HARARE - Gertrude Hambira, the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union general secretary, (Pictured) came out of hiding on Monday to launch a damning report and documentary exposing the devastating effects of the land reform programme on the livelihoods of farm-workers.
(Out of hiding and into the spotlight union leader Gertrude Hambira talks her audience through a report that exposes the terrible effects of land reform on farm-workers)
The launch was held at a hotel in Harare and attracted more than 100 guests, including diplomats and representatives from civic society and labour organisations.
Hambira has been in hiding during the past week after a failed attempt by suspected state agents to abduct her.
It is widely believed that the documentary is the reason for the attempted abduction as it exposes top government officials involvement in the torture, harassment and eviction of farm-workers in the chaotic land seizures.
The documentary, House of Justice, contains 26 minutes of footage laying bare evidence of human rights violations targeting farm-workers.
Narrating in the documentary, Hambira appeals to leaders in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to press the Zimbabwean government to end violence in the farms.
SADC has been mainly blamed for not acting on Zimbabwes pull-out from the SADC tribunal.
Early this year, the SADC tribunal ruled that the Zimbabwean government should stop harassment on farms. But Zimbabwe has not abided by the ruling and has instead pulled out of the tribunal. Evictions continue on the farms.
The report, If Something is Wrong highlights the impact of the land reform exercise on farm-workers during the past ten years.
Hambira said she hoped the documentary and report would increase regional and international pressure on Zimbabwe to respect basic human rights.
Post published in: Politics