New Zimbabwe farm invasion

Farmers try to contact a colleague whose land has been invaded

Zimbabwean war veterans have invaded one of the world's largest tobacco-growing farms, trapping a manager and two women inside the homestead.

The raid took place in the Mvurwi district, about 100km (60 miles) north of Harare, as white farmers in another district returned to their land after reaching an agreement with the squatters.

Over the past two months, war veterans and government supporters have illegally occupied more than 1,000 white-owned farms.

We are sick, we are tired of the butchery of our people

Bishop Jonathan Siyachitema

A group of about 700 war veterans and their supporters surrounded Austrian-owned Forester Estate, the Commercial Farmers Union said, and briefly detained farm manager Duncan Hamilton.

The union spokesman said that Mr Hamilton was trying to negotiate with the invaders while two women, one of them his girlfriend, hid in his house.

The squatters, armed with guns and clubs, then sent him back into the house.

Police put up roadblocks in the area, but took no further action.

Convoy returns

In the Marondera district east of the capital, another group of about 200 club-wielding people is reported to have moved onto a white-owned farm, demanding food and accommodation.

Farmers' support for the MDC angers war veterans

Police arrived and persuaded the squatters not to use violence, although not all of them left the property.

White farmers travelled in convoys on Sunday to the eastern Virginia Macheka district, where farmer David Stevens was murdered last Tuesday.

The farmers said they received assurances from squatters that they and their property would not be attacked, and welcomed a "new chapter" in relations with the war veterans who have been leading the occupation of white-owned land.

The veterans' position appears to have changed after reassurances that the farmers were committed to a programme of land redistribution.

But our correspondent Greg Barrow says that another key issue is certain farmers' support for the opposition MDC.

He says that while squatters withdrew from properties after farmers promised to end their support for the opposition, they will continue to attack farms whose owners are believed to be encouraging their workers to back the MDC.

Police are investigating Saturday's bombing

Bomb probe

Police say they are still investigating the bomb, which exploded on Saturday evening outside the office of the pro-opposition Daily News.

No arrests have been made.

Information Minister Chen Chimutengwende dismissed accusations that the government was behind the explosion.

Since the bomb had damaged an adjacent art gallery rather than the offices, the paper had not been the target of the attack, he said.

Easter worshippers were urged to seek reconciliation

In an Easter Sunday sermon in Harare's Anglican cathedral, Bishop Jonathan Siyachitema said his compatriots must "rise up from the grave" of political and racial conflict.

"We are sick, we are tired of the butchery of our people," the bishop said.

He told Zimbabweans to "put away hatred and murderous mistrust" to create a "nation of reconciliation" and a "partnership of all colours of the rainbow".