Zimbabwe's deputy mining minister, Murisi Zwizwai, denied the allegations and said the military is there to secure the area.
More than 100 witnesses, miners, police officers, soldiers and children were interviewed for the Human Rights Watch report titled "Diamonds in the Rough." It details allegations of human rights abuses by Zimbabwean armed forces in their attempt to control access to the precious gems.
The New York-based group said researchers had gathered evidence of mass graves and accounts of an incident last year when military helicopters fired at miners, while armed soldiers on the ground chased villagers from the area.
"There are hundreds of victims of human rights abuses that are unwilling to come forward for fear of the military," Zimbabwe researcher Dewa Mavhinga said.
The report also alleges that some of the income from the diamond fields is going to officials of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, long accused of trampling on human rights and democracy in the southern African country.
The international human rights watchdog is calling on Zimbabwe's coalition government, formed in February, to stop the alleged abuses and to prosecute those responsible.
It also is urging the international body that governs the global diamond industry to press Zimbabwe, a participant, to end the illegal trade in Marange diamonds. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, established in 2002, aims to stem the flow of "blood diamonds" being used to fund fighting across Africa. Participants are forced to certify the origins of the diamonds being traded. This assures consumers that by purchasing diamonds they are not financing war and human rights abuses.
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- ClipsFC
- added this
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"TIA", this is Africa. There are no rights, other than those exiting a gun barrel!
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If the world boycotted the diamond market for only 1 week,we could bring these murderers to just, reduce the cost of diamonds, and stop this senseless slavery.
I never bought my wife a diamond and neither of us wear diamonds.
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- keithponder
- 4 months ago
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I have known about things such as this for some time now... I will NEVER own a diamond, ruby or any other thing that causes such sadness, death, and destruction..
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- ALLNATURALVEGANS
- 4 months ago
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I feel the same way Keith. I never see a diamond now without thinking of the misery it represents.
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I have no opinion on this for this is an incomplete story but I will ask you to remember that diamonds are the drug of the wealthy. It helps to substitute the word drug anywhere you see the word diamond to understand the insanity of these things. So this story is about the little drug maker theatening the powerful, poliitically accepted drug makers. see? makes sense now.
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blood diamonds, worth nothing to me
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SARCASM ALERT Well, it will make me appreciate my 24k diamond/jade ring all that much more- knowing that someon died for it. Thank you, Anonymous Diamond Miner! Sorry you lost your life, BUT I got myself a BEAUTIFUL diamond ring!! And it cost me UNDER 10 grand! SARCASM ALERT (Y'know, there are some outstanding "faux" diamonds that are identical to the real thing- they're a whole lot cheaper, and nobody was killed in their production. Greed and love of money is truly one of the greatest evils we face today.....)
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- unclecharlie
- 4 months ago
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Hey, there's a nasty rumour going around, Michael Jackson died.
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Wow. He must have been flat broke and desperate for money- - I mean, being worked to death in a diamond mine? What a way to go! :)
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- unclecharlie
- 4 months ago
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