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Statement on Chiyadzwa diamonds
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) (Mugwadi)
June 30, 2010

Whilst the cabinet is said to have agreed on selling the diamonds from Chiyadzwa, today Farai Maguwyu will spend his 28th day in captivity. The Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) condemns in the strongest of terms, the continued unjust and brutal incarceration of former ZINASU general councilor and prominent human rights activist now, Executive Director of the Centre for Research and Development (CDR) Farai Maguwu at the hands of merciless human rights violators.

Maguwu is facing charges of 'communicating falsehoods' in connection with information he was disseminating about Zimbabwe's diamond calamity and is being charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly communicating information that is prejudicial to the State. Maguwu has been remanded in custody for 28 a days now and has been denied bail despite his ill health, which has seen him undergo surgery on his throat. He was forcibly removed from the Avenues Hospital last Monday, a few days after undergoing surgery. Maguwu is scheduled to appear in court today.

This state-manned brutality is taking place at a time when the people of Zimbabwe are anticipating economic recovery as well as economic growth. Alive to the significance diamonds can play in economic recovery, it so ironic that the Zimbabwe's state is ardent at silencing the voice of accountability and transparency. Taking lessons from Botswana a, country situated in a heat swelling desert but discovered development in diamonds and today Botswana's diamond mines collectively make up one of the largest diamond reserves in the world. The revenue earned from diamonds has underwritten national health-care and educational programs, and now drives Botswana's economy.

ZINASU believes that the government of Zimbabwe can actually fund education from the revenue collected from Chiyadzwa.It is our belief that had this diamond issue not been trapped within the armpits of greed politicians thousands of students would not have dropped out of college because of failure to pay fees for state loans and grants would have been available. Pursuant to Congress resolution article five the Union believes that if sincerely used the diamonds can usher in economic recovery and subsequently sustain education .We equally believe that the government would have enough to pay our parents in the civil service. It is unfortunate that these precious minerals are now being used for economic expedience by a few politicians.

Drawing lessons from the experience in other African countries Sierra Leon, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is self evident that these minerals can be abused to sustain an unpopular regime and such can be the Zimbabwean crisis if the government continues to silence the progressive works of people like Maguwu.ZINASU sees these diamonds offering a new lease of economic life to ZANU-PF and that explains why Farai has been denied his liberty and rights.

ZINASU wishes Maguwu the best of luck today, hoping that justice and logic shall reign during the court proceedings.

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