The coalition has just published an account of its activities and findings so far, covering different parts of the country that include Mhondoro-Ngezi, Marange, Mbire, Odzi, Bikita, Beitbridge, Gwanda, Bubi, Kwekwe, Zvishavane, and Chimanimani.
“The on-going mining operations are causing irreversible environmental degradation – and are being done at the expense of the rights of local communities, their lives and well-being. The Coalition seeks to unite affected communities to develop and embark on strategies to defend their rights through community mobilisation, training and education, awareness raising, lobbying, and evidence based advocacy,” says the update.
The Chiadzwa Community Development Trust (CCDT) is part of the initiative.
The coalition bemoaned the slow response from national and international institutions and governments in addressing human rights violations in affected communities. It noted that diamond mining companies Chiadzwa, particularly Marange Resources, Anjin and Diamond Mining Corporation (DMC) continued polluting the Save, Singwizi and Odzi rivers.
In 2012, the community took the companies to court with the assistance of the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zela) but nothing had changed.
“The community feels betrayed by the court system and by the mining companies,” said the coalition, which also noted overcrowding, growing anti-social behaviour like commercial sex, violence and crime as well as poor service delivery in some areas.
Mbada Diamonds is said to be expanding, despite decreasing quantities of surface gems, and community members have already been told of the company’s plans to displace them if they live less than 500 metres from the mining area.
Small income-generating businesses will also be affected by the move that Mbada officials reportedly described as a “government initiative”.
In Bikita, community members are worried that government plans to set up a lithium processing plant in Bulawayo even though the minerals will be extracted in their area.
In Gwanda, communities complained that politicians owned most of the small-scale claims who forced them to sell whatever they found to them.
“Sometimes police use arms to chase away the artisanal miners from the mine claims, and in some cases, miners have been shot dead. Those present at the meeting said they had to pay a protection fee to the police and politicians so that they are not harassed.
“Women said there was a lot of sexual harassment in the artisanal gold mining sector – where police sometimes use sexual assault as a form of fine or punishment for mining illegally,” says the report.
Post published in: Agriculture