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Mugabe supporters turn the heat on Indian settlers

London April 25. In what appeared to be a repeat of the 1970s clampdown on Indian businessmen in Uganda, about 12,000 people of Indian origin in Zimbabwe are now facing threats from supporters of the President, Robert Mugabe, to hand over their property or risk having it seized.

Ugandan leader, Idi Amin, summarily expelled 60,000 Asians, mostly Indians, from the country in August 1972 with most of them turning to Britain for asylum.

According to a report from Harare, Andrew Ndlovu, second-in-command of the National Liberation War Veterans' Association, said the movement had started ``Operation Liberation'' to seize Asian, mostly Indian, business properties.

Mr. Ndlovu was speaking to The Herald, a state-controlled daily, which has repeatedly been used by Mr. Mugabe to announce new policies.

``We want these Indians to surrender a certain percentage of their land to the Government,'' he said, according to a report in The Times. ``Indians are not here to develop our country or to work with the Government. They are economic looters.''

Much of Zimbabwe's Asian population is descended from families which arrived with white settlers late in the 19th century. Mostly affluent businessmen and professionals, they have remained largely apolitical, apart from a few who took public office in the ruling Zanu (PF) party. Despite the Indian minority's low political profile, it has begun to be seen as a target of Zanu (PF). The threat from Mr. Ndlovu, a former renegade guerrilla facing charges of embezzling his movement of £ 10,000, was the most overt attack yet. — PTI

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