Top brass orders Chiadzwa crackdown

Kpandel Fayia, head of the Kimberley delegation told journalists on Thursday that the Zimbabwe government had managed to flush out illegal miners after a guided tour of the diamond fields. Unaware of the violent clean up exercise that had just preceded his teams tour of the diamond fields, Fayia praised the government for successfully flushing out 95 percent of the illegal miners.

Only a week before the visit by the Kimberley team, soldiers were cordially working in syndicates with illegal miners, including children to dig the precious stones, according to information obtained by The Zimbabwean on Sunday last week.

Fooling the KPCS
The army top brass only ordered a crackdown to drive away illegal miners in order to fool Fayias team by ensuring there was a semblance of normalcy at Chiadzwa by the time the (KPCS) arrived. Our correspondent met several illegal miners nursing injuries from the crackdown, which they said was as violent and de-humanising.

Those caught up in the crackdown said they suffered severe beatings and torture before being let off. An illegal miner who identified himself as Arthur Mutenga said he was rounded up and assaulted together with several women.

The soldiers forced us to undress, men and women, before beating us using the buts of their guns. They then burnt our clothes and asked to leave the fields. This is how they have been treating us for the past two weeks, he said. Some villagers in surrounding areas said the soldiers had raided their homes and burnt and property, accusing the villagers of harboring illegal miners.

Burnt clothes and food
They burnt clothes and foodstuffs saying these things belonged to illegal miners. What surprises me is that the same soldiers were our clients, buying goats from us all this time. I cannot explain their actions. They had brought back thriving business here, said a villager from Muchena village, which is adjacent to the diamond fields.

Before the announced visit of the Kimberely delegation spoiled the party, soldiers guarding the diamond fields had turned Chiadzwa into a flourishing business. So cordial were the working relations between the military and illegal miners that soldiers stockpiled with canned beer regularly hosted and raveled with illegal miners and prostitutes at their tents while sharing diamond pieces Soldiers deployed to guard the diamond fields bussed in relatives and friends to join in the dig. Illegal miners trooping back to the diamond fields

Syndicates tipped
Illegal miners trooping back to the fields were handed army fatigue to gain unfettered access, while soldiers on leave donned army uniform to enter the fields without restriction, according to sources. In a sign that the clean up was a faade, some soldiers tipped off their syndicate members to leave the fields ahead of the crackdown.

An illegal miner who identified himself only as Tendai said he left his shovel, iron bars and candles, critical tools for illegal mining, safely tucked in a soldiers tent. He was told of the impending crackdown in advance and advised to leave his tools for safekeeping in an army tent.

We should be back in two weeks. The soldiers will give us a signal when all is clear. These kinds of crackdowns have happened before whenever some top officials are visiting. But we always go back.