Villagers told The Zimbabwean their life was now unbearable as they had been stripped of all the means of making a living by the diamond mining firm – forced to sell or barter their movable property and livestock for food.
Cephas Gwayagwaya said families had been forced to scavenge for food when they left behind flourishing gardens and fields in Marange. “As people of Chiadzwa we want the restoration of our rights and dignity. For the past three to four years we have been moved from place to place. We are asking for an opportunity to live in Zimbabwe like everybody else,” Gwayagwaya said.
The villagers were promised new homes but not enough were built, forcing many families to share. “We are going back to Chiadzwa and we are prepared for anything. They can destroy us if they want to because we cannot continue living like this,” said Myness Musaamba, whose family is sharing a house with others. She said what was particularly painful for her was that the only means of survival she now had was to sell firewood in Odzi, about eight km away.
“Women are now the breadwinners – taking care of their husbands through selling firewood and they walk this distance with children as young as seven. My life has really changed for the worse ever since we were moved to Arda Transau,” she added.
The Kambeni family, a polygamous family made up of the father, his 15 wives and at least 30 children, are presently occupying a house too small for their family and do not have any land for farming.
“Two wives share three rooms together with their children and they take turns to cook because the kitchen can only accommodate one person at a time. Even when talking to a person in the kitchen you have to sit outside. Our sons and daughters are forced to share bedrooms,” Idah Kambeni, one of the wives said.
“We are living in a manner that is contrary to our culture and values. We have sold all our farm implements and exchanged household property for food,” said Miriam Kambeni another of the wives.
“Back in Chiadzwa we could take care of ourselves. We were promised five hectares and irrigation but right now we don’t even have houses to stay in,” said Joel Masvaure, who has a wife and four kids. Those families still to receive housing say they are taking legal action with the assistance of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
The Chiadzwa Community Development Trust told The Zimbabwean that five child-headed households were among the 67 families affected. “We call on the diamond mining companies to respect the rights of indigenous people. Culturally boys and girls do not live in the same room,” said CCDT Coordinator, Melanie Chiponda.
“Local people from Marange are being completely ignored when it comes to jobs with the bulk of the employees coming from China,” she added, and called on Anjin to emulate the likes of Marange Resources and Mbada Diamonds, which she said were not only relocating people but also teaching them livelihood skills to help them adapt to their new environments.
Anjin’s Human Resources Manager, Lindiwe Ngwenya, referred all questions to the Governor of Manicaland Chris Mushowe whose cell phone number was not reachable.
Meanwhile, villagers who have been asked to leave their homes in Marange for Arda Transau to make way for a yet unnamed new mining company are resisting moving.
They fear that they will fall into similar difficulties as those that were transferred to Arda Transau. “They are reluctant to move because they know that fellow villagers who were moved to Arda Transau have no food, land to farm or jobs. They have vowed to even violently resist movement because they are afraid of being thrown into deeper poverty,” said a source.
“There is need for transparency in relocating villagers, and the new mine or mines should be known. It has to be clear whether the villagers will get adequate farmland and if there will be enough health and education facilities when they are relocated and if the new mines will employ locals.
“It is not acceptable to just move people without sustainable alternatives. Already, the relocation of people now at Arda Transau cause many children to drop out of school while the sick have no access to medical services,” said Chiponda.
Post published in: News