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| Eerie silence at Zimbabwe diamond mine | Eerie silence at Zimbabwe diamond mine |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| By David Farira Mutare, Zimbabwe Diamond dealers flocked from all over the world to the fields - until an alleged brutal security forces crackdown | By David Farira Mutare, Zimbabwe Diamond dealers flocked from all over the world to the fields - until an alleged brutal security forces crackdown |
| Godwin Muti was one of the first people to descend on Chiadzwa when word spread that diamonds had been discovered in the arid and impoverished part of Manicaland Province. | Godwin Muti was one of the first people to descend on Chiadzwa when word spread that diamonds had been discovered in the arid and impoverished part of Manicaland Province. |
| Mr Muti, 31, an unemployed father-of-two, was wallowing in poverty. He could hardly pay rent for a one-room house where he lodged in the old township of Sakubva in Mutare city. | Mr Muti, 31, an unemployed father-of-two, was wallowing in poverty. He could hardly pay rent for a one-room house where he lodged in the old township of Sakubva in Mutare city. |
| When word reached him about the discovery of diamonds in Chiadzwa, Mr Muti joined thousands of other desperate miners in the rush to Chiadzwa, then an unknown and desolate place. | When word reached him about the discovery of diamonds in Chiadzwa, Mr Muti joined thousands of other desperate miners in the rush to Chiadzwa, then an unknown and desolate place. |
| A few months later his life had been transformed. | A few months later his life had been transformed. |
| Suddenly he living in the middle-class suburb of Dangamvura, the proud owner of a Sedan 323 car and a number of homes that had been beyond his wildest dreams. | Suddenly he living in the middle-class suburb of Dangamvura, the proud owner of a Sedan 323 car and a number of homes that had been beyond his wildest dreams. |
| The hospital said their mortuary is not working well and the piling of bodies is straining their facilities Police spokesman | The hospital said their mortuary is not working well and the piling of bodies is straining their facilities Police spokesman |
| Once Mr Muti got the diamonds from the fields he could immediately sell them to buyers readily available close to the fields. | Once Mr Muti got the diamonds from the fields he could immediately sell them to buyers readily available close to the fields. |
| Dealers flocked from all over the world, including South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria, Guinea, Mauritania, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel and Belgium. | Dealers flocked from all over the world, including South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria, Guinea, Mauritania, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel and Belgium. |
| They were prepared to part with as much as $200 (£134) per carat - a handsome price considering panners could sell stones up to 15 carats. | They were prepared to part with as much as $200 (£134) per carat - a handsome price considering panners could sell stones up to 15 carats. |
| Mr Muti's only problem was the police and their dogs that would constantly chase him and his fellow miners from the fields. | Mr Muti's only problem was the police and their dogs that would constantly chase him and his fellow miners from the fields. |
| The lure of gems, and making a fortune, tempts miners to pan illegally | The lure of gems, and making a fortune, tempts miners to pan illegally |
| But Mr Muti, and thousands of others, soon found a way round that obstacle - they formed syndicates with the police officers manning the fields. | But Mr Muti, and thousands of others, soon found a way round that obstacle - they formed syndicates with the police officers manning the fields. |
| Suddenly, poor police officers earning less than $10 (£7) a month were driving new cars too. | Suddenly, poor police officers earning less than $10 (£7) a month were driving new cars too. |
| The authorities launched several operations to rid Chiadzwa of illegal miners but the hunt for precious gems continued unabated. | The authorities launched several operations to rid Chiadzwa of illegal miners but the hunt for precious gems continued unabated. |
| Then two weeks ago Mr Muti was surprised to see helicopters hovering over the diamond fields. Then heavily-armed soldiers arrived. | Then two weeks ago Mr Muti was surprised to see helicopters hovering over the diamond fields. Then heavily-armed soldiers arrived. |
| That was the beginning of a brutal campaign to remove illegal miners and the diamond-dealers once and for all. | That was the beginning of a brutal campaign to remove illegal miners and the diamond-dealers once and for all. |
| It was dubbed Hakudzokwi kumunda, meaning "Operation you would never go back to the diamond fields". | It was dubbed Hakudzokwi kumunda, meaning "Operation you would never go back to the diamond fields". |
| Scattered bodies | Scattered bodies |
| Reports then began to filter through that bodies of dead panners were piling up at the mortuary in Mutare Provincial Hospital. | Reports then began to filter through that bodies of dead panners were piling up at the mortuary in Mutare Provincial Hospital. |
| Earlier this week 20 decomposing bodies at the facility had not been claimed. | Earlier this week 20 decomposing bodies at the facility had not been claimed. |
| This prompted the police to make a public appeal to relatives with missing loved-ones to visit the mortuary. | This prompted the police to make a public appeal to relatives with missing loved-ones to visit the mortuary. |
| Police spokesman in Manicaland, Inspector Brian Makomeke, said: "The hospital authorities have said their mortuary is not working well and the piling of bodies is straining their facilities. | Police spokesman in Manicaland, Inspector Brian Makomeke, said: "The hospital authorities have said their mortuary is not working well and the piling of bodies is straining their facilities. |
| About 20,000 panners rushed to the diamond fields | About 20,000 panners rushed to the diamond fields |
| "Some of the deceased panners might be foreigners and we are not sure because they had no form of identification." | "Some of the deceased panners might be foreigners and we are not sure because they had no form of identification." |
| An unknown number of bodies were scattered in the forests surrounding the fields. Several had died from gunshot wounds while others had succumbed to diseases like cholera. | An unknown number of bodies were scattered in the forests surrounding the fields. Several had died from gunshot wounds while others had succumbed to diseases like cholera. |
| About 20,000 illegal panners, who had come from all over Zimbabwe to make the diamond fields their permanent homes, fled in all directions. | About 20,000 illegal panners, who had come from all over Zimbabwe to make the diamond fields their permanent homes, fled in all directions. |
| 'Hell on earth' | 'Hell on earth' |
| Within a week of the operation there was not a single miner left in the diamonds fields. | Within a week of the operation there was not a single miner left in the diamonds fields. |
| Mr Muti was lucky to escape unhurt. But he says it was hell and vowed not to return to the fields as long as the soldiers are there. | Mr Muti was lucky to escape unhurt. But he says it was hell and vowed not to return to the fields as long as the soldiers are there. |
| Teachers abandoned classrooms to join the diamond rush - their pupils followed | Teachers abandoned classrooms to join the diamond rush - their pupils followed |
| "I thank my gods I escaped unhurt," he said. "It was hell on earth. The soldiers are shooting to kill." | "I thank my gods I escaped unhurt," he said. "It was hell on earth. The soldiers are shooting to kill." |
| Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is calling for the alleged violations to be documented so the perpetrators can be brought to justice once normality returns to the country. | |
| Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights accused the army of heavy-handed tactics to remove the illegal miners. | Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights accused the army of heavy-handed tactics to remove the illegal miners. |
| And the regional co-ordinator of ZimRights, Reverend Stephen Maengamhura, accused the authorities of "a wholesale violation of rights". | And the regional co-ordinator of ZimRights, Reverend Stephen Maengamhura, accused the authorities of "a wholesale violation of rights". |
| Mr Muti said: "I am not employed and this was my only means of survival. I may now be forced to sell what I bought when I was in Chiadzwa." | Mr Muti said: "I am not employed and this was my only means of survival. I may now be forced to sell what I bought when I was in Chiadzwa." |
| Factories were left with skeleton staff at the height of the diamond rush | Factories were left with skeleton staff at the height of the diamond rush |
| His story is similar to that of thousands of other desperate Zimbabweans who descended on Chiadzwa, seeking instant fortunes. | His story is similar to that of thousands of other desperate Zimbabweans who descended on Chiadzwa, seeking instant fortunes. |
| Teachers, especially those in schools close to the diamond fields, abandoned their classrooms to join the diamond rush - their pupils followed. | Teachers, especially those in schools close to the diamond fields, abandoned their classrooms to join the diamond rush - their pupils followed. |
| Even factories and industries were left with skeleton staff after workers downed tools and headed for Chiadzwa. | Even factories and industries were left with skeleton staff after workers downed tools and headed for Chiadzwa. |
| Moses Mawire, 37, a senior mathematics teacher at a secondary school close to Chiadzwa, has not reported to duty for almost a year now. | Moses Mawire, 37, a senior mathematics teacher at a secondary school close to Chiadzwa, has not reported to duty for almost a year now. |
| "Why should I suffer when I can easily go to Chiadzwa and become a rich person?" Mr Mawire said. | "Why should I suffer when I can easily go to Chiadzwa and become a rich person?" Mr Mawire said. |
| The reporter's name has been changed for his own protection. | The reporter's name has been changed for his own protection. |