Flame Lily News and Views

By Eddie Cross 

Just how bad the situation is in the economy is not hard to see.  Banks are empty - no clients and often just one teller on duty.  Wholesalers are slowly getting back on their feet but stocks are pathetic and staff few and far between.  The streets are empty of traffic and in town you can park anywhere.

In the largest supermarket in my home district 20 till points stand empty - only one was working.  You do not have to book for a meal as most establishments are half empty.  People do not have the money to entertain.
Most factories are slowly starting to resume production but exporters are feeling the pinch as costs rise and export customers feel the global recession.

Several days a week we face power cuts, the water situation is hardly better and the roads are in a terrible state.  Prices are coming down but cash is in short supply and low incomes inhibit personal spending on everything except the basics.  Food is freely available but at a price and only in hard currency.  Two thirds of the population are on food aid from a variety of organisations funded by the international community.

Hotels are running at about 30 per cent occupancy - mostly foreign, as local tourism has dried up.  Investors are wary of the changes, fearing a collapse of the new government and a reversal to the old ways and Gono delinquency. He still struts the stage pretending to be a key player and this unnerves all business people except the corrupt cabal that is trying to hang onto what is left of their power and influence.  Not even our neighbours trust us to handle their money - the US$30 million sent to Zimbabwe by South Africa in December just vanished - we could have told them that would happen but they were not listening.

While the international community have responded rapidly to the needs of the new government - raising their input by 100 per cent in the first quarter of this year to over US$100 million per month, the region has responded in a pathetic and halfhearted way.  We asked them for US$1,5 billion in lines of credit and for US$500 million in essential budget support.  After two months we have had pledged US$30 million in aid from South Africa and US$70 million in a line of credit from Botswana.  Since we are in this top heavy, cumbersome marriage of convenience largely at the instigation of the region, we really thought they would feel some responsibility for making it work.

Instead they have sat on the sidelines for 7 months while Mugabe procrastinated and when he finally agreed to share power with the MDC, we were forced to accept a lopsided deal which bore little regard to our respective political strengths.  Even then they have stood back and watched as Mugabe has simply refused to keep his side of the bargain.  Two months into the transitional government and not a single significant problem has been resolved.

No wonder the world watches Africa and despairs.  Who can blame them when we cannot manage a simple exercise such as this one and do not put our own money where our mouth is.  SADC compounds the problem when they stridently call for “sanctions to be lifted” and for the international community to dig deeply into their overburdened fiscal reserves to find huge sums for our economic recovery.  In doing so they give the international community no recognition for their ongoing grant aid to Zimbabwe - now standing at nearly 5 billion dollars since 2000 in the face of insults and widespread flaunting of all the rules of good governance and respect for human rights and the rule of law.

The GPA promised media freedom - what has Mugabe delivered - a slight shift in the character of State propaganda?  They are still jamming international radio broadcasts, still banning the BBC and CNN still harassing and imprisoning local journalists.

The GPA promised a halt to the farm invasions and respect for the rule law.
Instead we have a rush of fresh invasions, more violence and intimidation.
The theft of private assets and crops and a total disregard for the highest legal opinion in the SADC.

The GPA promised a halt to political violence, respect for our freedoms of assembly and association.  Instead we have the continued detention of MDC activists, banned meetings and harassment of MP’s and local leadership.

The GPA promised that all major decisions and appointments would be carried out on a consensual basis and all that we have seen are repeated attempts by Mugabe to make decisions and appointments without consultation and agreement.

The GPA promised equity in government with a slight majority to the MDC in respect for its victory in the polls in March 2008.  Instead Mugabe insists on maintaining control of almost all key government functions and not a single State institution has seen its leadership reformed to reflect the new reality.

Under these circumstances can anyone blame everyone for being sceptical about this transitional arrangement?  What hope on earth has this got to yield a decent election in 2011, an election that will be respected by the international community?  Who can blame the major bilateral and multilateral financial agencies for their caution and reluctance to come to the party when it is clear that once there they will simply be abused and used?

Who can blame the business community - here and abroad, for being cautious about coming in and helping our recovery with their own money?  We have no right to expect to be trusted and until that changes there can be no progress.  If Zanu PF cannot see that and accept that so long as they behave like a rogue elephant, they will be treated as such and with every justification.  The main problem for everyone is that the innocent and the guilty suffer in this situation and the innocent in this deal can do very little about protecting their essential interests.

Today is Independence Day, Zimbabweans have very little to celebrate after 29 years of poor and corrupt government and now on top of all that, inept regional leadership.

Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 18th April 2009

The Joan Evans Gallery is being continuously added to. Go to the main menu on the home page, or click on the following to see the gallery:

http://www.flf-rasa.org/home/JoanEvans/JoanEvans.html

Here is a bit of history for admirers of Joan Evans’ work.

“I get an enormous amount of pleasure out of my work, and people seem to like my pictures:’ says the Rhodesian artist, Joan Evans, whose interest in painting “started, I think, when I was about two years old.”

Her talent continued to grow under the guidance of her father, Colonel Capell, a former Commissioner of Police, but as a child, Joan “never went to art school” and then “hadn’t much time for painting” during the first twenty-two years of her married life, which were spent on a farm in Bindura. Later, however, she began working in oils in Salisbury and her first exhi­bition was opened by the then Sir Godfrey Huggins in the State lottery Hall in 1953. A further exhibition in 1960 established her in the public eye and, since then, “people have got used to my style of painting and they particu­larly want me to do M’sasas because these are Rhodesian,” while her land­scapes have become symbolic too.

Although Joan Evans has her own studio in her home and works a nine to five day, her rapidly executed compositions are still drawn from life. Her husband has always been a “terrific help in driving me around and stopping by the hour” as she works on her sketches, which are later washed in with her characteristic water colours. On other occasions, her many visitors des­cribe their favourite scenes, and with the help of her twenty sketch books, imagination and the creation of an atmosphere, she reproduces these for her clients. Her pictures come in ten sizes and are in great demand in many parts of the world, including Hong Kong and Russia and particularly in Southern Africa. In addition, for the past sixteen years, Joan Evans has been painting ‘Scenes that are used by charities and eighty to one hundred thousand of these Christmas cards are sold annually.

Joan has been criticized for her “picture postcard approach,” but insists that she paints “as an ordinary person in the street sees a scene and not as an art connoisseur” and her work adorns many an office and home. The National Gallery of Rhodesia has bought a modern and a pen and wash of an old tree that she saw on the way to Malawi, but she is not keen to develop a new style, because “it’s not me.”

Mrs. Evans has had a remarkably successful art life, but she does have an’ ambition to paint a masterpiece and feels that .a picture showing Piggs Peak, in the Prime Minister’s home town of Selukwe, will turn out to be “something special.”

On a wider scale, she enjoys painting her own casual arrangements of “splashy flowers,” is “very fond of the sea and the Drakensberg.” Trees remain a favourite subject though, and she once sat in a paddock in the midst of ten bulls in order to paint a “super old, old fig tree.” Still finding that her “first pleasure is in going out into the bush” and with sixteen of her works hanging in the House of Assembly, Joan Evans, through her associations and her achievements, is one of Rhodesia’s ambassadors in oils.  Heather Jarvis

 Saturday evening 4 April 2009: -

“Police have just arrived on Mt. Carmel Farm - about 13 of them with guns.

Yesterday we had another invasion by a man called Chimambira [which is Shona for landmine].  He later said his name was Madangonda.  He arrived in a maroon Toyota Prado [reg no 743096 M] with about 10 others at approximately 3 pm.  He came straight into the main homestead through the kitchen door and said to Bruce Campbell that we had 5 minutes to get out and leave.

The last time invaders came through that door was 29 June 2008 when we were very badly assaulted by Gilbert Moyo and Simbarahe Zindoga and others and the house was looted before we were abducted. 

It was confirmed today that Gilbert Moyo has been let out of custody by the public prosecutor in very irregular circumstances despite having countless cases of assault, attempted murder, house break-in and theft vehicle theft etc.  against numerous white farmers in the district.  Not a single one of his trials has yet even commenced.  One of the weapons that he stole is still outstanding. 

I went to the police and spoke to Chief Inspector Manika [tel no.  0912 919665] and made a report to Cst.  Nikadzo.  He did not have a report received book so we drove around Chegutu looking for the Sergeant who had the keys for the room where the book was.  We did not find him but he eventually got the book and wrote the report in the book [RRB no.  0505651].

The workers told Chimambira that he could not come and invade the farm and evict us.  Chimambira had no papers but was purporting to be from Nathan Shamuyarira’s office.

Chief Inspector Manika said he would come to sort the problem out.  I saw him at Gadzema 6 km from the farm in a pale blue pick-up [reg.  no.  ZRP 159E ].  He said he would be coming shortly.

When he did not appear I phoned him and he told me that he had got information that the maroon Prado had come to Chegutu which was why he did not attend.

At 8.30 pm the Prado returned and the workers told Mr.  Chimambira that he must leave with his men.  Eventually at 9.30 pm Chimambira left and said he would be back.

Next day at approximately 9 am Chimambira arrived back.  The workers surrounded their group of 10 people and told them to leave. 

I phoned Chief Inspector Manika who said he would come out.  After an hour there was still no sign of him so I phoned him again to say that the situation was deteriorating and he needed to come soon.  I then went to the Chegutu police station and spoke to police officers there saying the situation was not looking good as other people from around the area had also arrived and the situation was turning ugly as they were saying that there should be no more farm invasions.

I was told that police had gone out to the farm.

In the interim the various people that had arrived from elsewhere as well and they and the workers told the invaders to get onto 2 pickups so that they could be taken off the farm and out of the situation in order to avoid violence.  This was duly done. 

Eventually 3 policemen arrived being transported by Chimambira.  They were 2 plain clothes police by the name of Chengeta and Mapotsa and Sergeant Machoda.  There was a long confab before they eventually left saying they would be back.

At 4 pm the police arrived back fully armed.  My wife was driving along the road and overtook them.  They came to my house which is on the other side of the farm and Inspector Zengeni came to say that he was looking for someone who had assaulted someone this morning. 

My wife asked who it was and they said that they did not know.  He then wanted to know where our workers lived and where our foreman lived.

She asked why they were sending so many people to arrest one person when in June with the abduction and beating of her parents and husband police refused to come out.  She was told that it was not her duty to ask questions as she must assist the police.

Inspector Zengeni unbuckled his side arm pistol and threatened to arrest her.  My wife told them that they must arrest her if they wanted to.  They then got into the vehicle and left to go to the main house.

My sister-in-law was at the main house.  The police wanted to know who the owner of the farm was and where Bruce Campbell and Martin Joubert were.  Chimambira then arrived back. 

They then picked up one of the workers and drove off.”

Shortly after this release we received another: - “We have just heard that 7 of our workers have been arrested by police and some of them assaulted.”

So, in spite of our new power sharing government, nothing has changed.  The thefts and looting continue.  We have spoken on the telephone with Ben Freeth this morning.  For someone in his situation he remains remarkably cheerful.  His telephone number is +263 912 241477.

The following is what Ben Freeth sent out at 4.31 a.m. on 7 April 2009: -

“Dear all,

Thank you for your prayers.  On the face of it you may wonder whether they are being answered or not.  I will give you a brief synopsis of today:

We managed to leave Mike and Angela’s house this morning despite invaders all around and a small blockade of cut trees on the driveway going out to the main road.  On leaving though “Landmine” gave his name as “Landmine Shamuyarira” and told us that the place was now his as he has the offer letter for Minister Nathan Shamuyarira.   

Angela and Cath tried to go back a little later to sort out a wound on the old horse that lives in the garden and give him water as well as get the cat.  They also needed to check the small herd of “house” dairy cows as they haven’t been able to be milked for a few days due the invaders stopping the workers from being allowed to work. 

Cath got out of the car to remove the blockade of branches and “Landmine” the main invader tried to grab the car keys and get them both out of the car.  They were denied access to the house.

At the police station the police did not want to take a report regarding this situation.  We had our lawyer, David Drury there, and they eventually took the report after considerable discussion.  We spent the next 7 hours at the police station but police never came out to Mount Carmel to allow us to get to the house despite numerous requests.  For all we know the house is being looted.  They smashed the kitchen door lock a few nights ago and we have not been able to replace the lock.  Police saw the smashed lock but “Landmine” was never arrested. They have now got total control to smash the rest of the locks and take what they like.

Bruce managed to get one of the workers, Sinos, who was badly beaten up by the invaders a couple of days ago, x-rayed.  It has transpired that he has a badly fractured skull.

“Landmine” and the gang that beat Sinos, were at the police station 4 times in the 7 hours that we were there.  They walk in at will and appear to command considerable power with the police.  We asked that they be arrested but police are clearly in collusion with them.

As a result of these beatings and police arrests of the workers, many of the other workers remain in hiding or simply just sleeping rough in the bush.  

I asked the police Sergeant doing the case regarding the arrest of our workers what “Landmines” real name was.  He told me to get me to get it from “Landmine.”  When I asked “Landmine” his real name [in the Sergeants presence] he refused to give it to me.  I was told to get it from the police superiors.  Assistant Inspector Sasa refused to give it to me as it was a “police matter.”  Inspector Zengeni said I was “provoking him.”  Chief Inspector Manika, despite him being on the phone with “Landmine” on a number of occasions, told our lawyer that he does not know his name but will find out.  On the 4 occasions that “Landmine” was there that afternoon he somehow failed to find out!    

Towards the end of the afternoon I was asked to get Martin Joubert to the police station as they just wanted to record a statement from him.  When he arrived they said that they wanted to charge him for kidnapping! [a totally false charge].  They started recording a statement which was done by the light of a cell phone into the night as they had no candles.

They have now put Martin into jail with the other workers.

Dave Drury managed to get private access to some of our workers who were in jail on similar charges.  They were not being brought to court and were being illegally incarcerated beyond the 48 hour limit.  This was pointed out to Chief Inspector Manika but he did not let them out of custody.

The workers showed how they were tortured by police when having statements extracted from them.  They were beaten using a heavy electrical cable.  Dave saw the cable and the welts from the beating.

We also got information that having chased all the guards away, “Landmine”  is now taking car loads of mangos out in the maroon Prado that he drives and selling them at the market. 

On leaving the police I went out to try to get to Mike and Angela’s house on foot in the dark with a friend.  Bruce had told Chief Inspector Manika that we were going to try to sleep at the house to stop any looting that might be taking place.  The Chief Inspector said that he thought this would be fine.

On getting to within 100 yards of the house we were ambushed by some invaders who were waiting for us.  They fired stones with catapults.

We had to run for it while stones whistled past our ears.  My friend went down when a big rock hit his leg but he was up in a flash and somehow avoided capture.  He went down again when he leapt the trees and branches blocking the road and he is quite grazed up.  It was a great mercy that we avoided capture because another cracked skull, 50 yards from where they cracked mine 9 month ago, would not have been good.  

So today has been another difficult one.  At this stage we are quiet at our house though; so we are thankful for that.  The answer to prayer is that despite all this and virtually no sleep for several nights and hardly any food, we are not discouraged.  It is a hard time but I know God is with us and I know that this lack of discouragement has to be from God!

Please keep praying,

With love,

Ben.”