Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Takunda Maodza
3 July 2009
Mutare — THE head of the visiting Kimberley Process Certification Scheme team yesterday acknowledged efforts by the Government to rid the Chiadzwa diamond fields of illegal miners while dismissing negative reports on Zimbabwe.
In an interview yesterday, Liberian Deputy Minister of Planning and Development Mr Kpandel Fayia, who is heading the team, said the Zimbabwe Government had managed to reduce significantly the number of illegal miners entering the diamond fields.
"We have come and we have seen that the Government managed to flush out those who were doing illicit mining in Marange," he said.
"There were about 35 000 people (illegal panners). The number has been reduced by up to 95 percent."
Mr Fayia noted that the Marange diamond fields were extensive, making it difficult to effectively control illegal mining.
"Basically, it is a very large area and from all indications, nobody can say you have perfect control of diamonds in a large area like Marange. It is 66 000 hectares and to control this area is quite a task," he said. "Now there is an opportunity to find partners to come and help develop this big area. We saw operations taking place in Marange under the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation. They are using crude methods, but they will eventually mechanise in the proper way."
ZMDC does not have enough capital to finance the extraction of diamonds at Chiadzwa and depends heavily on human labour.
This explains why employees were sorting the diamonds by hand in a shedded area monitored by computerised cameras.
Mr Fayia said on Wednesday his nine-member team broke into two groups as it entered Marange.
"One group went into Marange (diamond fields), the other visited villages. From the report we got, villagers are saying Government wants to relocate them from the area. Some people are very willing to relocate. Some want to be compensated," he said.
There are plans by the Government to relocate the families to the Arda-owned Transau Farm in Odzi.
The Kimberley Process team met Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu and his deputy Murisi Zwizwai in Harare before touring Chiadzwa.
Deputy Minister Zwizwai was on Wednesday condemned by his party, MDC-T, for telling the truth that nobody was killed by security forces at Chia-dzwa during the scramble for diamonds by illegal miners from all corners of the country and foreigners.
The team also met officials from ZMDC, African Consolidated Resources, Human Rights Lawyers and other non-governmental organisations.
Yesterday, Mr Fayia and his team met Mutare Mayor Mr Brian James (MDC-T), local Members of Parliament and an NGO involved in research.
"Tomorrow (today) we are visiting River Ranch Mine (in Beitbridge) and Murowa (in Zvishavane). On Saturday we wrap up with a meeting with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. We will go back and write our report. The final report comes one month after we leave," explained Mr Fayia.
"Before we came here, there were fears that going to Zimbabwe was very dangerous. Zimbabwe is a very peaceful place. The people are very frie-ndly. I am surprised."
The Kimberley Process is a joint government, diamond industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of "conflict diamonds", rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipment of rough diamonds as "conflict-free".
As of November last year, it had 49 members representing 75 countries with the European Community and its member-states counting as an individual participant.
"We came to see what is happening relating to compliance with the Kimberley Process," said Mr Fayia.
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