2006年VOA标准英语-Zimbabwe Union Cautious About Government's Late

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
17 November 2006

In Zimbabwe, the association representing commercial farmers is reacting with caution to the government's latest offer to compensate¹ white farmers for farms seized under a controversial land reform program. The call comes days after the government distributed the first leases to the recipients² of seized lands.

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The spokeswoman of the Commercial Farmers Union in Harare, Emily Crookes, says the Union is suspicious of the latest compensation offer. She says the Zimbabwean government previously³ has offered less than 10 percent of the market value of buildings and equipment and no compensation at all for the land itself.

"It's not the first time that such lists have appeared and I think, really, the proof will be in the pudding as to what level of compensation they will offer to all these farmers," she said.

Crookes says her organization has advised farmers on the list to request a copy of the offer in writing and then make their own decision.

The Zimbabwean government says some 240 farmers have accepted compensation since the controversial program was launched seven years ago, 30 of them this year. 

Peter Bowen, 42, a white farmer from Zimbabwe, points to his potato cultivations (File photo)

About 4,000 farms have been seized since the year 2000 in what the government said was an effort to rectify⁴ injustices⁵ committed under colonialism. Some farms were occupied by force and the violence led many white farmers to leave the country.

About 900 white-owned commercial farms are reportedly still operating in the country.

The government's offer to discuss compensation with more than 1,000 former farm owners is the largest offer to date. It came a week after President Robert Mugabe distributed the first lot of 99-year leases to beneficiaries of the program.

Crookes says her organization is happy if the latest developments bring more stability but she says the distributions have brought more attempted land-grabs.

"There is quite a bit of disruption once again on the ground, unfortunately. We're doing our best to try and stabilize⁶ it as much as possible," she said. "But it does seem with the 99-year leases [that] some have taken it as a call to, well, maybe this is our last chance to grab things [farms]."

Crookes says some white farmers have accepted compensation out of desperation, but many are waiting in hopes of a better deal under a subsequent government.

Economists⁷ say the land reform program is largely responsible for the dramatic fall in agricultural production in Zimbabwe. It contributed to a general economic decline characterized by shortages of food and other basic goods and an inflation rate of more than 1,000 percent.

1 compensate   

vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消

参考例句：

• She used her good looks to compensate her lack of intelligence. 她利用她漂亮的外表来弥补智力的不足。
• Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health. 一个人失去了键康是不可弥补的。

2 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 rectify   

v.订正，矫正，改正

参考例句：

• The matter will rectify itself in a few days.那件事过几天就会变好。
• You can rectify this fault if you insert a slash.插人一条斜线便可以纠正此错误。

5 injustices   

不公平( injustice的名词复数 )； 非正义； 待…不公正； 冤枉

参考例句：

• One who committed many injustices is doomed to failure. 多行不义必自毙。
• He felt confident that his injustices would be righted. 他相信他的冤屈会受到昭雪的。

6 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

7 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》