RSS 2.0 FeedJune 2010 vol 17, Agriculture Indaba
Rave Reviews for Farm Abuse Documentary
A documentary that highlights the human rights abuses that Zimbabwe's farm workers have been subjected to was shown at a film festival on the sidelines of an International Labour Conference recently.
A documentary that highlights the human rights abuses that Zimbabwe's farm workers have been subjected to was shown at a film festival on the sidelines of an International Labour Conference recently.
The 26 minute documentary was produced last year by the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ), and is entitled The House of Justice. It provides clear evidence of the violence that hundreds of thousands of farm workers suffered as they were beaten, raped and sometimes killed by supporters of Zanu (PF) and so called war vets, during the violent invasions of commercial farms.
The documentary was screened along with 11 other films that focused on issues affecting workers around the world. The festival organisers called House of Justice "a chilling documentary on the atrocities conducted by the Zimbabwean government".
The film also contains an appeal to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to pressure Zimbabwe to respect the ruling of the SADC Tribunal. This was a ground-breaking legal case taken by a small group of farmers to this regional court, which ruled that the Zimbabwean government was in violation of human rights because of its violent seizure of white owned farms.
Unfortunately the government made it clear they would not listen to, or abide by any such ruling.
The film caused much controversy in Zimbabwe when it was released and led to a government crackdown on GAPWUZ .The organisation's General Secretary, Gertrude Hambira, was forced into exile in February.
