Timber firm accuses state of flouting Abuja Agreement

Zimbabwean company Border Timbers Limited said because the Abuja Agreement is being flouted by a number of authorities, including the government, it is seeking the intervention and protection of the German-Zimbabwe Investment Protection Agreement, the 'Daily News' reported on Wednesday. The agreement, signed in 1995 to protect German investments in Zimbabwe, has been used by Daimler Benz, which supplies cars to the government, BMW, and medical equipment and telephone manufacturer, Siemens.

Border Timbers, Zimbabwe’s largest timber producer, is a major foreign currency earner. On Tuesday, the company said it was extremely concerned that while rampant lawlessness continued at its operations at Sawerombe in the Eastern Highlands, "the police have advised that they can only play an ‘observer role’ despite the Abuja Agreement". The agreement was signed between Zimbabwe and Britain in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, on 6 September. Under the agreement, Britain pledged to pay compensation to farmers who lost their farms under the land redistribution exercise on condition the Zimbabwean government agreed to pursue the programme in an "orderly manner and observe the rule of law".

Border said in spite of having lodged the requisite objections to the land designation notices, and despite verbal assurances that its estates would be de-listed, the estates remain designated. Border Timbers said: "Contrary to the explicit assurances given at Abuja, to both the local and international communities that there will be no further occupation of farm lands’, Border has experienced not simply a standstill position, but increased efforts by local and provincial authorities to initiate the occupation of areas of land. Newly planted pine trees have been ploughed under or cut down."