20 countries across Africa.
I sat in a meeting this past week where we were looking at how to support
the small scale sector this coming summer. I happen to think that we are
unlikely to get another good season this year, the Indian monsoons are late
and light, Europe and the USA are having a very wet summer. The El Nino off
South America is strengthening, all point to a lousy season. Since it seems
that Zanu PF is intent on destroying what is left of commercial agriculture
this winter, we have no choice but to target our whole effort on small scale
agriculture.
It was quite an experience for me to see those dispossessed farmers sitting
around a table and putting their ideas and vision together. Some have made
remarkable progress and they will reach several hundred thousands small
scale farmers this year. In particular I was impressed by the zero tillage
concepts being taught with mulching and the use of organic forms of
fertiliser.
Would this have happened if the farm invasions had not taken place? Perhaps
not but my most immediate thought was that here was God turning another
human disaster into good, almost despite ourselves. Many of the large scale
farmers that I talk to say they would not go back to business as usual on
their farms if they got the chance to go back. They talk about using their
operations as a base for helping out the smaller producers in their
districts.
Apart from this, we started the constitutional consultative process this
week when 10 meetings were held at Provincial level to meet stakeholders and
select delegates to attend the stakeholder's conference in Harare in mid
July. Zanu PF is doing all they can to stop the process. They have stated
that there is 'no need' for the whole exercise - 'after all we have a draft
in the form of the Kariba Constitution' which was signed at Kariba in 2007.
None of us had any say in that draft. What the negotiators thought they
were doing when they did that I have no idea, but we are never going to
accept a draft that we had no hand in drafting.
Then they said we could not go ahead because there was no money. We went out
and found the money for the first phase and will probably raise the funds
for the whole process. Zanu then said we could not use donor funds for this
process! What claptrap - this is the most important job that the
Transitional Government has to do in its short life. We are going to do it
properly.
Morgan is still being criticised on every front for his remarks while on his
recent trip abroad. Just look at these headlines in Fridays Independent
newspaper: 'Mugabe dispatches team to counter Tsvangirai trip'; 'Tsvangirai
call on exiles ill-thought out'; 'In defence of Tsvangirai'; 'Tsvangirai
loosing touch with reality'; 'Wake up call for naïve Tsvangirai';
'Scepticism dogs Tsvangirai tour'; 'Warm welcome but little cash for
Tsvangirai'.
The actual facts about this three week tour are in fact quite different.
When he was sworn in, he was urged by Diplomats in Harare to visit their
home capitals. He at first said he would not travel for six months. However
pressure built up for this trip and it was decided to try and do as many
capitals as he could in a short time. Bear in mind that no Zimbabweans
leader has been received in major capitals for over 12 years. The objectives
were quite simple - to re-establish contact with major western leaders and
start the process of reengagement. The issue of additional money was not a
major objective. Donor budgets are set well in advance and we already have
had a doubling of foreign aid in the first half of 2009. We knew well in
advance that new money was unlikely - certainly not in any quantum.
Was the trip a success - by any measure it was. In every capital he visited,
he was seen by the Head of State and given a warm reception. He was able to
brief these leaders on the problems of the Transitional Government and of
the needs we have to get through to a new election in 2010. I am sure there
is a much better understanding of the Zimbabwe situation and that we will
get the strategic support we need to craft a new constitution and
re-establish service delivery to our people. They will also have understood
what we need to do to get free and fair conditions for the next elections.
The tour gave no comfort to the Zanu PF leadership at home. In country after
country, our team was told, in no uncertain terms, what we as a country have
to do to regain their confidence and support. Free up the media, stop
abusing our legal system, respect private property rights, restore
fundamental freedoms. Even the famous booing in that Cathedral in the UK
bore no comfort - what those exiles were saying is 'we want no compromise;
Mugabe and his henchmen must go'. We agree, but we are locked into a deal by
the region and must simply live with it and try to overcome the obstacles
they will put in our way to a new Zimbabwe.
Morgan is home today - next week he resumes the fight for justice and
freedom in Zimbabwe. Rested and I hope strengthened in his resolve to do the
right thing for all Zimbabweans. Please note that trip to the East by
several Zanu PF heavyweights on a 'fund raising tour'. I happen to know that
negotiations are well under way for a US$700 million line of credit from
China. Watch the State press when they claim that this facility is the
result of this trip. I just hope that China and Russia are too savvy to be
used in this way.
Eddie Cross
Harare, 28th June 2009
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