We will never know the truth, but here is a report on Africa in action again. If true, this story is so terrible that I interrupt my oath not to report on mining in Africa. I leave you to decide what, if anything, can be done. Here is a quote from the story for those who may wish to read more:
Local residents describe it as a ‘massacre’ in which police and defence force personnel swoop down on thousands of illegal diamond miners, with helicopters – gunning them down, teargassing them inside their tunnels and having them killed with ferocious dog packs.
The governor of Zimbabwe’s central bank, Gideon Gono, has estimated there are more than 500 syndicates handling more than $1bn a month in illegally dug diamonds. And he’s ordered a crackdown.
Claims are that Zimbabwe’s first lady, Grace Mugabe, and vice-president Joyce Mujuru, are actually behind this crackdown, with the women claiming they own the diamond fields. Grace Mugabe certainly needs the money: she has already blown an estimated £2,1 million fortune feeding her insatiable love for shopping. She has an extraordinarily lavish collection of Gucci bags. According to The Sun, Britain’s biggest circulating newspaper with over 3 million readers daily, her biggest extravagance was blowing a cool £75,000 in just two hours in Paris last year. And when she went on a shopping trip in Rome, her security guards roughed up photographers for trying to record her purchases.
Keep in mind this story does not reflect on mining. It reflects on Africa, Zimbabwe, tyrants everywhere, and the weak international response to the killing of African at all times. More blood diamonds what. And more greedy ladies who want diamonds.
I am an Zimbabwean living in Australia,it is very true people where shoot and killed during the so called stop illigal mining in Zimbabwe.
It happened that I was there during the time of that operation,I had gone to visit my daughter who she is still in Zimbabwe and living in the same town of Mutare in Manicaland where these easy to dig diamonds have resurfaced.lots and lots of people where killed during the operation nicknamed (hwupfumi wakabva kupi?)where did you get your richies?master minded by Perence Shiri who is the commander of the Air force of Zimbabwe and the so called (CDF) commander defence forces General Constantine Chiwenga.I tell you these people they are heartless think of it killing civilians who are not armed.