Shuwa Mudiwa, whose Mutare West constituency covers the Marange diamond fields where the killings occurred, was expected to disclose details of the massacre to a delegation from the Kimberley Process, a certification scheme aimed at preventing the sale of blood diamonds. It is due to visit Zimbabwe this week.
However, Mudiwa is now being held on a charge of kidnapping first lodged during last years fraudulent and violent election that returned President Robert Mugabe to power. The charge is widely thought to be trumped up.
Several other people the delegation wants to interview have been harassed and intimidated, making it unlikely the Kimberley Process group will be able to establish the truth.
Some of the diggers were reportedly shot by soldiers firing from helicopters to clear the diamond fields and bring them under military control.
As a result, Zimbabwe has been accused of trading in blood diamonds, a charge it denies. Human rights organisations have evidence that as many as 250 people died but the government says no massacre took place.
The deputy minister for mines, Murisi Zwizwai, admitted at a meeting of the Kimberley Process in Namibia last week that a special operation to clear the illegal miners had taken place. He denied any killings had occurred.
One official who attended last weeks meeting and who favours Zimbabwes suspension from the scheme, said: I am concerned that if the team comes back and writes a report that is very partial because it has not been able to see anything, the Kimberley Process will accept that and will be endorsing a lie and misrepresentation.
The Kimberley Process has come under mounting criticism for being toothless towards Zimbabwe and other governments such as Venezue-la that allegedly conduct an unethical trade in diamonds.
Sunday Times (UK)
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