Confrontations Continue, Tension Mounting Over Farm Land In  Zimbabwe
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, WORLD NEWS: The United States says that it will suspend aid for land reforms in Zimbabwe. U.S. officials condemn the treatment of some white farmers in the country. CNN's Bob Coen has more.</s>BOB COEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The target of the constitutional amendment - Zimbabwe's embattled white farmers. Under the new amendment, Zimbabwe's government can appropriate their farms and is only obliged to pay for improvements such as buildings, dams and other infrastructure. The new amendment says Britain, the former colonial power, is obliged to pay the farmers for the lands which the amendment says were stolen from Africans during colonialism.</s>ROBERT MUGABE, ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT: If those men want to believe there might be one</s>COEN: Ownership of land has been an emotional and controversial issue since Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980, when the country's black majority came to power after a bloody race war to free themselves from white minority rule. But two decades later, around 4,000 white farmers still control much of the country's best farmland, while hundreds of thousands of black peasant farmers continue to wait for the land promised to them. The issue has come to a head in recent weeks, following the occupation of more than 700 white-owned farms by veterans of the liberation war and other pro-government supporters who say they can wait no longer. As the confrontations continue, tensions are mounting. So have the number of violent incidents. Despite a court ruling declaring the occupations illegal, government has taken no action against the protesters.</s>JOHN HAMMOND, FARMER: There's been a complete breakdown of law and order. As I said, there is anarchy at the moment.</s>COEN: Critics of the government claim the land issue is being used by President Mugabe to stir up emotions and win support ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections at a time when Zimbabwe is facing its worst economic crisis. They say that, until now, land acquired for resettlement by the government has been misused and has not gone to the people who need it. Meanwhile, it is unlikely the amendment to the constitution will defuse the tense standoff on the farms. The occupiers say they are determined to stay until the land is given to them.</s>COEN: Bob Coen, CNN, Harare, Zimbabwe.