The main torture camp uncovered by the programme is known locally as "Diamond Base". Witnesses said it is a remote collection of military tents, with an outdoor razor wire enclosure where the prisoners are kept. It is near an area known as Zengeni near Marange, said to be one of the world's most significant diamond fields. The camp is about one mile from the main Mbada mine that the EU wants to approve exports from. The company that runs the mine is headed by a personal friend of President Mugabe. A second camp is located in nearby Muchena. "It is the place of torture where sometimes miners are unable to walk on account of the beatings," a victim who was released from the main camp in February told the BBC. "They beat us 40 whips in the morning, 40 in the afternoon and 40 in the evening," said the man, who still could not use one of his arms after the beatings and could barely walk. A torture camp run by Zimbabwe's security forces is operating in the country's rich Marange diamond fields, BBC Panorama has found. The programme heard from recent victims who told of severe beatings and sexual assault. The claims come as the European Union pushes to let some banned diamonds from the country led by President Robert Mugabe back onto world markets.
In Marange, the police and military recruit civilians to illegally dig for diamonds for them. Those workers are taken to the camps for punishment if they demand too large a share of the profits. Civilians caught mining for themselves are also punished in the camps.
People would do anything for money. The things they do to get these diamonds, is really appalling. It reminds me of the movie, 'blood diamond'. In my opinion, the police or the military do not have any right to recruit civilians to illegally dig for diamonds for them. It is not the civilians fault for demanding a larger share of the profits, I am assuming they must have gone through a really hard time retrieving these diamonds. I also feel that having these torture camps are really unnecessary. The way they torture people is so inhumane. The country is rich in diamonds, they should either make use of it to build the country's economy, in a legal way, OR they should totally ban these diamond digging business so nobody would be hurt.
Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14377215?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
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