Regime plans forced removal of Chiadzwa villagers

By Tichaona Sibanda
22 January 2009

Plans are afoot by the regime to forcibly remove 5000 villagers from the Chiadzwa area in Manicaland province, to facilitate unfettered access to the diamond fields.

Newsreel learnt on Thursday that a meeting between Governor Christopher Mushowe and some chiefs and headmen from the area is set to be held on Saturday. Almost all those invited, including the provincial administrator and district administrator for Marange, have close links to the Mugabe regime.
Sure Mudiwa, the MDC MP for Mutare West which incorporates the diamond fields, said there has been a deliberate plot by the regime to exclude some people from the meeting.

‘I’m the MP for the area but I haven’t been invited. There are also two MDC councillors from the Chiadzwa area and they’ve also been excluded. We are not saying people shouldn’t be moved, but all we want is transparency,’ Mudiwa said.

The legislator added; ‘We know this is a national natural resource that currently benefits an elite few, but our worry is where do they intend to take the villagers. Is there any infrastructure, are they any clinics, is there water in the area?’

The precious stones from the Chiadzwa fields now provide a large source of revenue to Robert Mugabe’s regime, helping them keep their reign of terror in place. Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono estimated that the regime would rake in US$200 million a month, if there was no interference from ‘smugglers and illegal dealers.’

By closing off the area and removing every villager from the surroundings, the regime will have exclusive access to the diamonds, thereby benefiting only the ruling elite.

The mining venture has also been linked to the forced labour of hundreds of local inhabitants, and many fatalities at the hands of the security forces. The villagers have also been caught in the middle of fighting for control of the diamonds fields.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights released a report late last year detailing the shooting to death of villages from helicopter gunships and torture, including rape and abduction, on a ‘massive’ scale.
Many who fled the area at the time have been prevented from returning by the destruction of their homes, harvests and the looting of their cattle. MP Mudiwa said he’s been told by locals of numerous terrible acts by troops deployed to ‘protect’ the area.

‘Local people tell of those too sick to work being beaten and tortured and even murdered for resisting orders. We must built confidence in the people especially were natural resources are concerned. Let’s get a reputable company to do the mining and not soldiers because that is not their profession. Soldiers are there to protect us but in Chiadzwa they are doing exactly the opposite,’ Mudiwa said.

With a ruling party focused on plunder and enriching itself, it is unlikely that a reputable company would ever be allowed access to this source of enormous wealth, under this current government.