No end to Zimbabwe land conflict

The 21 detained farmers reappear in court on Tuesday

The looting and destruction of white-owned farm property is showing no signs of abating in northern Zimbabwe.

Farming officials now say that more than 50 properties have been attacked by marauding bands of government supporters in recent days and that at least 300 people have fled white-owned farms.

The Commercial Farmers' Union CFU say that there have been frantic talks between them and the Zimbabwean police to try and stop the anarchy around the northern town of Chinoyi.

But an official said that: "Every time we think that the situation is calming down, we hear of another attack."

There are reports of squatters breaking into houses, stealing everything they can, and then setting fire to property.

Throughout Zimbabwe's land crisis the police have been criticised by for failing to stop the encroachments onto white-owned farms, which are backed by the Zimbabwean Government.

But police said on Monday that they had increased their patrols, arrested 12 looters and had recovered substantial property in the area.

Trouble

The head of the Commercial Farmers' Union, Colin Cloete, told the BBC he had issued an impassioned appeal to the government to act swiftly to restore law and order.

But BBC correspondent Rageh Omaar says the Chinhoyi region has become so volatile and dangerous over the past week that independent Zimbabweans and foreign journalists are finding it virtually impossible to gain access.

The trouble in Chinhoyi began last week after the arrest of a group of white farmers accused of beating up government supporters who had invaded a farm belonging to a white farmer.

The farmers are in jail awaiting a court appearance on Tuesday.

Sanctions

Last week, the US Senate approved and passed on to Congress a bill that threatens sanctions unless the Zimbabwean Government respects democratic rule and law and order, and carries out a legalised land reform programme.

President Mugabe: Seeking re-election next year

President Mugabe has denounced the sanctions threat as racist and aimed at thwarting his efforts to "correct colonial imbalances".

Zimbabwe has been plunged into political and economic crisis for the past 18 since a government-backed campaign of land seizures began.

Many occupations have been carried out by self-styled war veterans.

The government has targeted more than two-thirds of the land owned by whites - some 4,600 farms - for confiscation.

The land invasions are widely seen as a ploy by Mr Mugabe to overcome the threat of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, MDC with presidential elections due by 2002.