SW Radio Africa (London)
Tichaona Sibanda
10 July 2009
The army and the police will not withdraw from the Chiadzwa diamond fields, but will remain there to maintain 'law and order', a state controlled newspaper said on Friday.
The weekly Manica Post in Mutare said the security forces will continue with their presence at the diamond fields, despite recommendations by the Kimberley Process team that visited the country last week to demilitarise the fields.
The officer commanding Manicaland Province, Senior Assistant Commissioner Munorwei Shava Matutu, told journalists at a media briefing that because of the vast nature of the diamond fields, the security forces will continue using various strategies, including roadblocks and patrols, that he said have resulted in the decline of illegal panning and dealing in diamonds in the province. The briefing was also attended by provincial commanders from the army and the CIO.
But all these armed forces are accused of human rights abuses. The Kimberley Process, which works to end the sale of 'blood diamonds' had called for the demilitarisation of the fields, where security forces are accused of torture, killings and other abuses against civilians.
Minister of Mines Obert Mpofu and his deputy Murisi Zwizwai reportedly accepted the recommendations, but they said the military would only be withdrawn 'in stages' - but even that decision seems to have been over ruled.
The Kimberley Process team visited the country last week on a fact-finding mission, after Human Rights Watch accused the armed forces of using torture and forced labour to control the Marange fields. At least 200 people are known to have died in a military crackdown last year, which saw the army at one time use helicopter gunships to flush out illegal diamond panners.
Sox Chikohwero, a former MDC intelligence chief, told us the military's insistence to remain at Chiadzwa amounted to a 'mutiny' against the unity government.
'Two government ministers agreed with the Kimberley Process recommendations and promised to withdraw the armed forces in phases. But the pro-ZANU PF military has refused and this can only be described as a mutiny against the government,' Chikohwero said.
The former ex-combatant and officer in the airforce said those defying government recommendations should be arrested. But he said it is an open secret that ZANU PF has directed the military to issue the statement.
'ZANU PF used to get funds from Gideon Gono but because that financial route has been blocked by the unity government, their only source of funds was Chiadzwa. It's clear the diamond fields have sustained ZANU PF as a party and the top military generals,' Chikohwero said.
'Lets not be fooled they will let go of the diamonds fields. They will fight for it, the soldiers will fight for ZANU PF to ensure its sustainability as far as money is concerned. You cannot separate the soldiers from ZANU PF,' added Chikohwero.
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I think the army should remain guarding the fields because if they leave, there will be more chaos and you will get people killing each other which can easily degenerate into chaos, so until such time that proper security structures have been put in place, it might be wise to keep the army there for preservation of peace in Zimbabwe. That is not to say they should abuse human rights.
T.D. The very presence of the army (if you could call them that )on the diamond fields is an abuse of HUMAN RIGHTS !!!! Why dont we just leave the murderers to look after the evidence??? Give me a break why dont you?
Mugabe's extended Bobdy Guard are just looking after their master's interest. So much for people empowerment when the North Korean/ British trained terrorists keep their presence in the area. Law and order can be a very slippery subject espeacially when it comes to politicians with hidden agendas. But everyone can see what Mugabe's agenda is. Remember he said in Bindura, Zimbabwe is mine. No it belongs to the people and he is meant to serve the people , hence the name civil servant not the other way round.
I do not condone human rights abuses whatsoever, but before the army went in, there was so much chaos already in the diamond fields and with all the illegal foreigners coming in to tap the resource, that area needed security of some form. Of late there has been some order and it is prudent that the soldiers should gradually handover that security to the police or whoever, but to expect the soldiers to just withdraw overnight like that is simplifying the matters, almost like asking the US soldiers to withdraw from IRAQ overnight. The presence of soldiers is… [Read Full Text]
Just because there was chaos in the Chiadzwa diamond fields does not give Mugabe's extended body guard the right to murder people trying to make a living. They wouldn't of even been there in the first place if they could of had the jobs which they had before Bob destroyed the country.
Mugabe forgets no one boots him out when HE loots diamonds from the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I wonder how many people have been murdered and gone unreported over there by those guarding Mugabe's ill gotten diamond mines?
It's really very simple then - Diamonds from Zimbabwe should be banned from international sales/recognition by the Kimberly Process.
The commission from the KP has already stated that the armed forces/police have perpetrated violence in the diamond fields. Whether or not any of you apologists for ZANU-PF agree is irrelevant, for an international body to make such a conclusion means they already believe the diamonds from Zimbabwe are now "Blood Diamonds". As such, the international dealers of diamonds won't touch them........ the Chinese will though........ "Look East!"........
Since ZANU-PF can't get Comrade Gono to turn his printing presses… [Read Full Text]