Mugabe Defends Zimbabwe Farm Squatters Despite Deadly Attack

Despite the killing of a farmer and the severe beatings of five others, President Robert Mugabe on Sunday defended the takeovers of white-owned farms by armed black squatters whom he portrayed as heroes fighting inequality in land ownership.

Mugabe’s comments, which came a day after two opposition party members were killed in a firebomb attack in this former British colony, contradicted an appeal by his government Thursday for the squatters to abandon the plots. The government’s earlier appeal followed a High Court ruling that police must evict the squatters, who have occupied more than 900 white-owned farms.

Armed squatters in Macheke, 75 miles southeast of Harare, the capital, abducted David Stevens from his farm Saturday. Five other white farmers who came to his aid also were abducted. The squatters killed Stevens and beat the others before releasing them, the injured farmers said.

In London, the British government summoned Zimbabwe’s ambassador to protest the killing.