Police ban demonstrations on diamonds looting, as angry and hungry community resists

BY CLAYTON MASEKESA

MARANGE- ZIMBABWEAN police have banned a demonstration planned by civic groups in Marange slated for November 8, arguing that the place of the demonstration is a protected area, amid community resistance.

The civic groups said the protests would be peaceful, but police further argued by saying they believe the protest would turn violent.

Thousands of villagers around Marange diamond fields had planned to demonstrate next Tuesday to protest the looting of diamond revenue and demand their share of Chiadzwa Community Share Ownership allocations.

Chiadzwa Community Share Ownership Trust was set to operate a diamond mining concession granted to the local community by the government, but up to now, nothing has materialized.

In a letter dated 30 October 2022 and signed by Chief Superintendent R. Mbira who is the Regulating Authority for ZRP Mutare Rural District partly read:

“I draw your attention to the provisions of section 7(2)(h) and 10(1)(2) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act Chapter 11:23 which your convening notice is not in compliance.

“Further reference is made to section 5(2) of the Protected Places and Areas Act Chapter 11:12, which provides that conduct and movement of persons within a Protected Area ought to be regulated and/or directed by an Authorized Officer.

“As the Regulating Authority, I cannot guarantee the conduct and behavior of participants during a demonstration within a Protected Area.

” Having considered the aforementioned statutory provisions, your intended demonstration cannot go ahead.”

In their letter to the police, the civic groups in Marange had written:

“This letter serves to inform your office of a peaceful demonstration to take place on 8 November 22 at Zengeni business centre in Chiadzwa. “The demonstration was organized by Chiadzwa Community Share Ownership Trust, Chiadzwa Community Development Trust (CCDT), Bocha Community Development Trust (BCDT), Zimbabwe Diamond Allied Workers Union (ZIDAWU), Zivai Community Empowerment Trust (ZICET), Young Entrepreneurs Trust Zimbabwe (YETZ), Centre For Research and Development (CRD), Marange Development Trust (MDT) and the Centre for Natural Resource and Governance (CNRG).

The grievance is that the Chiadzwa Community wants its 20 percent for Chiadzwa Community Share Ownership Trust promised in 2019 through Cabinet agreement.

“We, as the community, are languishing in poverty while the diamonds are being extracted. It is high time we have our entitlement as the community.” Commenting over the police ban,” Cosmas Sunguro the ZIDAWU president said/

He added that they going to use available channels as provided by the constitution and they were still open for discussion with the regulatory body.

“At the end we want to see the best for our communities, that is, benefitting from their natural resources as enunciated by section 13(4) of Zimbabwe constitution,” said Mildred Muzanechita ZICET coordinator.

She said the community has resisted the ban.

“According to the community, nothing has changed despite the police notice to stop the demonstration. The community has resisted that ban, hence, we do not have power over community’s voices. “We will wait for the day and see,” Muzanechita said.

“I think the Protected Areas Act must be reviewed and see if it can be amended because there are villagers who stay in those areas,” added Muzanechita.

The formation of the Chiadzwa Community Share Ownership Trust had brought hope on the transformation of lives for long suffering villagers in Marange.A committee for the Chiadzwa Community Share Ownership Trust headed by Chief Bernard Marange was set up in 2019 and some meetings of pre-conditions to operationalise a diamond mining concession granted to the local community were also done.

However, three years down the line, the community of Chiadzwa is yet to receive its share.