Stop your racist land grab, tribunal tells Robert Mugabe

Robert Mugabe vowed recently to continue his land reform programme involving the seizure of white-owned farms. But the strategy has been dealt a blow by a recent ruling of a little-known international tribunal. Upholding the claims of 79 landowners, the tribunal of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) held that that the seizure of land by the Government of Zimbabwe is arbitrary, racially discriminatory and contrary to the rule of law.

In a major embarrassment to Robert Mugabe and his administration, the tribunal also ordered the Zimbabwean Government to protect the occupation of those of the applicants who remain on their land and to pay compensation to those who have been evicted. If Zimbabwe does not comply with the order it will be in clear