In court

Against land reform: The Southern African Development Community tribunal on November 28 ruled that Zimbabwe's seizure of white-owned farms violated international law and should be halted. About 80 white farmers had challenged the legality of the government's land reform programme at the court. The tribunal ruled that by acquiring white-owned farms for resettlement, the Zimbabwean government has discriminated against them on the basis of race, thus, violating the Southern African Development Community treaty. The panel asked the Zimbabwean government to protect the property of the white farmers facing eviction and to compensate those evicted. The Minister of State for National Security, Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement said the government would not reverse the reform exercise.