SYDNEY MUBAIWA
MANHIZE- Human rights defenders have condemned illegal forced relocations of Inhoek Villagers in Manhize without their consent paving way for Dinson Iron and Steel Company’s multibillion plant.
In its recent report, Centre for Research and Development (CRD) highlighted that the displacements were illegal as the villagers were allegedly forced to sign compensation forms against their will.
The extractive industry biased human rights watchdog said government was expected to ensure livelihoods and services are made available in relocation destination areas before families were relocated in line with Chapter 4 of the constitution and declaration of rights and UN guiding principles on displacements.
“These families have been subjected to intimidation over continued occupation of land at Inhoek farm in Mashenjere, Manhize. The families are arguing that, they cannot leave their ancestral land without adequate compensation.
“A lot of these families will be forcibly removed without adequate compensation as already demonstrated in Rusununguko and Singleton relocations. The arrests and consistent intimidation of these farmers reflect embedded priorities of political elites in Dinson investments in Manhize,” reads part of the report.
The report further highlighted that the Manhize displacements violated United Nations Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-based Evictions and Displacements which oblige the state to ensure that communities have the right to resettlement with housing that must satisfy adequacy, accessibility, habitability, security of tenure, cultural adequacy among other issues.
According to farmers interviewed by the human rights defender, farmers were removed from fertile land at Inhoek farm and were settled on rocky and sandy soils that are undesirable for crop production.
The land requires high fertiliser rates that subsistence farmers cannot afford.
“There were no land clearance for families that were displaced to Singleton and victims of land loss at Inhoek farm, Singleton, Runyararo and Mashenjere villages are facing acute food shortages and hunger. A lot of them cannot afford to meet other basic needs for their families such as medication and education,” further reads the report.
In an interview with The Midweek Watch, villagers in Singleton who prayed for anonymity in fear of being victimised said they were ordered to relocate without adequate compensation.
“We are living in abject poverty. We have lost nearly four agricultural seasons and Dinson is only providing us a meagre US$200 per month. The money cannot meet our basic requirements.
“We also have water challenges especially during the dry season. Families have been fetching water for domestic use at another farm about 4km away because all the six boreholes drilled by Dinson had dried up,” said the aggrieved farmer.
He said the Chinese miner failed to honour its promises by failing to provide basic services in the area.
The mining company had promised to construct a bridge linking Rusununguko and Nyikavanhu villages but nothing happened, he added.
“At Sable Flats farm where 22 families are earmarked for relocation, there is no clinic, schools or a dip tank nearby. If Dinson does not build these essential services, relocated communities would have to walk for long distances of about 12 km to access them,” he added.
Prominent lawyer and former finance minister Tendai Biti, who defended villagers in Chilonga area in Chiredzi against similar displacements condemned the relocations.
He described the evictions as illegal and inhuman.
“These evictions are blatantly illegal and blatantly unconstitutional. Chinese miners all over the country have been invading our ancestral lands, invading our grave sites. The idea by government to put profits before its citizens is unbelievable and unacceptable,” he said.
On full operational, DISCO’s Manhize plant is touted to be the biggest steel producer on the continent.
The plant is also expected to process iron ore from Zimbabwe’s rapidly expanding mining sector, which has been buoyed by growing domestic and international demand.
