A group of Dutch farmers who were forced off their land during Zimbabwe’s land reform programme has launched a campaign to force the government to pay them compensation.
The group lost their land between 2000 and 2002 when Zimbabwe embarked on controversial land reforms. They did not receive any compensation, which the group claimed was a violation of the Investment Protection Agreement which the Netherlands had made with Zimbabwe.
They took their case to the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), a Washington-based court which operates under the aegis of the World Bank. The ICSID ruled in their favour in 2009 and ordered Zimbabwe to pay them €8,8 million compensation, to be increased by 10% for each year since the land grab.
The group are now entitled to over €23 million and the Dutch government has been pressuring Zimbabwe over the past two years to fulfill its international obligations, with a special envoy appointed in 2010 having travelled regularly to Zimbabwe to negotiate with local officials.
Earlier this year, Finance minister Tendai Biti promised to put forward a payment proposal. So far he has not honoured this promise despite being asked to do so in a letter from the Dutch Foreign minister in August.
“We wanted to take action earlier, but decided to wait for Biti’s proposal,” the group’s chairperson Lion Benjamins told a Dutch daily. “But now we’re sick of waiting. So we have decided to take steps to show Zimbabwe we’re serious.”
The group is lobbying European MPs to ensure that the European Union should refuse to lift its sanctions on Zimbabwe until the compensation is paid. They also hope to persuade the Dutch government to use its right of veto if Zimbabwe asks the Paris Club for debt relief.
The Dutch Economic Affairs ministry says it supports the farmers, but is “not in a position to take over the payment”.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The group is also active in the United Kingdom, lobbying the government to release frozen President Robert Mugabe assets in order to pay the compensation. —Radio Netherlands
