Zimbabwean President Mr Robert Mugabe eased his verbal attacks on white farmers today in a speech that offered a little hope he might shy away from evicting them.
Speaking to the army in his second nationally broadcast speech in as many days, Mr Mugabe insisted his land redistribution program was almost done and said members of the armed forces would benefit from the scheme. But he did not ask the defence forces to evict white farmers and made no new threats.
|
|
Mr Robert Mugabe
|
"At home, the land redistribution programme which is empowering the hitherto marginalised black majority is being finalised," Mr Mugabe said.
The softer tone contrasted with a fiery speech yesterday, when Mr Mugabe said he would stick to an August deadline for giving white lands to blacks.
"We shall keep a watchful eye on what is happening on the farms," he said, warning whites not to seek "another war".
"All genuine and well-meaning white farmers who wish to pursue a farming career as loyal citizens of this country have managed to do so. We have been generous. No farmer, we said, need go without land," he said.
So far, no farmers have reported any forced evictions. Police have said they will enforce the law but declined to say how. About 1.5 million people, including black farm workers and their families, have remained on white-owned farms despite eviction orders last week.
AFP