Who is Mugabe?
ask land grab warlords By David Blair in Harare COMMANDED by a handful of warlords, squatters on Zimbabwe’s white farms are defying government calls for restraint and confronting President Robert Mugabe with the dilemma of how to control the mobs he has unleashed. The invaders, who occupy 1,100 properties, have ignored official appeals for them to allow routine work to resume on the farms. Police have been unable to curb daily violence, aimed mainly at black labourers. Since the farm invasions began in February – with Mr Mugabe’s support – thousands of people have taken advantage of the suspension of law and order to grab white land and profit from petty crime. Although they claim to be veterans of the war against white rule and declare loyalty to the president, they are beyond the control of the authorities. The farmers are planning a national strike next week to demand the restoration of order, which could be joined by industrial firms and trade unions. Warlords have seized control o
