Diamonds belong to the people of Zimbabwe

Written by Braam Hanekom

Wednesday, 04 November 2009 12:31

We must keep our Diamonds in Zimbabwean soil until we are rid of the thieves that govern our country. It is clear that the corruption bridges across the political divides. (Pictured: ‘Joice Mujuru and Augustine Chihuri, who are the biggest beneficiaries, are uncontrollable) If some MDC officials were not involved then why would Tsvangirai’s official, Deputy Minister of Mines, Murisi Zwizwai, deny that Mugabe’s government ever killed any alluvial diamond miners in the Chiadzwa area?
In the Marange District of Eastern Zimbabwe, where Chiadzwa is located, the community was victim to the notorious operation Kakudzokwi “do not return” last year. I thought that this was common knowledge, just about all Zimbabweans know about this operation. From the reports we have seen and from what the community has said at least 100 people were killed by soldiers who flew over the area in helicopters with automatic machine guns shooting everyone in attempt to take complete control over diamond panning.
Recently we conducted an investigation into the conditions and were told, even by police, that there could have been about 1,000 killed during the operation. It is absolutely unacceptable, soldiers cannot kill people for mining – this is murder.
The same soldiers, and now police, beat and kill the community for panning in the area, recruit and enslave them as panners.
It’s a game of cat and mouse. Every week the community of panners are chased and then called back into the area - now called Pa MaiMujuru. It is there that people work, month on end. If panners were to think of the work they do as a job they would never accept such conditions, but they are conned into thinking that they will earn a fortune when or if they stumble across a big diamond.
Instead of this new life, they all end up finding only the cheap industrial diamonds and selling them for US$10 a gram and then having to give half of the money to soldiers and police.
The remaining money is divided by 20 or 30 depending on how many panners are in their “syndicate”. The whole Chiadzwa and Murange diamond business is corrupt with people being beaten and often having their hard earned diamonds “confiscated” by police or soldiers after months of unpaid work.
It is not surprising that Mugabe is unable to move his soldiers and police, because Chihuru and Mujuru, who are the biggest beneficiaries, are uncontrollable. Either this or Mugabe has a share of the profit and, interestingly, so must MDC’s Murisi Zwizwai. It is also interesting that Chihuru and Mujuru are unable to control their soldiers and police who openly sell diamonds, while ‘securing’ their areas.
The dirty business has torn apart many lives, while certain individuals have made their millions. While the country has been worrying about who is in charge of government, certain calculating and murderous people have been stealing our God-given resources and exporting them for their personal financial gain.
All Zimbabweans need to stand against the diamond trade from Marange - it is one big lie that Zimbabwe will benefit. We need to be clear that there are no benefits for ordinary Zimbabweans. Instead the money is further strengthening the ruling elite. We need to stand against this trade until human rights are being respected, until the police and soldiers stop being businessmen, until the soldiers leave the area or allow international organisations to monitor their behaviour in the area. It is better that the diamonds stay in the soil than for them to be used to kill our people.

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