Zimbabwe Squatters Reportedly Loot

Violence spread across at least 15 white-owned farms in northern Zimbabwe on Thursday as ruling party militants and illegal squatters engaged in looting, farmers’ leaders said.

Farmers and their families were forced off 10 properties in three districts near Chinhoyi, where 21 white farmers were in court facing charges that they attacked black occupiers, the Commercial Farmers’ Union said.

The court in Chinhoyi, about 65 miles northwest of Harare, the capital, adjourned the farmers’ bail hearings until today, ordering the men held for a fourth night. A 72-year-old farmer suffering from a heart ailment was freed Wednesday after collapsing in the courthouse.

After their arrests Monday, the detained farmers were without food for 24 hours and were not allowed to receive clothing and blankets from their families despite the low overnight temperatures, district union officials said.

No information was immediately available from police regarding Thursday’s violence.

Farmers union spokeswoman Jenni Williams said that in addition to the 10 farms that were evacuated, five were besieged Thursday and one homestead burned to the ground. “There is widespread looting,” she said.

Cattle had been herded away and equipment stolen, she said.

Farm buildings were trashed, and vehicles were used to take away furniture, fertilizer and building materials, district union officials reported. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Black squatters have occupied--often violently--more than 1,700 white-owned farms since March 2000.

The government has listed about 4,500 farms--approximately 90% of properties owned by whites--for “fast track” confiscation without compensation. White farmers own about one-third of Zimbabwe’s arable land.