A visiting delegation from the Kimberley Process has just concluded a week long investigation into Zimbabwe's controversial diamond mining trade and found that the country's military and police were major contributors to the illegal activities, human rights abuses and murders that took place in the Marange diamond fields, despite denials by government officials.
The Kimberley Process is an initiative by international govenments and civil societies to stem the flow of conflict diamonds. Although the full report has not been publicised, the interim report said: "There cannot be effective security where diamonds are concerned, with the involvement of the military."
The anti-blood diamonds group recommended that the army should be immediately removed from the diamond fields. Liberian Deputy Mines Minister Kpandel Fayia, who is the head of the Kimberley Process delegation, is quoted in the Herald saying the full report on Zimbabwe would be issued within a month.
Human Rights Watch senior researcher Tiseke Kasambala said: "If this is truly the case, then that is indeed a positive statement from the Kimberly Process and was one of the key recommendations from our report we released about a week and a half ago, calling for the de-militarisation of the diamond industry in Zimbabwe."
The rights group also said government denials of killings, especially by the army, are a cover up as gross abuses have been taking place in the Chiadzwa area since the diamond fields were discovered in 2006. Kasambala said it is disappointing the authorities are denying the atrocities that took place, instead of addressing what happened and trying to bring about accountability and transparency in the mining of diamonds in Zimbabwe.
"The army has carried out terrible abuses, including forced labour of children, women and men and took part in the massacres that took place in October and November 2008." According to the group, at least 200 people were killed by military personnel during a crackdown on so called illegal diamond dealers.
Last week the MDC criticised its own minister for making 'inaccurate' statements about what transpired in the Chiadzwa area. Deputy Minister of Mines, Murisi Zwizwai, said there had been no killings in the diamond fields. But his party said: "We view the remarks as premature and inaccurate in the absence of an investigation into the murky dealings in the Chiadzwa diamond fields where a lot of things happened out of the public eye. Hon Zwizwai's claims are therefore fact-hostile and evidence-free."
It is understood the Kimberly Process fact finding mission also spoke with victims of the military crackdown, some with gunshot wounds, and to some relatives of those killed.
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The goal posts are always being moved and the rules of the game changed to suit you know who. This Kimberley Process set up did not exist during apartheid days as it was not necessary to scrutinise apartheid gold and diamonds. How about that,guys.
well I guess that makes it ok for the government troops to again murder its people...
Brother Akafunde1;
It has always been like that brother - goal posts being changed to suit imperialists. They colonized, enslave and subjugated us and in the process killing and maiming millions of our people. When we decided to defend ourselves from their brutality, they start talking about genocide, rule of law, good governance and terrorism.
They have killed with impunity; they have dropped atomic bombs and Agent Orange and Dioxin on innocent civilians and they recently used White Phosphorous against civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza on defenseless civilians and yet no one has been tried for genocide or any such crimes against black people of Africa in particular and other vulnerable people around the world in general.
In New Zealand, Awt's ancestors (his forefathers) exterminated the Maori people (genocidal style) and in less than 100 years the Maori people had become a minority in their country of birth and in 1905 the last Maori was killed by Awt's father. Nobody has been tried for that including Awt who today continue to kill the remaining mixed-blood Maori people.
At the time of colonization they took everything from us and left us with nothing - surviving only on scrams from their tables. When we decided to take back what rightly belongs to us, they started talking about property rights as if blacks have no right to their property that was stolen at gun point by these barbaric criminals.
Today they have imposed illegal, racist and barbaric sanctions on us to again kill our people and have connived with sellouts in the region to bomb us because of the cholera they spread in our country in the first place.
George Bush, Tony Blair, De Klerk, Botha, Peter Walls, Magnus Malan, Zungaiwa, Kjrs120, Euro35, Julhman, to name just a few, are still alive and can face trial for genocide against black people of Africa but no one is calling for their indictment.
The only people who, according to imperialists, should be prosecuted and persecuted are those who are fighting for the right of their people to self determine repossessing our wealth from these criminals and fairly distribute it to long suffering and disadvantaged people.
That is how the goals keep changing my brother and it is up to us to continue fighting for what is rightfully ours without fear or favor. The precedence was set by Mbuya Nehanda Nyakasikana who died fighting. She did not give up even in the face of facing the hangman. She persevered consistently and persistently until her assassination by Rhodes murderous soldiers who hanged her by the neck on a tree along Tongogara Ave.
President Mugabe is today being attacked left, right and centre but he is not giving up the fight. Lets all take it (the fight) to its logical end when we can safely say we have fully liberated ourselves Totally Liberated and 100% Empowered.
Takunya, why do you continue to post lies? Here is a big fat one:
"In New Zealand, Awt's ancestors (his forefathers) exterminated the Maori people (genocidal style) and in less than 100 years the Maori people had become a minority in their country of birth and in 1905 the last Maori was killed by Awt's father. Nobody has been tried for that including Awt who today continue to kill the remaining mixed-blood Maori people. "
You couldnt really be any more rediculous could you. Considering I am part Maori myself, its really laughable what you say. There was no genocide in New Zealand, mainly because my ancestors (unlike yours) were brave and smart enough to defeat the British. Yours were unorganised and got slaughtered. Who's fault is that! How does it feel to have been defeated by the British! haha. That must suck!
Everyone knows that the real reason behind the Maori becoming a minority was due to colonisation. Plain and simple. To suggest otherwise is about as true as your statement that the CIA invented homosexuality and syhphilis. Utterly rediculous.
As for Kjrs120, Africa35, Julhman facing trial for genocide you really have lost your marbles!
"Total Empowerment!"
You lie AWT your ancestors never defeated the Pakhea. They are languishing in poverty in the so called free world. How many Maoris are on dole? How many Maoris are in prisons? How many Maoris go to school up to year 13 or even year 10. How many Maoris go to university? How many Maoris are in skilled employment. Why are surburbs like Linwood, Phillipstown ,Auckland south so backward and crime ridden. Dont you ever compare Maoris fight for freedom with our own. Dont ever compare their intelligence with our own for they are no pararells. If you part Maori then I understand why you dont know what you say. I will never contest you now. I have lived with Maoris for almost 1/4 of my life I know
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