Original subtitles

NEXT ON "P.O.V."...

IN ROBERT MUGABE'S ZIMBABWE,

THOUSANDS OF WHITE FARMERS HAVE FLED FOR THEIR LIVES,

BUT ONE MAN DECIDED TO STAND UP TO A DICTATOR.

Man: IF GOOD MEN DO NOTHING,

THEN EVIL WILL PREVAIL.

Man: THE LAND IS OURS, AND I MEAN IT.

I WANT YOU OUT.

WATCH A HARROWING QUEST FOR JUSTICE IN

"MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN,"

ONLY ON "P.O.V."

STAY TUNED FOLLOWING THIS PROGRAM

TO HEAR FROM THE FILMMAKER,

AND THEN, A "P.O.V." SHORT FILM --

"SELTZER WORKS."

Ben Freeth: THIS IS MIKE CAMPBELL, MY FATHER-IN-LAW.

THERE'S A LOT MORE TO HIM THAN PERHAPS FIRST MEETS THE EYE.

MIKE'S MUCH MORE AT EASE BACK ON THE FARM,

CHECKING THE MANGO CROP

OR TEACHING THE CHILDREN HOW TO FISH.

IT'S QUITE SURREAL THAT SOMEONE WHO, AT HEART,

IS AS GENTLE AS MIKE

IS ABOUT TO TAKE ON A MAN WHO HAS BROUGHT DEATH TO THOUSANDS.

IN A FEW MINUTES' TIME, MIKE WILL BE FACING A DICTATOR

IN AN INTERNATIONAL COURT.

Man: YOUR FIRST DAY IN COURT.

WELL, THAT'S PROVIDED THE LIFT WORKS.

Ben: MIKE'S UNFLAPPABLE CHARACTER HAS GOT US THROUGH

EIGHT YEARS OF VIOLENT THREATS AND RAIDS

TO TRY AND GET US OFF THIS FARM.

THIS IS NOW OUR LAST CHANCE.

MUGABE WANTS US ALL OUT OF ZIMBABWE.

OUR PRESENT STATE OF MIND IS THAT

YOU ARE NOW OUR ENEMIES.

Man: IT'S A LANDMARK CASE.

BUT IT IS WORRYING, BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF ONE-ON-ONE.

WHO KNOWS HOW HE'LL REACT.

Ben: IT'S A DICTATORIAL SYSTEM THAT WE'RE LIVING UNDER.

WE'VE TOLD HIM THAT, YOU KNOW,

IF HE WANTS TO SHOOT US,

HE MUST COME AND SHOOT US.

WE'RE NOT LEAVING.

Woman: THIS IS VERY MUCH A RACIAL ISSUE.

IT'S ABOUT A VERY RACIST BLACK MAN RUNNING THE COUNTRY.

BUT MIKE IS A TRUE AFRICAN, COMPLETELY.

AND WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MIKE IS THAT MIKE

DOESN'T TRY TO BE A BLACK AFRICAN.

HE IS A WHITE AFRICAN.

HE WILL TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT HAPPENED

IN HIS EXPERIENCE AS A WHITE AFRICAN.

AND THAT'S WHAT IS NICE ABOUT HIM.

Mike: I'VE GOT NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD

THAT I CAN GO OR THAT I CAN CALL MYSELF.

I CAN'T CALL MYSELF ENGLISH OR AMERICAN OR AUSTRALIAN.

I HAPPEN TO BE WHITE, SO I'M A WHITE AFRICAN.

[ PEOPLE SHOUTING ]

Mugabe: I AM STILL THE HITLER OF THE TIMES.

THIS HITLER HAS ONLY ONE OBJECTIVE --

JUSTICE FOR HIS PEOPLE,

SOVEREIGNTY FOR HIS PEOPLE.

IF THAT IS HITLER, RIGHT,

THEN LET ME BE A HITLER TENFOLD.

Mike: WE MOVED UP HERE IN 1974.

IT WAS THE 14th OF AUGUST, 1974.

I THINK IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

WE, WE CAME BACK SAYING, "YEAH, THIS IS THE FARM,

WE MUST BUY THIS FARM."

I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY, SO I HAD TO GET

A LOAN FROM THE LAND BANK,

A LOAN WHICH, I MIGHT ADD, TOOK ME 20 YEARS TO REPAY.

ALMOST TO THE YEAR AFTER REPAYING

AND GETTING THE TITLE DEEDS,

THE GOVERNMENT SAID, "WE'LL HAVE THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,"

AND WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR IT EVER SINCE.

THEIR PLAN IS TO REMOVE EVERY WHITE FARMER OFF THE LAND.

AND NOW WE'VE GONE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT.

AND I THINK THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE WE'VE GOT

TO, TO KEEP WHITE FARMERS HERE.

Ben: THIS CASE IS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.

AND I KNOW THAT IT WEARS ON MIKE'S MIND CONSTANTLY.

THIS CASE IS A DIRECT CHALLENGE

TO ROBERT MUGABE AND HIS GOVERNMENT.

BUT IT'S ALSO A CHALLENGE TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

WE WANT THE WORLD

TO WAKE UP TO THE INJUSTICES

OF WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE ZIMBABWE.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO FACE THE PROBLEM,

TO FACE THE REAL ISSUES AT STAKE.

Man: DO YOU THINK EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE RIGHT?

Ben: LIFTIA, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.

OKAY.

BUT WE MUSTN'T BE AFRAID.

YEAH.

Ben: WE MUST HELP EACH OTHER.

WE BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SO CLEAR.

YEAH.

YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE MUGABE HAS SAID,

"BECAUSE YOU'RE A WHITE MAN,

YOU CANNOT STAY IN ZIMBABWE."

BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WRONG,

BECAUSE WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD.

YES.

WE CAN ALL LIVE HERE TOGETHER,

YOU KNOW?

YES.

[ DOG BARKING ]

Liftia: WHAT HAPPEN IF YOU LOSE?

I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOSE.

WE HAVE COME THIS FAR TOGETHER.

WE'RE GOING TO STAY, EH, HUH?

Liftia: YEAH.

YEAH.

YEAH.

OTHERWISE, I'M A TRAITOR, EH?

OTHERWISE, I'M LETTING YOU DOWN,

AND THAT'S NOT GOOD.

Liftia: SURE. NO.

[ SPEAKING AFRICAN LANGUAGE ]

Mike: WE LOVE THESE GUYS.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

THEY'RE LOYAL TO US,

AND WE GIVE THEM A SQUARE DEAL.

BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM

TO EXIST UNDER THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, AS WELL,

UNLESS WE HELP THEM.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO,

IS TRYING TO HELP THEM IN A WAY

SO THAT THEY CAN, THEY, THEY CAN CARRY ON.

IF WE LOSE THE FARM,

THEY LOSE THEIR LIVELIHOOD, AS WELL.

Ben: THIS IS A COMMUNITY.

WE'VE GOT 500 PEOPLE

THAT LIVE ON THIS FARM --

WORKERS, WIVES, CHILDREN --

AND IT'S HOME FOR US ALL.

Woman: FOR EVERY WOMAN HERE, SHE'S PROBABLY GOT...

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, VIRGINIA, ON AVERAGE?

HOW MANY CHILDREN HAS EACH PERSON GOT?

ABOUT THREE?

MORE THAN THREE.

MOSTLY FOUR, FIVE.

FOUR OR FIVE CHILDREN PER WOMAN.

WORKS OUT AT WHATEVER,

320, IS IT?

I DON'T KNOW. WHATEVER.

I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT TIMES TABLES.

BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO BE SUPPLYING A JOB

WHERE THEY CAN SURVIVE.

I MEAN, WE'RE ALL JUST REALLY SURVIVING

UNTIL THIS REGIME'S OVER.

Man: EVERYONE IS IN THIS CURRENT SITUATION TOGETHER?

OH, YEAH, BLACK AND WHITE, EVERYBODY.

THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL.

Mike: MUGABE DOESN'T WANT

HARMONY BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES.

HE WANTS THE WHITES TO HATE THE BLACKS,

AND HE WANTS THE BLACKS TO HATE THE WHITES.

Mike: SINCE THE LAND INVASION IN 2000,

WE'VE HAD MANY ENCOUNTERS WITH MUGABE'S ZANU-PF ACTIVISTS.

THEY CAN ARRIVE UNANNOUNCED AT ANY TIME.

WE HAVE TO BE CONSTANTLY ON OUR GUARD.

Child: THREE MEN IN A TUB.

Ben: THREE MEN IN A TUB.

RUB-A-DUB-DUB. SAY, "RUB-A-DUB-DUB."

[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]

Child: RUB-A-DUB-DUB.

Ben: WELL DONE.

[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]

Child: WHAT TIME IS IT?

WHAT TIME?

WHO CAN IT BE?

Ben: YEAH, I'VE JUST BEEN THROUGH THE ORCHARD NOW.

APPARENTLY, THEY'RE IN THE MAIZE.

THERE'S ABOUT SEVEN GUYS,

ALL WITH KNIVES AND AXES AND EVERYTHING.

[ DOGS BARKING ]

Mike: WELL, THERE'S NO USE GETTING EXCITED,

BECAUSE THERE'S NOT AN AWFUL LOT WE CAN DO.

I MEAN, WE CAN GO AND DECLARE OPEN WAR,

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

IT MIGHT,

BUT I'LL GO OUT WHEN I'VE FINISHED MY DRINK.

[ WOMAN LAUGHS ]

Child: NIGHT-NIGHT.

Mike: NOW WE FIND OURSELVES

LISTENING FOR EVERY VEHICLE THAT DRIVES IN,

AND AS SOON AS IT ARRIVES,

YOU GO AND HAVE A LOOK WHAT IT IS

OR WHO IT IS.

AND USUALLY IT'S THE FARM INVADERS.

IT, IT'S QUITE THREATENING.

Mike: BEN, WILL YOU LEAD THE WAY?

Mike: REMEMBER, YOU MUST HELP EACH OTHER.

Man: OKAY.

Mike: I'VE JUST BEEN TO THE, THE HEAD GUARD IN THE COMPOUND,

AND APPARENTLY, THEY WERE THERE.

I TOLD THE GUARD THAT AT THE END OF THE MONTH,

WHEN ZANU-PF GETS IN, THEN I'M HISTORY, I'M GONE,

I'LL BE OFF THE FARM, AND IT WILL BE THEIRS.

SO, WE'VE GOT TO FIGHT BACK.

I MEAN, THERE'S NO LAW AND ORDER.

WE CAN'T GO TO THE POLICE.

YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.

OTHERWISE YOU JUST LIE ON YOUR BACK

AND PUT YOUR LEGS AND ARMS IN THE AIR AND CALL IT A DAY.

[ Whistles ] SWITCH OFF.

THE ENGINES. I WANT TO LISTEN.

[ DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE ]

Mike: IS THAT ONE OF YOUR DOGS BARKING?

Man: MMM.

Mike: GINGER.

Mike: NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF SOUND

WHEN YOU MOVE THROUGH MAIZE.

Ben: 'CAUSE A COUPLE OF SHOTS WILL GET SOMETHING MOVING,

HOPEFULLY, AND MAYBE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HEAR WHERE THEY ARE.

IF YOU GO UP TO THAT END,

'CAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THEY'LL WANT TO GO.

Mike: YOU STAY THERE.

I'LL GIVE YOU A BIT OF TIME,

AND THEN I'LL START SHOOTING.

Ben: YEAH.

Mike: OKAY.

[ DOG BARKING ]

[ GUNSHOTS ]

Mike: IT'S NOT ABOUT HURTING THESE PEOPLE.

WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW, THOUGH,

THAT WE WILL PROTECT OUR GUARDS,

WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING THIS FARM.

Zach: WELL, I'M QUITE SURE THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO GIVE IN.

HE'S NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON THE FARM.

AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE HIM OFF THE FARM BY FORCE.

AND IF THAT MEANT DEATH,

THEN HE WOULD BE WILLING TO GO ALONG THAT ROAD.

Claire: DO YOU JUST WALK AWAY?

DO YOU JUST DO NOTHING?

OR DO YOU STAND FOR WHAT'S RIGHT

AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS RIGHT FOR OTHER PEOPLE?

Zach: IF GOOD MEN DO NOTHING,

THEN EVIL WILL PREVAIL.

AND, AND YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THE EVIL.

NO, YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT

FOR WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S GOOD

WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THAT SITUATION.

AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND

[ Voice breaking ] WHO HAVEN'T BEEN THERE

AND WHO AREN'T PART OF IT.

THEY LOOK AT IT FROM AFAR

AND DON'T PUT THEMSELVES INTO THOSE SITUATIONS.

Zach: YEAH. YEAH.

YEAH, IT'S VERY TOUGH.

Zach: YEAH.

BUT IT'S, BUT IT'S RIGHT TO STAND FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.

Zach: YEAH. YEAH.

Woman: ARE YOU PROUD OF BEN?

Claire: VERY.

[ Crying ] YEAH.

Mike: YEAH, THE GUARDS ARE PRETTY UNEASY THIS MORNING.

IN LAST NIGHT'S RAID,

THEY SINGLED OUT ONE OF THE CHIEF GUARDS,

AND THEY ATTACKED HIM AND BEAT HIM RATHER BADLY.

AND HE WAS IN FEAR OF HIS LIFE.

Mike: IS THAT WHERE THEY BEAT YOU WITH A BAR?

YEAH.

Mike: THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS

AS UNPLEASANT AS POSSIBLE.

IF THEY CAN INTIMIDATE THE CHIEF GUARD

AND GET HIM OUT, THEN THEY'VE GOT FREE RANGE.

Chief Guard: SOMEONE CAME TO MY HOUSE ASKING FOR ME.

THEN I SAW THERE IS MANY, MANY PEOPLE

HOLDING WEAPONS, IRON BARS, CATAPULTS.

THEN, WHEN I TRIED TO ESCAPE FROM THEM

AND THEY CATCH ME, STARTED BEATING ME.

AND THE CIGARETTE BURNS ON YOUR HEAD.

YEAH.

THEY GOT MY FOREHEAD, YEAH.

Mike: IT'S THE SAME THING WHEN THEY, THEY BEAT ME UP.

THEY TRY AND INTIMIDATE YOU SO THAT YOU EITHER LEAVE

OR YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THE JOB ANYMORE

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Ben: THE PROBLEMS FOR US HERE

ON MOUNT CARMEL BEGAN IN NOVEMBER 1997,

WHEN WE WERE LISTED FOR ACQUISITION

AS PART OF THE LAND REFORM PROGRAM.

MUGABE WANTED A NEW CONSTITUTION TO ENTRENCH HIS POWER.

AND AS A SWEETENER, HE PROMISED THE PEOPLE LAND.

Mugabe: THE LAND IS OURS.

IT'S NOT EUROPEAN. [ People cheering ]

IT'S OUR LAND.

ZIMBABWE IS AFRICAN.

ZIMBABWE FOR ZIMBABWEANS.

[ PEOPLE CHEERING ]

Ben: IT HAD LITTLE TO DO WITH EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF LAND,

BUT EVERYTHING TO DO WITH POWER.

HE PUT FEAR INTO EVERYONE'S HEARTS.

THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF VIOLENT BEATINGS,

AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

[ PEOPLE CHANTING ]

Woman: RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FARM INVASIONS,

WE HEARD A MOB CHANTING THEIR ZANU-PF SONGS.

AND I CAN JUST RECALL

THAT SORT OF CLUTCH OF FEAR AT THE HEART,

REALLY NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY WERE INTENDING FOR US.

IT'S BEEN, IT HAS BEEN SCARY.

WE'VE HAD SOME VERY CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.

Ben: THE REALITIES OF LAND REFORM

HAVE REALLY HIT THE GENERAL POPULATION IN A MAJOR WAY.

THERE IS DESPERATION.

THE DEMISE OF THE ECONOMY,

THE LACK OF BASIC NECESSITIES,

THE DEGENERATION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE,

IT'S ALL AS A RESULT OF THE LAND REFORM PROGRAM.

YOU KNOW, I THINK A COUNTRY

WITHOUT A RULE BOOK

IS RATHER LIKE

A FOOTBALL GAME OR A RUGBY GAME

THAT DOESN'T HAVE RULES, DOESN'T HAVE A REFEREE.

IT WOULD JUST END UP IN ABSOLUTE CHAOS,

WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE GETTING HURT.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING

IN ZIMBABWE AT THE MOMENT.

PEOPLE ARE JUST PLAYING BY THEIR OWN RULES.

THERE'S NO ONE BLOWING ANY WHISTLES AT THE MOMENT.

THERE'S NO ONE KEEPING TO ANY OF THE RULES OF THE GAME.

AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO BRING REFEREES IN FROM OUTSIDE,

WHO ARE PREPARED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RULES ARE UPHELD.

Man: I THINK MIKE CAMPBELL'S A VERY COMMITTED MAN,

WHO IS ANGRY BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN

PROSECUTED FOR THE UNIQUE OFFENSE

OF LIVING IN HIS OWN HOUSE AND FARMING HIS OWN FARM

TO WHICH HE HOLDS THE TITLE DEEDS --

A FARM WHICH HE ACQUIRED IN 1980,

AFTER INDEPENDENCE, PURCHASED ON THE OPEN MARKET

AND ON A CERTIFICATE

OF NO INTEREST BY THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT.

IT'S DISTINCTLY RACIALLY DISCRIMINATORY.

Angula: THEY WANT THE FARMERS OUT OF ZIMBABWE.

THEY WANT TO TELL THEM THAT THEY ARE NOT ZIMBABWEAN,

THEY ARE NOT AFRICAN.

BUT THAT'S RACIST.

YOU CAN'T ADOPT A CONSTITUTION SAYING,

"WE WILL RESPECT YOUR RACIAL ORIENTATION,

YOUR RACIAL BACKGROUND,"

AND THEN SAY, "WHITE FARMERS

SHOULDN'T OWN LAND IN ZIMBABWE, COME WHAT MAY."

THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.

SO, THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION

TO GO FOR THE FARMS THAT THESE FARMERS NOW CURRENTLY HAVE.

Gauntlett: THIS CASE HAS TO BE THE MOST INTERESTING

IN THE SENSE THAT HE IS,

AS IT WERE, DESPITE HIS AGE,

A NEW GENERATION COMMITTED ZIMBABWEAN,

EMPLOYING LOTS OF PEOPLE, A MODEL EMPLOYER, AND YET,

BECAUSE HE IS WHITE, HE HAS BEEN SCHEDULED AS BEING

LIABLE WITHOUT MORE, TO BE MOVED OFF THAT LAND.

SO IT'S GOT, AT THE CORE OF IT,

A VAGUE, RACIST, AND ENTIRELY UNENFORCEABLE DESCRIPTION.

Mike: IF WE WIN THE CASE,

THE WHOLE LAND REFORM PROGRAM IN ZIMBABWE BECOMES ILLEGAL.

THEN EVERY FARMER THAT'S BEEN KICKED OFF HIS LAND

HAS GOT THE RIGHT TO COME BACK TO HIS FARM.

Ben: MUGABE CANNOT ABIDE ANY KIND OF OPPOSITION.

PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE HIM GO TO PRISON.

THEY GET BEATEN.

TEN. PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE HIM GO TO PRISON.

THEY, THEY DISAPPEAR.

Reporter: YOU HAVE STATED AT RECENT RALLIES

THAT THE OPPOSITION, THE MDC, WILL NEVER GET INTO POWER

AS LONG AS YOU ARE STILL ALIVE.

MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT IS GIVING IMPETUS

TO SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU MAY BE

TRYING TO RIG THIS ELECTION.

IF "RIGGING THE ELECTIONS" MEANS

WINNING THE ELECTIONS THROUGH MAJORITY VOTING,

THEN, WELL, LET IT BE.

WE WILL WIN.

WE WILL BE WINNING ALL THE TIME.

Ben: WHEN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FAILED US IN ZIMBABWE,

WE HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

BUT WITHIN A WEEK, THE SADC TRIBUNAL IN NAMIBIA

WAS FINALLY OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

Ben: FOURTEEN AFRICAN NATIONS

SIGNED THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TREATY

IN 1992.

AND THAT'S A TREATY

WHICH COMMITS THEM BY LAW TO UPHOLDING

HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY,

AND THE RULE OF LAW IN THE REGION.

THE SADC TRIBUNAL OFFERS HOPE

OF A FRESH START AND A CHANCE FOR REAL CHANGE.

Ben: FINALLY, THIS WAS OUR CHANCE TO BE GIVEN

A FREE AND FAIR HEARING OUTSIDE OF ZIMBABWE.

Ben: IT'S SO NICE TO DRIVE ON STREETS WITH NO POTHOLES.

Mike: YEAH.

WHAT HAVE YOU TURNED DOWN?

Ben: NELSON MANDELA.

SO I IMAGINE OUR GUESTHOUSE ISN'T TOO FAR AWAY.

Mike: I WAS QUITE CAREFUL

TO KEEP OUT OF ROBERT MUGABE AVENUE,

BECAUSE I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE A HEART ATTACK,

AND THAT WASN'T THE AVENUE I WANTED TO DIE ON.

Ben: [ CHUCKLES ]

Mike: THERE ARE SO MANY DAMNED UNKNOWNS.

WE'VE GOT THE ELECTION ON SATURDAY,

AND WE'VE GOT THIS COURT CASE

WHICH WE HAVEN'T A CLUE WHICH WAY IT'S GOING TO GO.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN POLITICALLY

IN ZIMBABWE, SO WE DON'T KNOW

HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE INTERPRETED.

SO IT WILL BE QUITE DIFFICULT.

Ben: WE WANT JUSTICE NOW, YOU KNOW?

EVERY SECOND THAT GOES BY, EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY,

THERE'S MORE PEOPLE IN MORE SERIOUS PREDICAMENTS.

THERE'S MORE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO JAIL.

THERE'S MORE PEOPLE BEING KICKED OFF THEIR FARMS,

AND WE CAN'T HAVE THAT!

Mike: I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME MORE TILES

THAT HAVE FALLEN OFF SINCE WE WERE LAST HERE.

Ben: SO, WE'VE GOT --

THERE'S, THERE'S THE GOVERNMENT GUYS, MIKE.

Mike: WHO ARE THEY?

Ben: ON THIS SIDE, HERE.

Mike: ON THIS SIDE?

Ben: YEAH. VERY HELPFUL AND --

DID YOU HEAR? THE NAMIBIAN?

NO. NO, I HAVEN'T.

Angula: YOUR CASE IS DONE ALREADY IN THE NEWSPAPER

BEFORE IT'S COME TO THIS TRIBUNAL.

Mike: OH, THEY'VE SORTED IT, HAVE THEY?

Angula: IT'S SORTED OUT IN THE PAPERS.

SO YOU CAN JUST TAKE YOUR PAPER AND FLY OUT OF HERE.

Ben: "SADC TRIBUNAL POSTPONES ZIMBABWE FARMER'S CASE."

Angula: WE WERE TOLD, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MAIN APPLICATION

WON'T BE HEARD AT ALL.

Mike: "THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE

"WROTE TO US INDICATING THAT THEY HAD

"MANY LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS ON THE GROUND

"WHICH MIGHT PREVENT IT FROM ARGUING THE CASE.

THEY CITED MANY THINGS, AMONG THEM THE COMING ELECTIONS."

Ben: OH, IT'S, IT'S BIZARRE.

IT'S ALREADY ALL IN THE NEWSPAPERS,

AND WE'VE ONLY JUST GOT HERE.

I CAN'T BELIEVE

THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE POSTPONING US.

Mike: IT'S JUST A STITCH-UP.

Angula: IT'S A BIT OF A BUMMER FOR MICHAEL AND BEN,

WHO TRAVELED ALL THE WAY, BUT --

Ben: I SUPPOSE, MIKE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE

BUT TO GO BACK HOME.

AT LEAST WE'VE STILL GOT

TEMPORARY PROTECTION.

WE'RE SAFE ON THE FARM, AT LEAST.

[ MAN SPEAKING AFRICAN LANGUAGE ]

Ben: OKAY, CAMERA'S ON.

Ben: GOOD MORNING.

HOW ARE YOU, MR. CHAMADA?

HOW ARE YOU, BITCH?

Ben: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

I'M HERE FOR MY LAND.

FOR YOUR LAND?

YES. OKAY.

THAT YOU'VE TAKEN.

IT WAS GIVEN TO ME

FOUR YEARS AGO BY THE GOVERNMENT.

Ben: NO, WE'VE BEEN TO THE SADC TRIBUNAL,

AS YOU KNOW, MR. CHAMADA.

WHO IS SADC? I'M SADC.

Ben: YES AND, AND SADC HAS SAID --

I AM SADC.

SADC HAS GIVEN US FULL RELIEF --

I AM SADC. UNTIL THE MAIN CASE.

I AM SADC, ALL RIGHT.

Ben: YES, AND SADC --

THEY HAVE THE SAME FEELING AS I HAVE.

Ben: AND SADC HAS SAID,

UNTIL THE MAIN CASE, YOU CANNOT INTERFERE.

Chamada: WHY ARE YOU REFUSING

TO GET OUT OF THIS FARM? TELL ME.

Ben: THIS IS MY HOME, MR. CHAMADA.

IT IS YOUR HOME?

WELL, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG HOME.

WHO DID YOU PAY, THE AFRICAN?

OR YOU PAID ANOTHER WHITE FELLOW?

WE PAID TRANSFER DUTIES TO THE ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT.

[ LAUGHS ]

WE BOUGHT IT

ON A WILLING SELLER- WILLING BUYER BASIS. IS IT?

WE DIDN'T STEAL IT.

IS IT?

NOW, ANYWAY, THAT'S UNFORTUNATE,

BECAUSE WE'VE REALIZED

WITHOUT LAND, YOU HAVE NOTHING.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. AND YOU --

Ben: BUT YOU'VE GOT LAND, MR. CHAMADA.

WE HAVEN'T GOT LAND.

I'VE BEEN TO YOUR HOUSE IN HARARE.

YES, HAVE YOU? YES.

YOU'VE BEEN RAIDING MY HOME ALSO.

NO, I'VE DRIVEN PAST IT.

WHAT WERE YOU COMING FOR?

THE GUARD WOULDN'T LET ME THROUGH THE GATE.

IS IT? SO WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING FOR?

I WAS COMING TO SEE WHERE YOU LIVED.

AND DO WHAT?

WELL, IF YOU WANT TO STEAL MY HOUSE,

MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE ME YOUR HOUSE.

Chamada: THE LAND BELONGS TO THE BLACK PEASANTS.

IT IS OURS!

THE GOVERNMENT TOOK IT FROM YOU PEOPLE

TO REDISTRIBUTE IT TO THE BLACK POOR MAJORITY.

AND MINISTERS ARE THE BLACK POOR MAJORITY?

EVERY TIME YOU COME, YOU COME IN A BRAND-NEW CAR.

THIS IS A TOYOTA PRADO,

WORTH ABOUT $50,000 U.S.

WHAT HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH MY LAND?

LAST TIME IT WAS A BRAND-NEW WHITE TWIN CAB.

YES.

BEFORE THAT, IT WAS A JEEP CHEROKEE.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

IF YOU'VE GOT ALL THIS MONEY,

WHY CAN'T YOU BUY SOMEWHERE?

I CAN'T BUY LAND IN U.K. MY FATHER'S --

WHY NOT?

MY FATHER, IT IS NOW EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS IN LONDON,

IN AMERICA, HAS ALL BEEN FROZEN.

YOU'VE TAKEN IT.

MY FATHER'S NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO GO TO YOUR COUNTRY,

BUT YOU ARE STILL HERE!

Chamada: WE ARE SO TIRED OF YOU GUYS.

Ben: CAN A WHITE PERSON NOT BE A ZIMBABWEAN ANYMORE?

Chamada: NOT ANYMORE!

WE DON'T WANT YOU ANYMORE!

GET IT RIGHT. WE DON'T!

Ben: BUT WE ARE ZIMBABWEANS.

WE DON'T CARE WHETHER YOU'RE INDIAN,

MALAWI, KARANGA, WHATNOT!

WE JUST DON'T WANT YOU IN PARTICULAR.

IT WILL NEVER BE A COLONY AGAIN, THIS COUNTRY.

IT WILL NEVER --

Ben: I REALIZE THAT, MR. CHAMADA.

IT WILL NEVER BE A COLONY.

I WILL SLEEP HERE UNTIL YOU ARE OUT,

AND I MEAN IT.

I WANT YOU OUT.

Ben: NOW, THESE GUYS THAT, THAT COME FOR THE FARMS,

THEY'RE NOT FARMERS, THEY JUST COME TO ASSET-STRIP, TO STEAL,

TO -- YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY JUST GET HOLD OF FARM MACHINERY

AND STRIP IT DOWN AND SELL OFF THE BITS.

AND THEN WE ALL SUFFER,

AND FARMS JUST BECOME WASTELANDS.

Ben: OKAY, CAMERA'S ON.

I'M WITH PETER AND KERRY ETHERIDGE.

THIS IS THEIR FARM THAT WE'RE SEEING, STOCKDALE FARM.

IT'S JUST BEEN TAKEN OVER BY ZANU-PF MILITIA.

Kerry: I CAN'T SEE.

THERE'S -- THERE, THAT ONE WITH THE HAT ON TOP,

STANDING IN THE GATE.

TAKE A VIDEO OF HIM.

Ben: MEANS JUST DRIVING FORWARD A LITTLE BIT.

Kerry: THEY ARE STANDING AROUND THE HOUSE,

AROUND THE SHADE.

I DON'T KNOW.

HE'S GOT A CAN OF MACE.

HE'S GOT A CAN OF MACE.

HE'S GOT SOMETHING IN HIS HAND.

Ben: THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Ben: MUGABE'S WAR VETS ARE ON THE MOVE AGAIN.

WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THIS

AS THE ELECTION GETS CLOSER AND CLOSER.

Peter: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

THEY ARE TELLING ANOTHER GUY TO GO BEHIND US, YEAH,

THROUGH THE BUSH.

Ben: PICKING UP STONES.

OKAY, LET'S GO BACK.

Kerry: DRIVE!

Ben: KEEP GOING.

Kerry: COME ON, MAN!

Peter: BEN, OUR WINDOW IS OPEN.

OUR WINDOW IS OPEN.

Kerry: DRIVE!

Mike: I OFTEN TO SAY TO PEOPLE,

I WOULDN'T LIKE MY GRANDCHILDREN TO,

ONE DAY IN THE FUTURE, SAY,

"YOU KNOW, MY GRANDFATHER HAD A FARM IN AFRICA.

"BUT A FEW GUYS CAME ALONG AND SAID 'BOO' TO HIM,

AND HE PACKED HIS BAGS AND RAN AWAY AND LEFT THE FARM."

I'D RATHER THEY HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT WE FOUGHT

FOR, FOR THE FARM, WHETHER WE KEEP IT OR LOSE IT.

AT LEAST WE TRIED OUR BEST.

Angela: IF YOU RUN AWAY,

AS MY FATHER ALWAYS SAYS,

SOMEHOW THE TROUBLES ALWAYS FOLLOW YOU.

SO, IT'S BETTER TO, YOU KNOW,

BE WHERE YOU ARE AND FACE THE REALITIES OR THE THREATS

AND DO THE BEST YOU CAN.

Gauntlett: MIKE CAMPBELL'S A VERY ANGRY MAN

BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENED,

AND I THINK HE HAS A VERY STRONG SENSE OF INJUSTICE.

IT'S PROOF THAT IT'S NOT A GENUINE LAND REDISTRIBUTION --

TAKING FROM A SECTION OF WHITE FARMERS AND GIVING IT

TO, IF YOU LIKE, A CATEGORY OF AFRICAN PEASANT

DEPRIVED OF THE OPPORTUNITY

TO OWN GOOD LAND, AND WHO WILL THEN FARM IT.

THESE ARE POLITICAL SHIFTS, AS THEY'RE CALLED IN ZIMBABWE.

AN ELITE --

AND THE PAPERS LIST THEM --

FLUNKIES, FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY,

AIR VICE MARSHALS, JUDGES, POLITICAL OPERATIVES.

NOT ONE OF THEM COULD BE TYPIFIED AS A TRAINED FARMER

OR A POTENTIALLY GOOD FARMER.

BUT IF YOU RUN DOWN THE LIST, ZANU MINISTER.

NEXT ONE, PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATOR'S WIFE.

NEXT ONE, ZANU-PF ELECTION AGENT.

NEXT ONE, HIGH COURT JUDGE.

HIGH COURT JUDGE. HIGH COURT JUDGE.

AND SO WE GO ON HERE, NIECE OF SENATOR MADZONGWE.

GIRLFRIEND OF MINISTER CHOMBO IS THE BEST.

[ CHUCKLES ]

THIS IS A CYNICAL SEIZURE OF LAND.

THERE IS A FORM, AND ONE DOESN'T WANT TO USE

THE EMOTIVE TERM, "ETHNIC CLEANSING,"

BUT IT'S DISTINCTLY RACIALLY DISCRIMINATORY.

IT'S REALLY A SORT OF

A BALKANS ETHNIC RETALIATORY MEASURE, TOO,

THAT ONE FINDS IN THIS.

Ben: I WAS THINKING THE OTHER DAY, "IS IT POSSIBLE

"TO BE A WHITE MAN AND AN AMERICAN?

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE A WHITE MAN AND AN AUSTRALIAN?"

AND OF COURSE THE ANSWER IS, "YES."

BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE A WHITE MAN AND AN AFRICAN?

IF YOU TALK TO MUGABE, IF YOU TALK TO MBEKI,

IF YOU TALK TO ANY OF THE NATIONALIST LEADERS,

THE ANSWER IS VERY STRONGLY,

"NO, YOU CANNOT BE A WHITE MAN AND AN AFRICAN."

AND THERE'S SOMETHING VERY WRONG IN THAT.

Ben: WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO GO AND SEE BILLY AND RUTH.

THEY'RE OLD FRIENDS OF OURS.

YEAH, THIS, THIS HOUSE HAS BEEN INVADED.

THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR SOME TIME, I THINK.

I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT SITUATION.

YEAH, IN THE LATEST BOUT OF INVASIONS,

THIS, THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST ONE TO BE INVADED.

THEY JUST BROKE INTO THE HOUSE AND CHUCKED EVERYTHING.

YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T A JOT

OF FURNITURE OR ANYTHING LEFT IN THE HOUSE.

CHUCKED IT ALL ON THE LAWN AND SAID, "THIS IS MINE."

Ben: SO, EVERYTHING OUT OF THE HOUSE.

Ruth: YEAH. THAT'S WHAT'S LEFT HERE, BEN.

Billy: THERE WAS ABOUT TEN OF THEM.

THEY CAME AND THEY SETTLED

OVER THE PLACE THERE,

AND TELLING US, "HURRY UP, HURRY UP.

"I WANT YOUR STUFF OUT OF HERE TONIGHT.

GET OUT."

Ruth: I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE SORT OF RACING AGAINST TIME AS WELL,

BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW --

Ben: WHEN.

HOW -- I MEAN, EVEN LAST NIGHT,

THEY WERE ALL STANDING OUTSIDE THERE,

AND WE HAD TO GET INTO THE HOUSE QUICKLY, HEY, MY LOVE, YEAH?

Billy: YEAH.

Ruth: AND THEY WERE ALL SORT OF SITTING THERE,

GIVING US EVIL EYES.

YEAH.

Ben: YEAH.

Ben: THIS IS WHERE YOU GREW UP, RUTH?

Ruth: YES, THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1901.

BUT THIS IS WHERE, YES,

WHEN I WAS BORN, THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT WE LIVED IN, YES.

IN FACT, OUR FAMILY, NEXT YEAR, WOULD HAVE BEEN

IN THIS DISTRICT, IN THIS AREA, FOR 100 YEARS.

Billy: RIGHT, HERE YOU ARE.

TAKE THAT ONE.

Ruth: THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE TODAY WERE OUR WORKERS.

HIS FATHER WORKED FOR MY GRANDFATHER.

HE WAS HIS RIGHT-HAND MAN.

HE WAS HIS CATTLEMAN.

AND IT'S HIS WHOLE LIFE.

HE WAS BORN HERE.

BELINDA WAS BORN HERE,

HIS NIECE, AND THEY HAVE FOUGHT TO STAY HERE.

THEY HAVE BEEN BEATEN.

THEY'VE HAD THREATS.

[ CRYING ]

Ruth: HIS, HIS WHOLE FAMILY,

THEY ARE ALL BURIED HERE.

Belinda: WE ARE GOING TO SUFFER.

Ruth: NO, YOU'RE NOT, BELINDA!

[ CRYING ]

WHY ARE YOU GOING TO SUFFER?

WHY ARE YOU GOING TO SUFFER?

[ CRYING ]

GOING TO CHASE OUT.

THEY'RE GOING TO CHASE YOU AWAY?

YOU SEE, THEY'RE WORRIED THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHASED AWAY.

WELL, WHY WOULD THEY CHASE YOU?

TOO MUCH TALKING TO THOSE PEOPLE.

YOUR POLITICS?

WELL, WE CAN JUST HOPE, YOU KNOW,

THAT THINGS COME RIGHT HERE,

THAT POLITICS AND --

PEACE COMES.

WE MUST PRAY.

PEACE WILL COME.

I KNOW.

Ben: WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT OUR CASE

WILL STOP FURTHER INVASIONS AND FURTHER SITUATIONS

LIKE WE'VE JUST SEEN AT BILLY AND RUTH'S HOUSE.

I FEEL SO SAD FOR THEM, YOU KNOW?

THEY'VE BATTLED IT OUT FOR EIGHT YEARS,

AND MAKES ME, ACTUALLY, VERY EMOTIONAL, YOU KNOW?

I JUST FEEL LIKE CRYING.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY

THAT IF ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENT, ROBERT MUGABE,

GOES AHEAD WITH FRIDAY'S RUN-OFF ELECTION,

THE WORLD WILL REJECT HIS RULE.

Man: THE SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS

THE CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE WHICH HAS RESULTED IN

THE KILLING OF SCORES OF OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS

AND THE BEATING AND DISPLACEMENT OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE,

INCLUDING MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Mugabe: WE CANNOT CONTINUE

TO EXIST HERE, TO LIVE

AS IF WE ARE AN EXTENSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

Mike: WE'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT THE ONLY WAY TO BEAT MUGABE

IS TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW.

I KNOW OUR TEAM, OUR LEGAL GUYS,

ARE WORKING AGAINST THE CLOCK TO GET THIS CASE TOGETHER.

Man: EXPECTATION.

I WONDER WHETHER, UNDER LEGITIMATE EXPECTATION,

I MEAN, THEY RECEIVED AN UNDERTAKING

THAT THEY COULD STAY ON THE LAND WHEN THEY BOUGHT THE LAND,

WHICH WAS WAY AFTER INDEPENDENCE.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THEY HAD TO GET

AN UNDERTAKING FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT WASN'T NEEDED

FOR THE PURPOSES OF REDISTRIBUTION,

SO THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY

CAN STAY ON THERE -- THEN THE GOVERNMENT DOES

A COMPLETE VOLTE-FACE AND CHANGES ITS MIND.

I THINK IT HAS HUGE IMPLICATIONS

FOR AFRICA AND ELSEWHERE,

BECAUSE WHAT THE MUGABE GOVERNMENT ARE SAYING

IS THAT, YOU KNOW, "WE'VE ALTERED THE CONSTITUTION

"BY POPULAR VOTE, TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY,

AND NOW WE CAN DO ANYTHING."

BUT DEMOCRACY IS NOT ONLY ABOUT POPULAR WILL.

WE KNOW THAT THROUGH EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW, THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT IN THE 1930s

WAS ELECTED POPULARLY, AND THEY WENT ON TO DO TERRIBLE THINGS.

DEMOCRACY IS NOT ONLY ABOUT WHAT THE MAJORITY

OF THE PEOPLE THINK, IT'S ALSO ABOUT

PROTECTING FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS,

MAKING SURE THAT YOU CAN'T DO CERTAIN THINGS TO INDIVIDUALS.

AND CASES SUCH AS THIS HAVE A RESONANCE

NOT ONLY IN THE REGION, BUT ACROSS THE WORLD.

THEY CAN SET EXAMPLES.

THEY'RE IMPORTANT, INCREMENTALLY ESTABLISHING

WHAT THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

ARE AND SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT.

Ben: MUGABE HAS CREATED SUCH DIVISION AMONGST PEOPLE

AND SUCH DISTRESS BETWEEN PEOPLE.

BUT THEY KNOW THAT WHEN THEY COME TO US, WE'RE THERE TO HELP.

Mike: THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN BEATEN AND TORTURED,

AND THIS IS EXACTLY HOW MUGABE TREATS HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS.

Ben: GIFT, COULD YOU JUST TELL THEM YOUR STORY?

I RECEIVED A REPORT THAT ONE OF OUR MEMBERS

HAD BEEN, HAD BEEN KILLED.

SO I WENT AND CONSOLED THE FAMILY,

THE BEREAVED FAMILY,

AND I MET A GROUP OF MILITIAS, AND THEY ATTACKED US.

SOME OF THEM HAD STONES, WHICH THEY STARTED TO THROW AT US.

BUT IT WAS IN FULL VIEW OF THE POLICE.

AND THE POLICE TAKE THEIR AK-47 RIFLES, TWO RIFLES,

THEY POINTED THEIR RIFLES AT US, AND BEFORE WE SPED OFF,

THEY ACTUALLY SHOT AT US.

Mike: NOW, THIS IS AFTER PATCHING THESE GUYS UP.

WHAT'S THE PLAN?

THE PLAN IS WE NEED TO GET TO HARARE.

Mike: TO HARARE.

SO THAT WE GET SOME SPECIALIST HELP.

Mike: SO YOU NEED A BIT OF FUEL, DID YOU SAY?

EXACTLY.

Mike: OKAY.

OKAY, GIFT, I WISH YOU LUCK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MIKE.

MAY GOD BLESS.

Ben: THERE'S A BIG RISK

TO HELPING PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING VICTIMIZED,

BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING VICTIMIZED FOR A REASON.

AND WHEN YOU HELP PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN BEATEN UP,

THE CHANCES ARE, YOU MIGHT GET BEATEN UP AS WELL.

BUT WE HAVE TO OVERCOME THAT FEAR.

WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT A DUTY,

AND WE'RE GOING TO HELP, WHATEVER THE CONSEQUENCES.

Angela: I THINK GOD DOES CHALLENGE US.

I THINK HE STRETCHES OUR FAITH.

HE PUTS US IN SITUATIONS THAT ARE DIFFICULT,

AND HE'S SAYING TO US, "DO YOU TRUST ME IN THIS?

"DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

EVEN IN THESE HARD TIMES?"

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TAUGHT,

MORE THAN ANYTHING HERE,

IS ACTUALLY TRUSTING GOD IS THE ONLY WAY

THAT WE'LL GET THROUGH IT.

WE CAN'T TRUST ANYTHING ELSE.

THERE'S NO MANMADE THING WE CAN TRUST.

THE LAW, THE ORDER, THE POLICE, EVERYTHING

HAS BEEN TORN AWAY, RIPPED AWAY FROM US.

AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN LEFT IN A WONDERFUL POSITION, REALLY,

OF JUST TRUSTING GOD FOR EVERYTHING.

Laura: YEAH, WE, WE WILL TRUST GOD, EVEN IF WE'RE KICKED OFF.

YEAH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRUST GOD,

AND HE WILL HAVE A PLAN FOR US.

AND THAT PLAN WILL BE A GOOD PLAN,

EVEN IF IT DOESN'T SEEM GOOD AT THE TIME.

Ben: RIGHT, MORNING, GUYS. HOW ARE YOU?

Men: ALL RIGHT.

Ben: GOOD, GOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, AS YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK,

WE'RE GOING OFF TO WINDHOEK IN NAMIBIA TOMORROW, OKAY,

EARLY IN THE MORNING.

SO YOU NEED TO PRAY, EH, FOR ME, EH?

PRAY FOR THE CASE, EH?

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

Ben: BECAUSE GOD NEEDS TO BE THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I'LL GET YOU SOME BLANKETS IN WINDHOEK, EH?

OKAY.

Man: WE'LL PRAY FOR YOU.

Ben: ALL RIGHT.

Man: OKAY.

Angula: I THINK THE BRAVERY

OF MIKE AND THE FAMILY IS, FOR ME, IT'S AMAZING.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT, BECAUSE TO LIVE

IN A COUNTRY WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE PROTECTION,

WHERE YOU KNOW PEOPLE CAN WALK IN ANYTIME

AND DO WHATEVER THEY WANT WITH YOU, AND STILL SAY,

"I'M GOING TO PURSUE THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE TO THE END."

IF WE, IF, IF WE HAD MORE CAMPBELLS

STANDING UP IN ZIMBABWE,

WE WOULD HAVE HAD A BETTER ZIMBABWE.

Mike: IT'S ALL A LITTLE BIT FRIGHTENING,

BECAUSE THIS IS IT,

AND I SHUDDER TO THINK

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US IF IT GOES WRONG.

Mike: YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S THE FEAR OF A FINAL YES OR NO

THAT, THAT WORRIES YOU.

IF THEY SAY YES, THAT'LL BE WONDERFUL.

IF THEY SAY NO, WELL, THEN WE'VE JUST GOT TO

GET OUR, OUR STUFF OUT OF HERE AND GO.

Mike: RIGHT, WE'RE READY TO ROLL.

Ben: BYE-BYE, LAURSY.

Laura: BYE.

Ben: I'LL SEE YOU --

HOPEFULLY BEFORE.

[ CHUCKLES ]

[ ENGINE STARTS ]

Laura: WELL, I ALWAYS DREAD, DREAD THEM GOING AWAY.

YEAH, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY

THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN.

Laura: THAT'S MY BIGGEST WORRY, IS THE KIDS,

BECAUSE I HAVEN'T REALLY TOLD THEM THE ENORMITY OF IT.

[ TELEPHONE LINE RINGING ]

[ RINGING ]

Ben: HI, LAURSY! HOW ARE YOU?

I GOT A MESSAGE TO CONTACT YOU.

WHO, WHO HAS BEEN EVICTED?

TEN FAMILIES HAVE BEEN EVICTED ON PILLMINNER.

WERE, WERE THEY BEATEN?

HOW MANY, HOW MANY GUYS WITH BROKEN ARMS AND LEGS?

HOW MANY?

EIGHTEEN CHAPS.

ON, ON THISTLE FARM.

JUST TAKE IT SLOWLY

SO I'M NOT HYPERVENTILATING BY THE TIME I REACH THERE.

Ben: WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

WE NEED THIS CASE TO BE HEARD TODAY.

Angula: IF WE WERE TO LOSE THIS CASE,

AFRICA WILL HAVE A PRECEDENT THAT SAYS,

"YOU CAN DISCRIMINATE

ON THE BASIS OF COLOR, OF RACE."

IT WILL BE A SAD DAY IN HISTORY FOR ALL OF US

AS HUMAN BEINGS, BECAUSE THEN

HUMAN RIGHTS HAVE FAILED, BASICALLY.

AND AFRICA IS ALREADY

HAVING PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE WITH HUMAN RIGHTS.

AND THIS IS ONE CASE THAT COULD CHANGE THAT.

THIS IS ONE CASE THAT CAN TEACH OUR LEADERS IN AFRICA

TO ACT A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH RESPECT.

RISE IN COURT.

[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]

Mike: COMPLETE NONSENSE.

Ben: I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

IT'S SHOCKING.

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT MUGABE WANTED.

Mike: YEAH, I REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT THIS.

THE CASE HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO THE 18th AND 19th OF JULY.

Woman: DO YOU THINK, MIKE, IT MIGHT NOT GET HEARD NOW?

Mike: WELL, I SUPPOSE IT WILL GET HEARD.

IT'S A QUESTION OF WHEN.

Woman: DO YOU THINK THIS COULD GO ON AND ON?

THAT'S RIGHT.

THE SAME AS OUR ELECTION CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON AND ON,

THE COURT CASE CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON AND ON.

YOU KNOW WHO THE WINNER IS EVERY TIME.

Ben: THAT'S NOT JUSTICE.

JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.

AND WHEN THE JUDGE PERSON SAYS, "IN THE INTERESTS OF JUSTICE,"

THERE'S HEAVY IRONY.

Mike: I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE JUDGES WERE SO EASILY INFLUENCED

BY THOSE WEAK ARGUMENTS THAT WERE PUT UP THIS MORNING.

I MEAN, "LACK OF RESOURCES, LACK OF STAFF"?

THERE'S NO LACK OF RESOURCES AND LACK OF STAFF

WHEN THEY'RE BEATING UP THE OPPOSITION.

Ben: AND WHEN THEY PITCH UP HERE AT THE COURT

IN A BRAND-NEW MERCEDES-BENZ.

THAT'S RIGHT.

Ben: A MAJOR VIOLENT TAKEOVER

HAS REALLY STEPPED UP ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

A GANG HAD BEEN ROUND AND BASHED DOWN DOORS

AND GOT THE FARMERS TO LEAVE.

Ben: NANCY AND BRUCE ARE GOOD, GOOD FRIENDS.

"A VEHICLE, A WHITE DATSUN 1800 PICK-UP,

"ARRIVED AT THE GATE WITH APPROXIMATELY

"TEN TO TWELVE PEOPLE.

"THEY DEMANDED THAT I OPEN THE GATE

"BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO TALK TO ME.

"I REFUSED AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE TOGETHER WITH MY WIFE.

"WE LOCKED OURSELVES INTO THE HOUSE.

"THEY STARTED SMASHING WINDOWS,

"AND THE FRONT DOOR WAS SMASHED OPEN.

"ONE OF THEM FIRED A SHOT DIRECTLY AT US,

"WHICH WENT JUST OVER MY HEAD AND CLOSE TO MY WIFE'S HEAD.

"HE OBVIOUSLY INTENDED TO KILL US, WHICH IS WHEN I SAID

"THAT WE WOULD COME OUT AND ASKED

"IF THEY WOULD LET US LEAVE PEACEFULLY,

"WHICH THEY AGREED TO DO.

"WE CAME DOWNSTAIRS, AND THEY ATTACKED ME.

"THEY THEN GRABBED MY WIFE AROUND THE THROAT,

"AND SHE STARTED SCREAMING.

"THEY WERE TRYING TO STRANGLE HER.

"AND ONE TIME THERE WERE AT LEAST FOUR MEN

BEATING AND KICKING HER."

Man: WHEN YOU READ THIS STORY OF BRUCE AND NANCY,

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?

WE FEEL, WE FEEL VULNERABLE,

WE FEEL INSECURE, WE FEEL NERVOUS, WE FEEL FEARFUL.

BUT WE FELT ALL THOSE THINGS BEFORE.

AND IF WE LEAVE

JUST BECAUSE WE FEEL THOSE THINGS,

THEN WE'RE DOING EVERYONE ELSE IN ZIMBABWE

A TREMENDOUS DISSERVICE.

I THINK WE HAVE BEEN PUT HERE FOR A PURPOSE.

AND WE MUST CARRY OUT THAT PURPOSE

FOR WHICH WE WERE PUT HERE.

Mugabe: I WILL WELL AND TRULY

SERVE ZIMBABWE IN THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT,

SO HELP ME GOD.

Reporter: ROBERT MUGABE HAS BEEN DECLARED THE WINNER

OF ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION,

IN WHICH HE WAS THE ONLY CANDIDATE.

BUT ELECTION OBSERVERS DECLARED THE VOTE INVALID

BECAUSE OF A CAMPAIGN STEEPED IN VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION.

THE BBC IS BANNED FROM ZIMBABWE,

BUT OUR WORLD AFFAIRS EDITOR, JOHN SIMPSON, IS THERE.

[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]

Claire: HELLO. WHO IS THAT?

ARE THEY?

OH, NO.

OH, NO, LAURA.

OH, LAURA!

OH, LAURA!

OH, LAURA!

OH!

Zach: BEN WAS ABDUCTED BY A HEAVILY ARMED GANG.

AND THEN HE WAS SEVERELY BEATEN,

WITH HIS FATHER-IN-LAW, CERTAINLY,

AND ALSO HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW, WE BELIEVE,

THE THREE OF THEM TOGETHER.

HOW BADLY BEATEN, WE'RE YET TO FIND OUT,

BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

[ TELEPHONE LINE RINGING ]

[ RINGING ]

HI. HI, HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING?

OH.

OH, LAURA!

OH, BRILLIANT!

Zach: ARE THEY ALL RIGHT?

Claire: SEKURU HOSPITAL.

OKAY.

BYE.

OH, DEAR.

Zach: WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE --

OH, THEY'RE SO BADLY BEATEN.

AH.

[ SIGHS ]

Claire: MIKE HAS ALL HIS FINGERS BROKEN,

AND HIS HEAD IS ABSOLUTELY HUGE.

THEY'VE HAD THEIR FEET BEATEN.

BEN'S EYES ARE --

THERE'S ONE EYE THAT'S --

HE'S BEEN BEATEN ROUND THE HEAD.

ANGELA'S GOT A BROKEN ARM,

AND THEY'VE PUT A RED-HOT THING DOWN HER THROAT.

Zach: INCREDIBLE, ISN'T IT?

FOR WHAT?

Claire: [ SIGHS ]

Laura: WE WERE PRAYING, AND I FELT THERE WAS

THIS TREMENDOUS BATTLE ON FOR THEIR LIVES.

I FELT JUST THE MOST TREMENDOUS ANGUISH.

[ Crying ] AND WE WERE JUST PRAYING

AND PRAISING GOD.

AND I'M SURE THAT IT WAS THEN,

WHEN THEY WERE HOLDING THOSE GUNS OVER THEM

AND SAYING THEY WERE GOING TO SHOOT THEM,

THAT THEY CHANGED THEIR PLANS

AND PUT THEM IN THE CAR AND, AND TOOK HIM TO GADOMA,

'CAUSE THEY COULD HAVE LEFT THEM IN THE BUSH,

AND THEY WOULD HAVE DIED OF EXPOSURE

IF THEY HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE BUSH.

IT WAS JUST AMAZING.

Mike: THE FACT THAT THEY'VE COME OUT AND HAMMERED US

HAS MADE US MORE DETERMINED TO, TO CARRY ON WITH THE CASE,

AND THE FACT THAT THEY, THEY ASKED ANGELA

TO SIGN A PIECE OF PAPER

WHICH SAID THAT WE WOULDN'T CONTINUE WITH THE CASE IN SADC

JUST SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW,

THE THORN IS QUITE DEEP IN THEIR FLESH.

AND WE'LL CONTINUE AT ALL COSTS.

Man: ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO WINDHOEK?

THAT RATHER DEPENDS ON BEN.

Laura: BEN DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD NIGHT LAST NIGHT.

HE'S GOT THIS HUGE FRACTURE, YOU KNOW, ON HIS HEAD,

FROM SORT OF TOP OF HIS EAR AROUND.

Laura: HE'S VERY WEAK AND DEFINITELY

DETERIORATING, YEAH.

THE BEATING HE HAD ON HIS HEAD HAS CAUSED HEMORRHAGING.

AND A CLOT HAS FORMED, WHICH IS

CAUSING PRESSURE ON THE BRAIN,

SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY OPERATING AS WE SPEAK.

Claire: SURELY GOD IS MY SALVATION.

I WILL TRUST AND NOT BE AFRAID.

THE LORD, THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG.

HE HAS BECOME MY SALVATION.

THE LORD IS YOUR KEEPER.

THE LORD IS YOUR SHADE ON YOUR RIGHT HAND.

THE LORD WILL KEEP YOU FROM EVIL, BENNY.

[ Crying ] HE WILL KEEP YOUR LIFE.

THE LORD WILL KEEP YOUR GOING OUT AND YOUR COMING IN

FROM THIS TIME FORTH FOREVER MORE.

Ben: DAD, HOW ARE YOU?

Zach: WELL DONE.

Ben: YOU HAVE A GOOD FLIGHT?

[ CHUCKLES ]

A VERY GOOD FLIGHT.

HOW ARE YOU, BOY?

VERY WELL.

I'M DOING FINE.

[ CHUCKLES ]

IT'S LOVELY TO SEE YOU.

Ben: IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR MIKE.

MIKE HAS TAKEN A LOT LONGER TO RECOVER

THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE.

BUT HE, YEAH, HE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN HERE, AND --

BUT JUST MEDICALLY, HE COULDN'T.

YOU KNOW, HE'S STILL ON HIS BACK.

BUT HE'S WITH US IN SPIRIT.

AND WHEN I LEFT HIM,

HE SAID, "I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GO

AND KEEP THE WHOLE THING GOING."

BUT HE, YEAH, HE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN HERE.

Ben: PROVERBS 29 SAYS, "FEAR OF MAN WILL PROVE TO BE A SNARE.

"BUT WHOEVER TRUSTS IN THE LORD IS KEPT SAFE.

"MANY SEEK AN AUDIENCE WITH A RULER,

BUT IT IS FROM THE LORD THAT MAN GETS JUSTICE."

AND, LORD, WE PRAY TODAY

FOR THE FIVE JUDGES

THAT HAVE FLOWN IN FROM...

THE SADC REGION.

WE JUST PRAY, LORD, THAT YOU PUT

THE FEAR OF YOURSELF IN THEIR HEARTS

AND NOT THE FEAR OF MAN,

LORD, THAT THEY SEE

THAT IT IS YOUR LAW, THAT IT IS YOUR WAYS,

THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT IF THIS REGION IS GOING TO GO FORWARD.

AND WE JUST ASK, LORD, THAT YOU CONFOUND THE WAYS

OF WICKED MEN, LORD,

THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE

WHO WANT TO PERVERT JUSTICE,

WHO WANT

TO TRY TO CONTINUE THIS RAPE OF THE LAND,

THIS STEALING AND KILLING AND DESTROYING.

LORD, WE WANT TO SEE THOSE JUDGES COME WITH CLEAR VISION,

WITH CLEAR MINDS, WITH STRONG HEARTS,

AND WITH A FEAR OF YOURSELF, LORD GOD.

Zach: NOW, THE COURT'S OVER TO THE RIGHT, IS IT?

Ben: YEAH.

Mugabe: I WILL NEVER, NEVER SELL MY COUNTRY.

I WILL NEVER, NEVER --

[ PEOPLE CHEERING ]

NEVER, NEVER SURRENDER!

ZIMBABWE IS MINE.

Ben: THERE'S TWO PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN SET DOWN TODAY.

THE FIRST PART IS THE MAIN CASE.

IT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR FOR NEARLY A YEAR.

AND THEN THE SECOND PART IS THE MAIN MATTER,

THE CONTEMPT ISSUE, WHERE,

DESPITE THE PROTECTION THAT THE TRIBUNAL GAVE US,

WE'VE BEEN BEATEN UP.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING.

I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT TODAY.

Man: RISE IN COURT.

THIS COURT IS NOW GOING TO CONSIDER

THE MAIN CASE, CAMPBELL CASE, SO, PLEASE, AGENTS.

Gauntlett: THANK YOU, YOUR EXCELLENCIES.

THE TAKING IS FROM WHITE FARMERS ONLY.

HERE IT IS, THIS INTERNAL DOCUMENT,

AND YOU WILL SEE THROUGHOUT THERE'S NOT A REFERENCE

TO THE FACT THAT THESE ARE BAD FARMERS,

THAT THEY'RE ABSENTEE FARMERS.

THROUGHOUT, IT'S ONE POINT ONLY,

THEY HAPPEN TO BE FARMERS WHO ARE WHITE...

Man: THE INTENTION WAS TO TAKE

AT LEAST 8.3 MILLION HECTARES FROM THAT

COMMERCIAL FARMING LAND, WHICH WAS HELD EITHER BY WHITES

OR BY LARGE CORPORATIONS,

AND DISTRIBUTE IT TO THE LANDLESS PEOPLE.

Gauntlett: THE SOLE FACTUAL COMMON CHARACTERISTIC

ESTABLISHED ON THESE PAPERS IS THAT THEY ARE WHITE.

WE TAKE THAT POINT, WE INVITE A CHALLENGE,

WE INVITE THEM TO COME BACK AND SAY,

"THESE SIX WERE ROTTEN FARMERS,

THOSE SEVEN HAVE A RECORD OF BEATING WORKERS."

NOT A THING OF THAT KIND.

WE PROCEED TO THE CASE 2A,

AGENT APPLICATION.

Gauntlett: YOUR EXCELLENCIES,

WE WOULD SUBMIT THAT THERE ARE FOUR --

Mugabe's Attorney: OH, EXCUSE ME, YOUR EXCELLENCIES.

SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING MY LEARNED FRIEND.

WHAT WE SEEK AT THIS STAGE

IS A SHORT POSTPONEMENT.

Judge: WELL, THIS CASE

IS LISTED FOR THIS SESSION.

WE DON'T SEE WHY IT CANNOT BE HEARD.

Gauntlett: THANK YOU, YOUR EXCELLENCIES.

Mugabe's Attorney: OH, YOUR EXCELLENCIES, IF I MAY

SEEM IMPERTINENT TO BE ASKING

FOR POSTPONEMENT, IT IS MERELY BECAUSE,

SINCE FIGHTING THE DEFENSE,

THERE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPMENTS IN ZIMBABWE,

AND AS SUCH, MY INSTRUCTIONS ARE THAT

UNLESS I CAN MAKE SUBMISSIONS

AT THIS HONORABLE TRIBUNAL, I WOULD THEN RESPECTFULLY

BEG TO BE EXCUSED FROM THE PROCEEDINGS.

Gauntlett: YOUR EXCELLENCIES,

THERE IS ONCE AGAIN AN ATTEMPT TO DEFER.

AND WE, YOUR EXCELLENCY, NO LONGER HAVE

THE HUMAN AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES

TO CARRY ON FROM HEARING TO HEARING.

WE ARE ALL AT THE END OF OUR TETHERS.

WE ARE BUILDING A HOUSE OF JUSTICE IN THE REGION,

AND THE COURT FIND NO REASON TO POSTPONE THIS CASE.

THEREFORE, WE ARE GOING TO PROCEED.

Mugabe's Attorney: I WOULD THEN RESPECTFULLY BEG

THE LEAVE OF THE TRIBUNAL,

AS I HAVE THESE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FROM MY GOVERNMENT.

Angula: I HAVE NEVER HAD THE EXPERIENCE

OF PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF COURT.

I HAVE NEVER, EVER SEEN THAT.

WE RESPECT THE RULE OF LAW IN THIS COUNTRY,

AND THAT, THAT JUST

HIGHLIGHTED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE RULE OF LAW IN ZIMBABWE.

THEY CAME TO THE TRIBUNAL AND SHOWED THE TRIBUNAL

THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A RULE OF LAW IN ZIMBABWE.

THEY HAVE COME UP WITH ARGUMENTS THAT ARE CHILDISH,

THAT ARE MADE SIMPLY TO DELAY,

AND THE TRIBUNAL WILL SEE THROUGH THAT VERY CLEARLY.

Gauntlett: WHAT TOOK PLACE, ON THE EVIDENCE BEFORE YOU,

CONSTITUTED VIOLATION, NOT ONLY OF YOUR ORDERS,

BUT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

IT CONSTITUTED TORTURE.

MR. FREETH, WHO IS WITH US HERE,

SUFFERING THE MOST HEINOUS HEAD INJURY,

WHICH CLEARLY,

ADMINISTERED IN THE WAY

DESCRIBED IN DETAIL IN THE PAPERS,

COULD HAVE KILLED HIM.

I WAS ALMOST IN TEARS WHEN I SAW THAT PHOTO.

BUT, YEAH, TODAY COULDN'T HAVE GONE BETTER.

IT'S JUST BEEN ABSOLUTELY OVERWHELMING.

YEAH, THE CASE IS JUST SO COMPELLING,

ESPECIALLY AS THE OPPOSITION JUST WALKED OUT.

YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO -- THEY CAN'T ANSWER IT.

THEY'RE, YES, THEY'RE TOTALLY EXPOSED

IN WHAT THEY HAVE DONE

AND THE INJUSTICES THAT THEY HAVE COMMITTED.

AND, YEAH, I BELIEVE THAT,

I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL DAY.

[ CHUCKLES ]

Ben: I THINK FROM HERE IT'S REALLY A WAITING GAME.

THE JUDGES HAVE GONE OUT NOW TO CONSIDER WHAT HAS BEEN SAID,

AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE.

IT'S A BIG DECISION THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE.

IT'S GOING TO SET

AN INTERNATIONAL PRECEDENT FOR THE WORLD.

Mike: I SHOULD BE DEAD BY NOW, IF THEY HAD THEIR WAY.

BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS LET THEM HAVE THEIR WAY.

Ben: THE FARM IS OUR HOMES.

IT'S THE HOMES FOR OUR WORKERS.

IT'S OUR LIVELIHOOD.

IT'S EVERYTHING.

AND IF WE LOSE IT,

WE'VE LOST OUR PLACE ON THE SOIL IN AFRICA.

Angula: THIS DAY BELONGS TO THE FARMERS.

THE RULE OF LAW IS VICTORIOUS TODAY,

DUE TO THE WONDERFUL JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF JUSTICE,

HUMAN RIGHTS, RULE OF LAW, AND FAIRNESS.

Angula: TO MIKE AND BEN, I SHARE MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE

FOR THEIR CONVICTION AND BELIEF IN THE RULE OF LAW.

WELL, THE, THE EFFECT OF THE JUDGMENT

IS THAT ALL ACQUISITIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT

FROM SEPTEMBER 2005

HAVE BEEN DECLARED BY THE TRIBUNAL

NOT TO HAVE BEEN ACCORDING TO THE RULE OF LAW.

Man: BUT YOU GUYS HAD THE VISION

AND THE COURAGE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US.

Mike: YEAH.

WELL, A LOT OF IT IS BEN.

YEAH?

IT'S AMAZING.

I'M JUST SO, SO PLEASED.

Man: IS MIKE GOING TO BE SAFE BACK AT HOME ON HIS FARM?

THAT, I REALLY CAN'T COMMENT ON.

BUT I DON'T SEE WHY HE SHOULDN'T BE.

WE'D SORT OF BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT WAS

GOING ON INSIDE ZIMBABWE, AND THERE HAD BEEN

SOME PRESS COVERAGE ABOUT FARMERS BEING BEATEN UP

AND KICKED OFF THEIR LAND, BUT WE KNEW THE COUNTRY WAS --

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THESE STIFLING ELECTIONS,

WE KNEW THAT THIS PRESIDENT HAD BEEN IN POWER

A LONG TIME AND THAT PEOPLE WERE SUFFERING,

AND IT WAS THIS KIND OF -- ALMOST LIKE A CLOSED REGIME,

REALLY, TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, AND WE WANTED TO DIG INSIDE,

AND WE FILMED A LOT IN AFRICA, SO WE HAD QUITE GOOD KNOWLEDGE,

AND, IN FACT, WE READ A TINY SNIPPET ABOUT THIS FARMER

WHO WAS GOING TO BE TAKING THIS COURT CASE,

AND WE KIND OF LOOKED AT ONE ANOTHER AND THOUGHT,

"WOW, ONE MAN WHO'S PREPARED TO TAKE ON A PRESIDENT,

A PRESIDENT LIKE MUGABE," AND IT WAS LIKE --

IT WAS LIKE A BIT OF A LIGHT BULB MOMENT.

IT WAS KIND OF "WOW, THAT'S A STORY," YOU KNOW?

AND WE THOUGHT, "YEAH, SOMEONE WHO'S PREPARED

TO DO THAT IS GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING CHARACTER."

THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE RISKING A LOT BY TAKING ON

THIS COURT CASE, BUT I THINK THEY KNEW THAT

HAVING A FILM MADE, IT -- KIND OF WHATEVER HAPPENED

WOULD BE IN A KIND OF PUBLIC RECORD,

SO IT WAS -- WELL, A SAFETY NET,

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WAS GOING TO SAVE THEM

FROM WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM,

BUT IT WAS MORE A CASE OF ACTUALLY THERE'S A RECORD

OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM.

THEY'D KIND OF COURTED PRESS AND PUBLICITY

AS MUCH AS THEY COULD, AND THEY HAD STUCK THEIR NECKS

AND THEIR HEADS ABOVE THE PARAPETS.

YOU KNOW, THEY'D STUCK THEIR NECKS OUT,

THEY WERE TAKING RISKS, AND THEY WERE BRAVE,

SO WE KIND OF -- IT WAS -- I THINK TO MAKE A GOOD FILM,

YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTORS HAVE TO WANT TO MAKE THE FILM WITH YOU,

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT WORKED.

WE ALL HAD THIS KIND OF MAIN AIM OF JUST TELLING STORIES

THAT WAS SHOWING WHAT WAS REALLY HAPPENING.

THIS FAMILY ARE EXTRAORDINARY IN THAT THEY PUT

THE GREATER GOOD OF A COUNTRY AHEAD OF

THEIR OWN PERSONAL NEEDS AND WANTS AND THEIR OWN LIVES

SO THEY VALUE THE GREATER GOOD ABOVE THEMSELVES,

AND I THINK THAT LEVEL OF KIND OF PUTTING SELF-PRESERVATION

TO ONE SIDE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY THING,

BUT, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE FILM'S STRENGTH.

IT MAKES YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL QUESTION,

"WELL, HOW FAR WOULD I GO, REALLY,

TO STAND UP FOR WHAT I BELIEVE IN?"

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