Access Permits into Marange Diamonds : A Human Right Violation.
@refiassithole MDT/23/03/2018
Section 66 of our Zimbabwean constitution permits for the free movement of people. Therefore the issue of access permits into Marange diamonds specifically in Mukwada and Chiadzwa has been a cause for concern for these communities. We have also been looking into this issue with a critical thinking as to why these communities are required to have access permits for their motorist yet they are the sole villagers of this same area. Is the national identity card not enough to see whether this person is from Mukwada and Chiadzwa village. To add the matters worse we have to travel all the way to mutare to access these permits taking into consideration the cost associated with it.
These access permits which also expires and is renewed every month is really troublesome, we are not suppose to renew the permits after all but it should be permanent at least. I have the view that temporary permits should be given to those who don’t live in Mukwada and Chiadzwa . However we a saying no to access permits to people living in Mukwada and Chiadzwa since it has greatly impacted the way people have been living. Most people no longer feel comfortable to visit their relatives attend funeral services and many other cultural beliefs done in Marange. Therefore access permits has been a human right violation to the people of Marange , it is clearly a violation of freedom of movement as provided for in our constitution.
This has not only affected the social aspect but also the economic and cultural wellbeing of the people of Marange in mukwada and Chiadzwa. The community living in Chiadzwa and Mukwada are not different from those who live in different parts of this country hence we a also entitled to the same right and equal treatment