Explosions heard on Mount Carmel Farm
September 10th, 2009
Large explosions were heard yesterday on Mount Carmel Farm. No one at this stage knows what might have caused the explosions – neither the Freeth nor Campbell families have been able to return to the farm after their homes were burned down last week (see here and here), so they are unable to determine what might be going on.
There is concern that the anonymous explosions may be a precursor to a ramped-up stage of intimidation against the families. Explosions and allegations of ‘arms caches’ are a favourite tool in the Zanu PF intimidation chest.
Roy Bennett, for example, was forced into exile in South Africa in 2006 after the Zanu PF regime alleged he was involved in a plot to kill Robert Mugabe, and linked him to a so-called cache of arms. The charges were later dropped, but re-surfaced again last year when Bennett was arrested yet again.
In November last year two police stations in Harare were bombed. The motive for the bombings became clear when, in December, a spate of abductions took place targeting prominent human rights and political activists opposed to the Zanu PF regime. Five activists were charged at the end of December with “terrorism, sabotage and malicious damage”, but only after they were subjected to torture and a disregard for most of their human rights.
It is for these reasons that we are concerned that the explosions heard on Mount Carmel Farm may signal more intimidation and harrassment for the Freeth and Campbell families. Their case before the SADC Tribunal has exposed the Zanu PF regime land resettlement policy to be racist and unlawful. Despite endless terrible harrassment, the families have stood firm and strong in their belief in justice.
Of course we hope it turns out that the explosions turn out to be nothing serious, and that they are easily and sensibly explained. But we’re not taking that chance, and flagging this incident for people and the media to take note, and asking everyone to watch out for the families in advance.
Our Action Alert still applies: please visit this link and send an sms to ‘Landmine’ the person directly linked to most of the horror inflicted on the families. Please read our guide (at that link) before making contact with him.
