In recent years, the government of Zimbabwe, headed by Robert Mugabe, has grown ever more grasping. In a desperate bid to shore up his political base, Mugabe has sanctioned a massive land-grab on the part of murderous ba...In recent years, the government of Zimbabwe, headed by Robert Mugabe, has grown ever more grasping. In a desperate bid to shore up his political base, Mugabe has sanctioned a massive land-grab on the part of murderous bands of so-called "war veterans." Mugabe's government has published lists of farms, many that have been in the same family for generations, that are to be compulsorily acquired and turned over to the veterans. But in other cases, farms not targeted for acquisition have been invaded by squatters who drive off the farmers and destroy livestock. African Tears is the harrowing tale of one such family. For seven months, Catherine Buckle and her family and workers lived side-by-side with the brutal squatters who invaded her land, beat and intimidated her workers, and destroyed her livelihood. Under constant threats and scrutiny, she carried on as make-shift huts were erected on the fields where her cattle grazed and her stock dams and timber were "liberated." As the harassment escalated, the land invaders killed the livestock, set packs of hunting dogs loose, and finally burned the farm to the ground. Catherine and her family eventually had to abandon the farm, resulting in the loss of jobs for her workers, and the death of a productive farm in a country facing an increased threat of famine.
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