Chinese embassy will convene an all stakeholders meeting to engage Marange community over grievances expressed by villagers against former diamond mining companies, its officials said on Tuesday.
By Donald Nyarota
Chinese embassy political counselor, Zhao Boangang made this commitment following a no-holds barred all stakeholders meeting convened by Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) to discuss impacts of Sino investments in the country under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Community based organizations presented a grim picture of Chinese companies, alleging illicit operations as well as violations of labour and human rights, prompting embassy officials to commit to convening a meeting.
Zhao said oral submissions over a plethora of violations and legacy problems chronicled by community representatives were compelling and called for a sit down with the villagers.
“The Chinese Embassy will be coming to Marange to engage with villagers over the issues raised here, they are serious issues that can be solved through dialoging with community and stakeholders.
“We are going to bring the Chinese companies and villagers together, we will also invite civil society, Ministry of Mines and other important stakeholders in Marange very soon to discuss these issues,” Boangang.
Chinese Ambassador Guo Shaochun said they were committed to assisting Sino investors to live up to laws and regulations governing domestic jurisdictions in which they operate.
He said his embassy operated through an open-door policy and was ready to assist law enforcement agencies to clamp down on such violations.
“It is our policy as the Chinese government to assist and ensure that our businesses people respect the law from the country they operate in, that is our policy very clear and consistent.
“If there are any violations against the law and regulation of Zimbabwe, it is the Chinese government policy to support the government, particularly the enforcing agents of the host country to deal with all these violations.
“We also welcome anyone in Zimbabwe to share with the Chinese embassy details of these cases concerning the violations of Zimbabwean law by a Chinese enterprise or individual,” said
Marange Development Trust chairperson, Malvern Mudiwa chronicled series of environmental, human rights, labor as well as cultural violations committed by former Chinese companies in Chiadzwa.
Mudiwa said government in cahoots with Chinese investors had reneged on their promise to compensate villagers relocated from their homes in Chiadzwa to Arda Transau in Odzi.
“There are legacy issues when it comes to the Chinese investors in Marange, from pollution of our water bodies Odzi and Save which resulted in loss of livestock and ill health, rampant environmental degradation without rehabilitation.
“Anjin moved people under pretext that they would be compensated but years down the line those people are living in abject poverty in Arda without any word from the company, but now they are back we need closure for their lives to move forward,” said Mudiwa.
