The embassy acted after farm invaders who are members or supporters of President Robert Mugabes Zanu (PF) party this month moved onto three properties belonging to German citizens. The letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi identified the properties occupied farm invaders as Makandi Tea and Coffee (Private) Limited, Border Timbers Limited both in Manicaland province and Forrester Estate (Private) Limited in Mashonaland Central. They are all owned by German citizen Heinrich von Pezold.
The German embassy notes with great concern that property rights of German nationals and their investments in Zimbabwe are being put under threat, in clear violation of international law, said the letter, a copy of which was shown to ZimOnline. It added: Despite repeated confirmations of high ranking representatives of the Zimbabwean government about its intention to honour the BIPPA (bilateral investment protection and promotion agreement) in full, the development on the ground so far shows insufficient commitment to follow up on its declarations.”
The embassy said continued violations of the bilateral trade agreement between the two nations will jeopardise chances of the southern African country receiving financial support from Germany through a multi donor trust fund (MDTF) — a basket fund coordinated by the international community to support the inclusive government.
The Zimbabwean government is well aware of Germany’s intention to considerably contribute to the Multi Donor Trust Fund. For this contribution to be approved the consent of the German parliament is a prerequisite. News about German nationals falling victim to land invasions in Zimbabwe will make approval of German funding of the MDTF in the German parliament highly unlikely, it said.
Mumbengegwi refused to take question on the matter. I cannot comment about the letter since it was addressed to me and not to the media. Protocol issues are not discussed through the media, he said when contacted for comment. Last year the German embassy sent a protest note to the Zimbabwean government after a German national lost US$1.5 million worth of investment in Karori farm in Headlands that was invaded by a top army brigadier.
The farm, belonging to a Zimbabwean white commercial farmer Charles Lock, was occupied for weeks by soldiers acting on behalf of the brigadier in a bid to force the farmer to abandon the land, crops, farm equipment, livestock, household property and other personal effects.Mugabes chaotic and often violent programme to seize white-owned farm land for redistribution to landless blacks also saw several farms owned by foreigners and protected under bilateral trade agreements between Zimbabwe and other countries seized without compensation.
The seizure of private land has raised questions about Zimbabwes commitment to uphold property rights as well as agreements entered with other countries. An audit of Mugabes land reforms promised by the new unity government the veteran President formed with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last year has failed to take off apparently because there is no cash to fund the exercise.In the meantime, hardliner security commanders and Zanu (PF) politicians and supporters have continued seizing the few farms still in white hands.
The land reforms that Mugabe says were necessary to correct a colonial land ownership system that reserved the best land for whites and banished blacks to poor soils, are blamed for plunging Zimbabwe into food shortages after the government failed to support black villagers resettled on former white farms with inputs to maintain production. In addition critics say Mugabes top political allies and military generals and not ordinary peasants benefited the most from farm seizures, with some of them ending up with as many as six farms each against the governments stated one-man-one-farm policy.
Post published in: News