2006年VOA标准英语-Zimbabwe Farmers Ask for Halt to Land Inva

By Peta Thornycroft
Harare
08 February 2006
 
Zimbabwe's commercial farmers union has asked the government to issue orders to halt land seizures¹ and work out a way to restore agricultural activity. The rare statement from the union is being considered by the government.

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James Murape, stands in parched² maize³ crops near Harare (2005 file photo)   
  

The Commercial Farmers Union is calling for the Zimbabwe government to freeze land seizures and agricultural policies. It says all those involved in agriculture should get together to rebuild the industry.

Union President Doug Taylor-Freeme says Zimbabwe's economy is so fragile that something has to be done. Official records show that until it was destroyed, agriculture used to earn up to 40 percent of the country's annual foreign exchange.

"We have observed that the economy is in trouble, particularly agriculture and we sense we can contribute something to fix that, and we need a complete review of policies that exist and some breathing space, hence we called for a moratorium⁴ on land acquisitions and a moratorium on present agricultural policies, and we are trying to create an atmosphere of reconciliation⁵ in the agricultural sector⁶ so we can all move forward," he said.

The Union says the commercial farmers have the energy and capacity to again make Zimbabwe the bread basket of the region and revitalize the country's reputation.

Zimbabwe's Commercial Farmers Union included more than 4,000 white commercial farmers, until land redistribution to blacks began in 2000.

Now, less than 300 of those commercial farmers remain on their land, and say they are under pressure every day to move off. They say the pressure comes from district officials and does not appear to come from the central government.

Union President Taylor-Freeme says stability must be created as a first step.

"All land has been virtually acquired for one reason or another, the issue now is who uses that land," he said. "The point we come from is that we acknowledge, despite problems of government having nationalized land, that there has to be a debate on who can use it."

"We believe there has to be farmers who have capacity to use it," he continued. "We have a sector out there and some are still on land under pressure, and there are those who would love the opportunity to farm again. When you look at the state of agriculture and the state of the economy we need to find the right balance. That is what we are seeking."

The Zimbabwe government is expected to begin approving long leases to white farmers still on their land to provide them with protection from harassment⁷ from district officials.

The lands and agriculture ministers were not immediately available for comment. A government announcement is expected by the end of the week.

1 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

2 parched   

adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干

参考例句：

• Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。
• The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。

3 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

4 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

5 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。