Posted on December 9, 2010
A group of “WikiLeaked” cables paint a picture of a stark, “Wild West” atmosphere in the Marange diamond fields after the Zimbabwe military tried to get control of the area in 2008.
One State Dept. cable from November 2008 reports:
Despite efforts to control the diamond site with police, the prospect of accessible diamonds lying just beneath the soil's surface has attracted a swarm of several thousand local and foreign diggers. The police response has been violent, with a handful of homicides reported each week, though that number could grow as diggers arm themselves and attract police and army deserters to their ranks ...
In response to aggressive police action, diggers began arming themselves with handguns and in some cases automatic weapons. They also formed loose gangs in an attempt to protect themselves as well as "claimed" areas. [African Consolidated Resources CEO Andrew] Cranswick said that some members of the police and army have deserted in order to join the digging, and they typically brought their firearms with them. Some former police even still wear their uniforms as they search for diamonds. …
According to Cranswick, all extraction is now being done by hand panners who merely sift the top meter of soil. Some of these panners operate in teams that sell their diamonds to representatives of the above-named officials and connected elites. Other panners are individual operators who merely sell to the highest bidder. Often the panners who are affiliated with a particular regime buyer, will only sell a portion of their diamonds to that person's representative, holding back the remainder to sell for higher prices to foreign buyers offering hard currency.
It should be noted that ACR, Cranswick’s company, has been in litigation with the government over its claim to Marange diamonds. It was recently charged with fraud by the government, which it denies.
The cable adds:
In a country filled with corrupt schemes, the diamond business in Zimbabwe is one of the dirtiest. Mining in general remains the largest single source of foreign exchange, but the potential of Chiadzwa is being lost to Zimbabwean corruption. …At present, police trying to bring order to Chiadzwa are benefiting Zimbabwean officials who see the diamond field as a new source of illegitimate income; the people of Zimbabwe are seeing little return.
These comments do not apply to the Murowa mine, which the writer calls “well regulated.”
A January 2009 cable has similar observations. One informant, whose name was redacted but was described as a “tribal chief,” said diamond digging…
…is continuing in Marange largely under the supervision of the military. The typical practice is for soldiers to supervise and escort groups of panners as they dig. Then at the end of the day, any diamonds found are apportioned between soldiers and diggers … [M]ilitary helicopters fly in daily and transport many of the diamonds to bases near Harare, where presumably they are taken by senior military commanders
The country notes that many of the region’s diamonds are being sold to buyers in Mutare, a city in Zimbabwe, and over the border in Mozambique by “a mix of panners, police, and soldiers"…
…in particular, Lebanese buyers have set up shop in large numbers in Mutare and typically pay for the diamonds with U.S. dollars. In order to operate safely, the Lebanese have formed profitable relationships with senior military and police officials in the region.
One thing to stress: These cables were never meant to be seen by the public. There are claims in them which are based on hearsay and may not be true. Still, the general picture here echoes what has been said by human rights groups; in fact, the cables often quote them. As the U.S. has been one of the countries pushing for tougher restrictions on Zimbabwe’s diamond exports, here we see an interesting view into the government’s mind-set.
LEN736 · 0 sec ago