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Villagers in Zimbabwe say a Chinese mining company has told them they will have to leave their homes to make way for a plant. The company denies plans to forcibly move the villagers, but a lack of transparency has many fearing they will be pushed out of their ancestral land. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Mutoko, Zimbabwe.
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptZIMBABWE CHINA MINING EVICTIONS (TV)
HEADLINE: Zimbabwe Villagers Fear Being Evicted to Make Way for a Chinese Mining Company
TEASER: Chinese granite mining company denies plans to move villagers
PUBLISHED AT: 02/02/2022 at 4pm
BYLINE: Columbus Mavhunga
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Mutoko, Zimbabwe
VIDEOGRAPHER: Blessing Chigwenhembe
VIDEO EDITOR: Blessing Chigwenhembe
PRODUCER: Barry Unger
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, BR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original, WhatsApp
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 2:23
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[Villagers in Zimbabwe say a Chinese mining company has told them they will have to leave their homes to make way for a plant. The company denies plans to forcibly move the villagers, but a lack of transparency has many fearing they will be pushed out of their ancestral land. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Mutoko, Zimbabwe.]]
((NARRATOR))
Some villagers in Zimbabwe’s Mutoko District say they are not sure what the future holds now that Chinese companies such as Jinding Mining are exploring quarry mining in the region.
This 42-year old farmer is eager to speak out about the company’s plan to mine an area that stretches over 180 hectares and includes some of their homes. But he asked not to be identified over fears he will be targeted for speaking out.
((Farmer Facing Eviction (in Shona, 15 secs)))
((Mandatory courtesy: WhatsApp))
“The area they want is where we live and where our cattle graze. It’s our source of income. We wonder where we will go, the area they want is too huge. Our ancestors' graves are there too. We wonder where they will relocate them.”
((NARRATOR))
More than 50 families could be forced out by one mining company alone, say activists. The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association plans to ask the courts to stop the evacuations of villagers.
((Richard Ncube, Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association)) ((ENG. 15 secs))
“ln order to help the communities, we are raising awareness on environmental issues. We are researching on these issues in order to inform legal reform and then we take matters to court as a last resort to have their remedies addressed or issues addressed.”
((NARRATOR))
An environmental impact report by Jinding Mining has addressed the concerns of villagers, says an official with Zimbabwe’s Environmental Management Agency.
((Amkela Sidange, Zimbabwe Environmental Management Agency)) ((ENG.15 secs))
“What we only do as the agency is to take the project that is brought by the project owner, we go through it, we verify whether what is being indicated in the report that consultations were done, were really done. We actually go to the ground and triangulate to check if what is in the report is what actually took place on the ground.”
((NARRATOR))
But the farmer who spoke to VOA says only their leaders were consulted.
Officials at Jinding Mining and the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe were not available to comment.
But in a statement, the embassy said Chinese investors in Zimbabwe are working for the betterment of the country.
Columbus Mavhunga, for VOA News, Mutoko, Zimbabwe
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 2, 2022 16:38 EST
BylineColumbus Mavhunga
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
