Mugabe accuses De Beers looting Zimbabwe diamonds

Mugabe accuses De Beers of looting Zimbabwe diamonds

Friday, 12 March 2010 06:35 Mugabe accuses De Beers of looting Zim diamonds

The Zimbabwe government has accused diamond giant De Beers of looting gems from the controversial Chiadzwa mining fields over a period of 15 years without declaring the proceeds to the state.

President Robert Mugabe is quoted by the state-run Herald newspaper last week as fingering De Beers among other multinational firms as looters in the
Marange diamond fields by pretending to be carrying out exploration work.

Asked to elaborate, Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba, told Mmegi that for 15 years the Zimbabwe government believed De Beers was only prospecting and carrying out tests when the company was actually mining.

"When the government finally realised this and tried to arrest them, that's when they hurriedly pulled out and claimed the diamonds were not of commercial value," Charamba said. "It is not a secret that alluvial diamonds are mined at the surface. It is not like a kimberlite. Why should it take 15 years for such an experienced company to conclude that our diamonds are of no value to them.

"But we cannot not take the issue further because we cannot establish how much of the diamonds have been taken. But the most important thing now is that we now have our mines back." Meanwhile, De Beers Director of International Relations has described Mugabe's accusations... ...

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