Maria Stevens called for change in Zimbabwe at the memorial service yesterday for her murdered husband, farmer David Stevens.
"I hope for the sake of my husband that something good will come out of this dreadful and intimidating situation," said Mrs Stevens, while holding her crying baby. "I hope our beautiful country will return to its happy state and that it will get the change we deserve."
Mr Stevens (47) was killed on April 15th by supporters of President Robert Mugabe, who accused him of supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
More than 1,000 members of the white farming community attended the memorial service yesterday in Harare. Mr Stevens's 300 workers and their families had wanted to attend the service, but they said they were afraid of being ambushed while travelling off the farm.
"David Stevens had great compassion for his family and his workers. He had a sense of righteousness. These qualities got him killed," said the Rev. Terje Bjerkholdt, who conducted the memorial service in Harare. The minister stated that Mr Stevens's black foreman, Julius Andoche, was also murdered but his body was not discovered until a week later.
"These men were tortured and killed in the most gruesome manner," said Pastor Bjerkholdt. "The murderers must be caught and brought to trial, not for revenge, but for the soul of this country so it will be seen that justice has been done."
Mourning farmers wiped their eyes and others wept when Mr Stevens's favourite song, Have I told you lately that I love you, was played in the hall.
More than 50 white farming families neighbouring Mr Stevens's farm evacuated the Macheke Virginia area following his murder. They were frightened by the presence of an armed gang of more than 100 men marauding the area, and the police were entirely inactive.
With no protection they felt they had to leave their farms. Many returned on Monday, but others still feel the situation is too insecure. No arrests have been made for the killings of Mr Stevens, Mr Andoche and another farmer, Mr Martin Olds, although numerous witnesses identified the perpetrators of all three crimes.
Even as the memorial service was being conducted, a campaign of state-sponsored violence and intimidation swept through Zimbabwe designed to cow the population into voting for President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. The date for the elections has not yet been announced.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean Vice-President, Mr Simon Muzenda, said he was not sorry about the deaths of Mr Stevens and fellow white farmer Martin Olds. "Those two farmers who were killed had provoked the former fighters and it should not be regrettable," said Mr Muzenda. "We are calling on war veterans to remain on the farms and we warn farmers not to provoke them."
Three more members of the Movement for Democratic Change were killed over the holiday weekend, bringing the total to 11. Hundreds of farm labourers suspected of supporting the MDC have been beaten, tortured and threatened by Mr Mugabe's backers.
"Our workers are very vulnerable. We get reports that they have been beaten and burned, that they have broken arms and legs," said the wife of a white farmer who was beaten unconscious and later received a death threat.
"My husband cannot go back, but I have gone back to the farm to try to help them. Some have fled into the bush and the ones who stay are being beaten. It is terrible."
Death threats have been issued to several white farmers in the Wedza and Matabeleland areas. Death threats have also been issued in Harare to several leading members of the MDC, human rights activists, independent journalists and a Harare Anglican priest who has voiced his opposition to Mr Mugabe's government.
"With this campaign of violence and intimidation, Mugabe has re-imposed his authority over the rural areas," said Mr Iden Wetherell, deputy editor of the Zimbabwe Independent. "It will be more difficult to intimidate the urban areas, but the rural areas are in terror.
"Now there is no question that free and fair elections can be held. Any victory by the ruling party can now be discounted."
Reuters adds: Zimbabwean police investigating the killing of two opposition supporters yesterday arrested five suspects in connection with the death of a man killed in a scuffle with followers of the ruling ZANU-PF party.
Mr Nomore Sibanda, a spokesman for the opposition MDC, said one man had been beaten to death in Shamva, about 80 km north-east of Harare, and another had been killed in the capital. Both died on Monday.
The five suspects arrested yesterday were being held in connection with the killing in Shamva, the spokesman said. Police said they were also investigating the Harare killing, but did not give further details.
The MDC leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, told Reuters by telephone that the first victim had been in a group attacked in a shopping area of Shamva. In the same incident a local MDC leader, Mr David Nhaurwa, was struck on the head with an axe and other people were also hurt.
In London yesterday the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, said he was "gravely concerned by the latest violence in Zimbabwe over the Easter weekend".
Mr Cook is due to meet a delegation of Zimbabwean government ministers in London on Thursday for talks on the crisis.