via Probe rights breaches in Chiadzwa: Group 9 November 2014
A CIVIL society group, the Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNRG), says the government should set up a commission of inquiry to probe human rights abuses perpetrated by state security agents in Chiadzwa.
Farai Maguwu, the director of CNRG, said President Robert Mugabe’s government should not pretend that nothing happened during Operation Hakudzokwi which was meant to flush out illegal diamond diggers.
At least 200 people are estimated to have died during the violent crackdown on the diamond diggers in 2008. The government has never acknowledged the rights violations.
Maguwu told a meeting of civil society activists and villagers from Marange in Mutare on Friday during commemorations to remember the victims of the crackdown that no amount of intimidation will stop the people of Marange from speaking about what happened six years ago.
“We can’t pretend that nothing happened,” said Maguwu, adding “the state came, bullied and killed innocent people in the name of bringing order in Marange”.
Maguwu was arrested by the police in 2008 after he led investigations to unearth what had happened during the government operation.
He said the discovery of diamonds in Chiadzwa is a huge embarrassment to the nation as there is nothing to show that Marange contains the largest trove of alluvial diamonds in the world.
Maguwu said the commemorations were meant to remind people of what happened during Operation Hakudzokwi (Operation No Return).
“This is six years after Operation Hakudzokwi. We have come back to reflect as people what transpired in 2008. Some people are still buried in shallow graves and you know how important it is in our culture to bury our relatives in a more dignified manner.
“There is a mass grave in Dangamvura where more than 80 bodies were buried and all these things need to be talked about,” said Maguwu.
He said it’s high time the nation should stand up and declare that whatever happened in Marange should not happen again in the country.
“More often politicians lie to President Mugabe that people like him but we want to use this platform to tell the government what we want,” said Maguwu.
He said the objective of the commemoration was to remember the victims of Operation Hakudzokwi both those who died, were injured and those who suffered various forms of abuse.
“We are also remembering those who were relocated from Marange to Arda Transau who are facing a lot of challenges to cope with the new life in that area.
“We want to show people of Marange that we are with you and this is a voice of solidarity to the affected communities,” said Maguwu.
He said the commemoration was a reminder to the government that there are a lot of issues that need be addressed in Marange.
“I think if government is concerned about its citizens it should take the grievances raised by its people seriously,” said Maguwu.
He said it was sad that the people of Marange were treated as “excess garbage” by the government when they were forcibly evicted and dumped at Arda Transau with no access to decent shelter, food, medical facilities and education.
“Hundreds of people lost their source of livelihoods but there was no compensation. There was no commission of enquiry to investigate the alleged crimes against humanity,” said Maguwu.
He said those who committed heinous crimes were never prosecuted but got richer.
“We want those who committed heinous crimes to be accountable and the long arm of the law should catch up with them at one point in life,” said Maguwu.
He said according to their investigations the casualties of Operation Hakudzokwi could be more than 200 people as some victims could not be accounted for since they did not go to hospitals while others went outside the province to seek treatment and later died there.
“A lot of things happened in Marange, 17-year-olds were forced to rape 70-year-olds while women and men were rounded and assaulted for no apparent reason.
“Some were made to fill pits with their own hands before they were assaulted or raped,” said Maguwu.
During the commemorations, survivors of Operation Hakudzokwi gave chilling accounts of how they survived the brutality perpetrated by state security agents.
The victims demanded the setting up of a commission of inquiry to investigate the abuses committed by state security agents during the operation.
Maguwu said if government was serious about redressing the Marange issue, it should set up a Marikana-type of Commission of Inquiry. The Marikana commission was set up after South African police shot and killed 37 mine workers at Marikana.
Lovemore Mukwada, of Nyamareya village 29, narrated how they were raided by armed soldiers while drinking some beer before other patrons were heavily assaulted.
He said he was spared from a thorough beating because of his old age.
“Before diamonds, we had our culture and good lifestyle but the discovery of the gem was a curse to our community. I remember Tsorosai Kusena was assaulted the whole night till he died at a police base. Another victim Takura Neshumba was assaulted and died at Mutambara mission in Chimanimani,” said Mukwada.
Maguwu said the commemorations will be held annually.
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