Wear your diamonds with pride and with love, urged a representative of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses this week. There can never be cast-iron guarantees about the provenance of diamonds.
So, thats all right then, with such reassurances ringing in our ears, we can all relax. No need to trouble our consciences any more about whether these are blood diamonds coming out of Zimbabwe; the man says we can wear them with pride and love. The fact that the advice originates from the very organization that markets diamonds surely tells us that their main concern is rather more financial than moral.
By the middle of the week, it was a very different comment coming from the World Diamond Council. With Farai Maguwu spending his fourth week in gaol, the Council issued this statement, We condemn without equivocation the intimidation of individuals legitimately carrying out their duties as observers or participants in the Kimberley Process.
On the same day, Farai Maguwu was in court again for a bail hearing, with the state arguing for a further two-week extension of his detention. To release the activist would be to endanger the state, they claim. What is very clear, as his dedicated and hard-working legal representative, Tino Bere, pointed out, is that The State is pursuing a vendetta against the diamond rights activist. Why else would they subject him to such barbaric treatment as to place a sick man in leg irons when he is simply a remand prisoner and has not been convicted of any crime? The Investigating Officer, one Detective Inspector Dowa will no doubt provide evidence to support the prosecution claim that Muguwu is undermining the interests of the State (by revealing the truth about what is really happening at the diamond fields!) when he returns to court from his mysterious trip to gather evidence.
Meanwhile the Minister of Mines, Obert Mpofu, is claiming that he has been given the green light by the World Diamond Council to sell Zimbabwes diamonds. This is the same organization that condemned without equivocation the mistreatment of individuals seeking to monitor the Kimberley Process! The Minister further claims that he was offered a deal by two of the diamond rights groups; in effect the Minister claims that he was offered a bribe: a cut of the profits in return for their support of diamond sales. Malicious and unsubstantiated allegations was the response of Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada, a cynical and amoral attempt by Minister Mpofu to distract from the organised smuggling and human rights abuses being carried out by state institutions in direct contravention of KP minimum requirements.
Amoral that word says it all; not just immoral without morals – but amoral, completely without any grasp of morality. It seems that conscience and morality have been swallowed up by greed and self-interest.
Following Tino Beres graphic diary-account of Maguwus legal team to represent their client made for dramatic reading as the legal team rushed back and forth between Harare and Mutare in a vain attempt to counteract the tissue of lies and deceit that have emeshed the prosecution case from the start. What is frighteningly clear is that the Zimbabwean state is prepared to go to any lengths to prevent the truth coming out about Chiadzwa. Violence and downright lies are Zanu PFs weapons of choice, be it in the matter of diamonds or consulting the people.
So bankrupt is the former ruling party of fresh ideas they have resorted to giving their mentally challenged supporters scripted answers to read out to people as the Constitutional Outreach Programme stumbles along against a background of abductions and violence meted out on MDC supporters. The whole process of consultation with the people about the sort of constitution they want has become mired in Zanu PFs desperate attempts to cling to power. Like the diamond saga the Constitutional Outreach Programme is being manipulated to ensure that the truth Zanu PF style is the only version the people hear. Any hope that they would be allowed to discuss the issues rationally and air their own views is being drowned out by the Zanu PF stooges on the ground with their scripted support for the Kariba Draft which would keep Robert Mugabe in power for life. Diamonds and Mugabe- are forever, you could say!
Today comes the news that the Inclusive Government has ordered that the Consultation Programme will go ahead despite the chaos and violence that marred the first two weeks. Will the sloganeering soldiers be ordered back to their barracks and the monitors be allowed to do their work unmolested by Zanu PF thugs? It seems unlikely. Also today comes a report in the government Herald that the Cabinet has resolved to go ahead and sell the stockpile of uncertified diamonds on the world market or thats what they were told by the amoral Minister Mpofu. As Farai Maguwu returns to court to hear his fate today, all we can hope is that justice and morality will prevail – but experience and recent history suggest otherwise.
Yours in the (continuing) struggle PH. aka Pauline Henson author of Case Closed published in Zimbabwe by Mambo Press, Going Home and Countdown political detective stories set in Zimbabwe and available from Lulu.com
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