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NOTE:
Bear in mind that the following could be totally fabricated, is a lie, is a disinformation and misinformation campaign by the anti-Mugabe press.

First they killed white farmers and occupied the land, now Mugabe's 'war veterans' threaten to seize the property of Asian businessmen

By Gavin Du Venage
IN JOHANNESBURG

RULING party militants in Zimbabwe have threatened to seize by force the property of Asian businessmen there, many of whom are ethnic Chinese.

The Asians face a fate similar to the thousands of white farmers who have been driven from their land during the past two years in a violent campaign in which a dozen farmers have been killed and many more injured.
They have been accused of being 'economic looters' by Mr Andrew Ndlovu, leader of the so-called 'war veterans'.

The veterans form a government-backed militia and Mr Ndlovu's accusation was published in the state-owned newspaper, The Herald.

The newspaper is usually an accurate reflection of government thinking in this increasingly lawless country.

'Nothing will stop us from claiming commercial land from Indians,' Mr Ndlovu said.

'If they do not stop looting our economy, they will leave us with no choice but to go door to door making sure all Indians in the cities are complying with instructions from the war veterans.'

Zimbabwe's 12,000-strong Asian community is mostly of Indian origin but includes a significant number of ethnic Chinese.

The veterans are ostensibly soldiers who fought to liberate Zimbabwe from white minority rule in a bloody bush war that ended in 1980 with the election of President Robert Mugabe.

But today's 'veterans' are mostly youths who support Mr Mugabe's policy of seizing land from whites without compensation.

The 78-year-old ruler is fighting to stay in power as the country slides into economic chaos brought about by drought and political mismanagement.

He has used the 'veterans' militia to subdue opponents and terrorise ethnic minorities.

'Asians, commonly referred to as Indians, would also not be spared for what is said to be their role in the hoarding of essential commodities,' Mr Ndlovu said.

The government has tried to blame the Asian business community for food shortages occurring in the wake of the nation's worsening economic situation.

'If the militants can take land from farmers, why not come into town and chase property owners away from their homes and businesses?' Harare-based economist Anthony Hawkins told The Straits Times.

'It is real wild west stuff here. Law and order has all but broken down. People can do what they like. The Asian community is not popular anywhere in Africa... anything can happen.'

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