via Deal with Marange miners, govt urged – New Zimbabwe 08/02/2015
CIVIL society groups have challenged the government to be tough on diamond firms operating in Marange saying they have not done enough to help develop surrounding areas.
This came out during a meeting held last week between Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) operating in Manicaland province and new Provincial Affairs minister Mandi Chimene.
NGO’s in the extractive sector told Chimene that government has been “too lenient with diamond mining firms for too long a time”.
Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNRG) director and human rights activist, Farai Maguwu commended the new minister for engaging NGOs on problems affecting the province.
He cited the issue of Marange as a cause for concern and urged Chimene to act decisively on the mining firms which he accused of exploiting the natural resources without ploughing back into the affected communities.
“Manicaland is the richest province in the country but this is not reflecting on the ground in terms of development. If you look at Mutare it has one functioning robot (traffic light),” said Maguwu.
“Since the discovery of the diamonds 10 years ago, the country has lost billions of dollars to these mines but they are not doing anything in terms of corporate social responsibility.”
Chimene conceded that she was also not impressed with the manner in which the diamond miners have been operating in the province.
She however, challenged civic society groups not to meddle in politics, urging them to focus on developmental and humanitarian issues.
This was the first such engagement between civic society and Zanu PF government officials in Manicaland after years of tension and mistrust over the mining of gems in the area.
Other issues raised by civic society to Chimene included government officials demanding allowances to participate in a developmental project initiated and bankrolled by NGOs.
The civic society groups argued that government was a developmental partner adding its workers cannot demand extra incentives since they were on the state payroll.
Chimene promised to deal with the problem.
The meeting was attended by representatives of Red Cross Society, Plan Zimbabwe, Roman Catholic Caritas, to mention a few.
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