Mugabe continues his thuggery in Zimbabwe

More violence, and more destruction.

After years of resisting President Robert Mugabe's violent campaign to rid Zimbabwe of white farmers David Wilding-Davies believed he had survived the ethnic purge.

Battered and blood-soaked man
Allan Warner after being confronted by militiamen

He was wrong. In what appears to be the start of the final clearance of Zimbabwe's remaining white farmers, Mr Mugabe's security forces launched a dawn raid yesterday, firing automatic weapons against Mr Wilding-Davies, his white farm manager and a neighbour in Chipinge, south-eastern Zimbabwe.

The operation followed Mr Mugabe's alteration of the constitution last month, for the 17th time since independence from Britain in 1980. He nationalised all white-owned land and prevented white farmers going to court to challenge seizure of about 22 million acres.

Mr Wilding-Davies was attacked by about 15 armed militia when he went to assist his manager, Allan Warner, 53, a South African, who had been knocked to the ground and was being kicked and pummelled. Mr Wilding-Davies said a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation, which operates out of Mr Mugabe's office, led the attackers.

"It was an incredibly unpleasant experience. It began suddenly as we were walking to work. We are presently harvesting coffee worth about $300,000 [£166,000] for export to Canada."