Chief Zimunya says Chinese firm, ‘Anjin Investment’ took bones of Zimunya & Marange people, away.

MUTARE: Chief Zimunya from Manicaland province attacked top politicians Friday whom he said were colluding with the Chinese to violate people’s rights in the Marange area.

Chief Zimunya was addressing the Manicaland Provincial Alternative Indaba 2015 which was convened by Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association (ZELA).

He said politicians despise traditional leaders and hence they pass them on important issues such as diamond mining.

The livid chief said an example of this was on the issue of the Chinese mining firm, Anjin Investment, which he said packed human bones into sacks and took them an unknown destination when they started mining in the area.

He said the Chinese excavators left some human bones uncovered and this has angered ancestral spirits and the community at large.

“There is one thing I am not happy about when we talk of mining in Marange. That is the issue of the bones of our ancestors and relatives which were taken by Chinese miners,” said the chief.

“Where did they take the bones to? These are bones of Zimunya and Marange people. There were no rituals which were carried out to address this matter”.

According to human rights groups, close to 400 people were killed in the diamond rich area when government launched a crackdown code named Operation Hakudzokwi (No Return) which was meant to flush out illegal miners.

Chief Zimunya said he was bitter that some top government officials were pretending not to be versed on African tradition, preferring to collude with the Chinese instead of reining them in.

“We have top government officials who try to pretend as if they don’t know much about our culture.

“They work with the Chinese but they don’t reprimand them when they (Chinese) violate our culture.

“The politicians are only interested in lining their pockets while our cultural and social rights are violated. Why can’t they teach them (Chinese) about our culture?” said Chief Zimunya.

He pleaded with ZELA to help the local community to sue the Chinese for taking bones of the deceased people to an unknown destination without proper consultation.

“Our ancestors are so angry about what happened in Marange. That`s why things are not going on well in Marange. Things were not done properly from the start. by Manicaland Correspondent. source-newzimbabwe

photo-Mugabe with the Chinese who are said to be looting diamonds from Marange -nehandaradio.