ZIMBABWE: Soldiers Involved in Rape and Other Sexual Violence on Farms

Cases of serious sexual violence, including the recent rape of at least one woman by soldiers on an invaded farm, are being investigated, as members of the armed forces continue their illegal seizure of the land.

The woman, part of a group of more than ninety farm worker families from Karori farm in the Headlands district, was reportedly raped more than a week ago when soldiers evicted them from the farm. Several people were also beaten in the operation that has formed part of the ongoing illegal and often violent takeover of the farm owned by Charles Lock. Lock told SW Radio Africa on Thursday that he is desperately trying to get police help, but added that “the police can't deal with the soldiers, and they say there is nothing they can do.”

Lock voluntarily gave up his own farm to the State for the land ‘reform' programme in 2002 and moved on to his father-in-law's farm to head operations there. In 2004 Lock and his father-in-law were both arrested and charged with being on state land illegally, after they had been asked to give up yet more land the year before. Charges against them were dropped and at the time, both the Rusape Governor and the Land Task Force acknowledged their legal right to the property.

But since 2007, Lock and his staff have faced ongoing and often violent intimidation and harassment by the man set on taking over the farm, army Brigadier General Justin Mujaji. His efforts to force Lock off the land have been in violation of numerous court orders and arrest warrants against him, which the police have chosen to ignore. Mujaji and his own personal army of soldiers have repeatedly looted the farm, interrupted farming activities and used violence against Lock's staff. Just last year, during another ‘jambanja' by Mujaji's men, Lock's staff were beaten and evicted from the farm, in an attack similar to the recent eviction operation.

“My workers are all so traumatised and in shock and there is nothing, absolutely nothing being done,” Lock said.

The forced eviction of the workers and the reported cases of rape and sexual harassment by the soldiers have also been ignored by police. The General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ) is now trying to force an investigation, with the help of human rights groups in the country.

“When the women reported to the police, no action was taken against the soldiers and this has since raised questions as to the extent of the harassment and as a union we are going to make sure we follow up on this case using the relevant offices and we have since sought legal assistance from our human rights partners,” said Gertrude Hambira, General Secretary of the union.

The union has reported that more than 60 000 farm workers have been displaced since the formation of the unity government in February, as a result of the renewed land-grab offensive. And yet the government has made no move to put a stop to a country-wide operation that is set to leave millions of people hungry in the upcoming months. This is all despite agreements by the principals of the coalition government to encourage food production and ensure a better Zimbabwe for its people. Instead, the same principals, including Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, have made no move to stop the land attacks, which Robert Mugabe predictably has condoned.

Meanwhile, on Karori Farm, Mujaji and his men have continued their spree of theft on the farm, which Lock and his family no longer has access to. In recent months, the soldiers stole well over 300 tons of maize and more than 100 tons of tobacco. In the last few days alone, Lock has reported that at least seven trucks of maize have been taken from the farm, totalling more than 200 tons of maize. Again, Lock's pleas for police intervention or any kind of legal assistance are being ignored.

“It is ridiculous that these soldiers, who are high ranking and are abusing their powers, are completely untouchable,” Lock said. “The principals to this government need to do something about the lawlessness in the country or we will all be lost.”