VILLAGERS in Marange yesterday called on the government to
halt new mining operations in Chiadzwa by Chinese diamond company Anjin
claiming that it has a “dark past” including human rights abuses.
This comes after the government last week through Mines
minister Winston Chitando announced the resumption of mining operations by
Anjin Diamond Company in Chiadzwa.
Anjin operated in Chiadzwa from 2009 to 2016 before
government revoked licences of diamond companies mining in Chiadzwa leading to
the formation of the Zimbabwe Consolidation Diamond Company (ZCDC).
At a Press conference yesterday in Mutare the Amalgamated
Chiadzwa Development Communities Trust (ACDCT), Marange Chapter chairperson Jay
Kasakara, who was flanked by Centre for Research and Development director James
Mupfumi, said in the past Anjin flouted environmental laws.
“The (ACDCT) is deeply saddened by the decision by
government to allow new diamond mining operations in Marange without following
due process. In the past three months the ACDCT has observed in dismay the
unregulated diamond mining activities taking place in Chiadzwa by Anjin Diamond
Company, which has a dark past,” he said.
“This unfortunate decision was confirmed by minister
Winston Chitando on a local radio station. Anjin was one of the mining
companies that also started mining operations in Chiadzwa community in 2009
without the approved environmental assessment plan,” he said
“Their mining activities destroyed the community
infrastructure such as roads, bridges, schools, degraded farming land, sacred
areas and contaminated sources of (drinking) water,” he said
“Over 4 000 cattle were lost after falling into mining
pits, gullies and slime dams, around 450 families were relocated to Arda
Transau without secured livelihoods and compensation for their losses,” he said
“ACDCT calls upon the government to immediately halt new
mining developments in Marange and move with speed to implement some reforms
such as undertaking a human rights due diligence process for the people of
Marange to claim compensation for adverse impacts caused by Anjin Diamond
mining,” he said
Mupfumi said the government should immediately stop secretive
mining practices in Marange that are resulting in all sorts of human rights
violations.
“The government has a constitutional obligation to protect
human rights, the government is shielding opacity in Marange in order to
maintain selfish interests,” he said Newsday
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